Exhibition
Adaptation and Resistance: Indigenous History of the Pejepscot RegionNotes
In the nineteenth century, Maine began acquiring a reputation as a vacation and tourist destination. By this time, the story of violence that defined the eighteenth century had given way to a perception of Maine as pristine wilderness, ignoring Indigenous history altogether. This depiction of Maine relegates Abenaki people to the scenery and a wild past that Maine embodied. Tourists often bought souvenirs that they felt symbolized the romantic wilderness, which included Abenaki items. Some Indigenous people recognized the potential for income from the tourist market, and began creating souvenirs specifically for sale to tourists, like this finely crafted miniature basket.
A small, woven cylindrical basket with a lid. The surface is covered in small curls.