'Timeless' 1960s Elsipogtog craft work featured in new book and documentary

The work of a 1960s Mi'kmaw crafts guild is be‐ ing recognized in a new book and documentary launching Saturday in Fredericton.

Artists from Elsipogtog First Nation in New Brunswick made prints, ceramics, and textiles as well as hasty notes and other novelty items.

"The work is beautiful and to me, it's timeless," said Mona Francis, who helped translate the book Wabana‐ ki Modern into Mi'kmaw.

Francis is from Elsipogtog, 57 kilometres north of Monc‐ ton, and hopes the projects inspire another craft guild to form in the community.

The Micmac Indian Crafts‐ men (MIC) guild formed in 1962 after Chief Anthony Francis wrote to the provincial handicrafts guild saying the community had a lot of talent and something should come of it. The community received grants and the MIC formed.

The MIC struggled to maintain funding so staff was always in flux, but 10 artists were prominent fix‐ tures for the workshop until it folded in 1966. They includ‐ ed Michael William Francis, Jane Alice Dedam, Edward Alexander Francis and John Stephen Dedam.

Vienna Francis, Stephen Dedam's daughter, remem‐ bers growing up with the smells of turpentine and linseed oil in her house.

"He didn't only work it, he lived it, so we had to live it as well," said Francis.

She said her father was hu‐ morous, a storyteller and cre‐ ative. Francis said her father even built his own office desk with copper rings.

Her father died in March but Francis said he would have been proud that his work is being featured in an art exhibition, book and film.

The book and documen‐ tary, both titled Wabanaki Modern, launch this Saturday at Fredericton's Beaver‐ brook Art Gallery, where an exhibition of the group's art runs until February.

John Leroux, manager of exhibitions, and Emma Has‐ sencahl-Perley, adjunct cura‐ tor of Indigenous art, began researching the work of the MIC about three years ago. Hassencahl-Perley co-au‐ thored the book with Leroux, and it is available in English, French and Mi'kmaw.

Hassencahl-Perley, who is Wolastoqey from Neqotkuk, Tobique First Nation, said the work is stunning and influential and she's grateful the community of Elsipogtog shared their stories.

"The love and effort and success that emanated from the community is still present today," said Hassencahl-Per‐ ley.

She was surprised to learn that many women in the community helped the guild by sewing burlap sacks to handle the influx of demand for the MIC's hasty notes. She said this story speaks to inter‐ generational success of Elsi‐ pogtog.

Sandy Hunter, who pro‐ duced the 22-minute docu‐ mentary, hopes the film shines a light on just how tal‐ ented the MIC was.

"When I saw the work, I was like 'Wow!' and I had no idea it existed," said Hunter.

He said the art may be 60 years old but it looks like modern graphic design. The works blend contemporary vi‐ suals with traditional Mi'kmaw stories like Glooscap and the whale.

"I think it will inspire oth‐ ers to contribute to creating in the province," said Hunter.