Aron Griffith, Maliseet artist, creates birch bark baskets and mother earth effigies from birch bark, adorned with animals, plants, and traditional Wabanaki designs. The birch tree has long provided Northeast Woodland Indians with material for containers as well as canoes.
Griffith's doll-like creations honor Mother Earth; hence he calls them earth effigies. The corn cob inside the effigy is part of Griffith's honoring of Mother Earth. This effigy is adorned bear paw designs. The bear is a significant animal in many Native American cultures, including the Wabanaki nations of Maine.
