Ransom Shiela

Sheila Kanieson Ransom
MOHAWK/ WOLF CLAN
PC Box 1299
Akwesasne, NY 13655
srmtgc@northnet.org

Sheila, a 51-year-old grandmother of four, has been making sweetgrass baskets for more than ten years. She learned from Mae Bigtree, her godmother and first cousin. Mae is a strict teacher who would tell Sheila “sosenshi” (take it back off) and start the basket over. Sheila later studied with Henry Arquette learning how to make picnic, laundry and corn wash baskets. An antique basket mold inspired Sheila to make a sewing basket that won first prize at the 2005 New York State Fair. Sheila also entered a corn wash basket and received second prize at the fair.

Basketmaking has become a passion for Sheila, and the process consumes much of her spare time. Sheila’s two granddaughters who like to keep her company while she is works; although they are still babies, she dreams of the day when she can begin to teach them this beautiful art. For the immediate future, Sheila plans to continue to work with community elders to learn different
basketmaking techniques.