Hudson Museum Scavenger Hunt: Sweetgrass Comb
Where did it come from?
This carved wooden comb was used by a Penobscot basketmaker. The Penobscot people are native to the Penobscot River and Penobscot Bay area. The Penobscot, along with the Passamaquoddy, Maliseet and Mi’kmaq are often referred to as the Wabanaki or People of the Dawn.
What was it used for?
Penobscot Sweetgrass combs are used to remove the chaff from sweetgrass.
Where does sweetgrass grow?
Sweetgrass grows in marshy areas and is native to Greenland, Iceland, Canada, northern Eurasia, and some parts of the United States. It can be identified by its long, thin leaves and sweet smell.
How was sweetgrass used?
Sweetgrass is a sacred plant, used by Native Americans in healing rituals and medicines. The Wabanaki peoples commonly use sweetgrass in their baskets along with brown ash.
How did the Penobscot make their baskets?
Once the sweetgrass is dried, it would then be soaked. After soaking, the sweetgrass was braided into a long thin cord, and then woven into baskets. It could also be woven in without braiding it.
Where to learn more on sweetgrass?
Hudson Museum has a video on its YouTube Channel where Dianne Apt, Passamaquoddy talks about the plant and shows how sweetgrass braiding is done.
To find the next code:
For your last object, return to the World Cultures Gallery. In a case full of masks, find the largest of the bunch. You can scan the QR code when you find it, or click here to continue.