A passionate advocate for preserving the ash and sweetgrass basketmaking heritage of the Wabanaki tribes of Maine (Maliseet, Micmac, Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot tribes), Theresa Secord is a master basketmaker, still using the basket molds that she inherited from her great-grandmother to shape her art.
Teri Rofkar, known also by her Lingít clan name, Cháas’ koowú tláa was a master in the traditional ways of Raven’s Tail weaving and Spruce Root Basketry. She was also an accomplished educator who passed on these traditional Lingít weaving techniques to future generations so that the skills and art of the Lingít people would not be lost.
Yakima-Colville beadworker whose work has been featured in many museum collections and exhibits and who has worked hard to document her tribal heritage and to keep it a part of her people’s cultural future.
Master weaver, whose inspiration and creativity extend far beyond Toadlena, New Mexico. As a relentless culture bearer, her weaving has immeasurably impacted both traditional and contemporary textile arts.
Tenacious campaigner who fought segregation in Australia
Ojibwe elder, storyteller and basketmaker who lived on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation in north central North Dakota.
Nez Perce cornhusk weaver
In 1991, she studied and helped revive the making of Wasco sally bags, twined root-digging bags, through the Oregon Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program. This launched her on a new career path dedicated to the preservation of her cultural heritage.
Artist, teacher, native-arts conservator, author and storyteller, Pauline Hillaire worked to carry on the heritage of Washington’s Lummi Nation and was one of the most knowledgeable living resources of the Northwest Coast’s arts and culture.
Collaborated on research the linguistics of Native American languages, translate the recorded Indigenous languages in 19th century texts, and provide valuable insights into the nuances of her culture.