The intricate weaving in this basket expresses that
whether by blood or through kinship, Freedmen are our
relatives: Freedmen and Black-Native histories are
Native history. The placement of each runner and reed
speaks to the care and attention that goes into
observing, learning, and translating culture. The
handles charge us to be mindful of how we hold one
another, as well as how we carry and protect our
communities and our cultures. The beautifully
contrasting colors also object to any notion that
harmony and community between peoples can only be
achieved amongst those who share the same skin tone.
This basket, with its modest shape but interlocking
details, cautions us not to forget the struggle,
resilience, and solidarity it has taken for Native
people to still be here. It acknowledges that
Indigeneity has a future, but not without Freedmen and
Black Natives.
—AMBER STARKS (A.K.A. MELANIN MVSKOKE)
