Tomah Joseph, Passamaquoddy

[beaver]

Tomah Joseph was born in New Brunswick in 1837 and died seventy-seven years later. Through his art, Tomah Joseph maintained strong connections to Passamaquoddy culture. His work included basket making, building canoes, manufacturing snowshoes, paddles and related objects and guiding sport fisherman and hunters.
He was well known to the famous Campobello family, the Roosevelts. He built a canoe for Franklin D. Roosevelt that is now in the International Park Reception Center on Campobello Island.
Passamaquoddy life is the dominant theme of Tomah's art. Most frequently, Tomah Joseph depicted the time when the "People" still had a culture based on hunting & fishing.
Tomah Joseph's art and life provide a model of cultural survival in which tourist art is a part of native culture, demonstrating continuity rather than disruption of tradition.

 

[Dave Wermuth]

A rabbit smoking a pipe. there must be a story.

 

[Treewater]

Midewiwan

That art, yes, a rabbit smoking a pipe, seems representative of Midewiwan , (Grand Medicine Society) pictographs. Where do I get the book?
Tim

 

[David McDaniel]

rabbit smoking pipe

dave
I have heard that the rabbit is smoking the pipe because
he is unafraid, because he knows that he smarter and
faster that his preditor.
later Dave

 

[Kathryn Klos]

Reminds me of this quote from "Watership Down":

"...All the world shall be your enemy, Prince with a Thousand Enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with a swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed."

 

[beaver]

dave
I have heard that the rabbit is smoking the pipe because
he is unafraid, because he knows that he smarter and
faster that his preditor.
later Dave

Yes indeed Dave; the rabbit smoking the pipe is a true sign of confidence

 

[Dave Wermuth]

I just thought it was a Mad River Canoe. A quick search attributes the confident rabbit as either Cree or Micmac legend.

 

[Treewater]

Book availability

Bibliofind says the book it out of print. Do you know where I can get one?
Tim

 

[Rob Stevens]

Bibliofind says the book it out of print. Do you know where I can get one?
Tim

I found a copy available for $25 via http://used.addall.com/Used/
Of course, it could be sold by now.

Additional info;
[publisher: Brown University] First Edition An exhibition catalog from shows in Rhode Island and Maine in 1993. Stapled softcover of 21 pages with sepia photos of Joseph's work. Good history of Joseph's work who illustrated in daily life and figures central to his people's myths as opposed to others earlier work that was typically of geometric or curvilinear design.As new. [Chesterville, ME, U.S.A.]

 

[Treewater]

book

Thank you. five available. new condition.
Tim

 

[beaver]

Tomah Joseph was born in New Brunswick in 1837 and died seventy-seven years later. Through his art, Tomah Joseph maintained strong connections to Passamaquoddy culture. His work included basket making, building canoes, manufacturing snowshoes, paddles and related objects and guiding sport fisherman and hunters.
He was well known to the famous Campobello family, the Roosevelts. He built a canoe for Franklin D. Roosevelt that is now in the International Park Reception Center on Campobello Island.
Passamaquoddy life is the dominant theme of Tomah's art. Most frequently, Tomah Joseph depicted the time when the "People" still had a culture based on hunting & fishing.
Tomah Joseph's art and life provide a model of cultural survival in which tourist art is a part of native culture, demonstrating continuity rather than disruption of tradition.

The canoe backrests that Tomah made are very unique in the fact that they are beautifully decorated with winter-bark etchings.

 

[Kathryn Klos]

Wow. The backrests are amazing... I had no idea that birch bark builders made backrests. The design with the woman and parasol is interesting, and suggests Tomah knew about courting canoes, and ladies reclining against a backrest and needing to be shaded from the sun.

I love the owl, and his name is wonderful.

 

[beaver]

Wow. The backrests are amazing... I had no idea that birch bark builders made backrests. The design with the woman and parasol is interesting, and suggests Tomah knew about courting canoes, and ladies reclining against a backrest and needing to be shaded from the sun.

I love the owl, and his name is wonderful.

Here are a couple of very old photos with some lovely ladies being courted via the "bark canoe"

 

[Andre Cloutier]

Now that is really cool!
indeed.

 

[cwfrench]

This is resurrecting an old thread but it is a slow night at work. The old gentleman who has a canoe shop in my village and is letting me use his shop and much of his spare parts has had a summer place on Campobello Island says that he has a paddle made by Chief Tomah that they found in the cabin when they bought it decades ago. He stated he plans on donating it to the Museum up there on his passing. In the meantime, he has been making copies of the unique style for himself and a few other people. I can get a pic of one of his reproductions if someone wanted them.

 

[Rob Stevens]

snip happens
I can get a pic of one of his reproductions if someone wanted them.

Yes, I'd like to see that.

 

[pklonowski]

Ditto. Any dimensions would be interesting, too!

 

[cwfrench]

A bit bad timing as just this morning he loaded up the pickup and boat trailer and just left for six weeks to that very same camp. However, I am not done working on my canoe and he is continuing to let me use the shop and all tools etc. One of his copies is there in his office with a few other paddles he makes. He likes the Tomah one the best and uses one himself. He makes a different style for his wife. I will be over there tomorrow and get some pics and some dimensions.

 

[Murat V]

Eagerly looking forward to any pics and info on Tomah's paddle. Does it look anything like this one?

 

[cwfrench]

Yes, it is very narrow at the end with a flattened diamond shape to it. It was thicker than I had seen for paddles. The top (hand area) did indeed look like that.