In Northeastern Indigenous communities—from the Wabanaki Nations in the East to the Anishinaabe of the Great Lakes—black ash basket weaving has been practiced for thousands of years. Baskets are woven to gather berries, carry firewood, haul fish, store medicine. They’re practical, beautiful, ceremonial, and sacred.

The process starts in the forest. A black ash tree is selected with care, felled with respect, and pounded to release its growth rings. Those rings—split by hand into long, smooth splints—become the foundation of each basket. This is tactile knowledge: taught through generations, guided by land, shaped by rhythm and patience.

For Gabriel Frey, a twelfth-generation Passamaquoddy basket maker, this tradition is in his blood. He learned from his grandfather, who learned from his grandfather, and so on, back through the lineage. But Gabriel doesn’t only replicate the past—he transforms it. His work bridges ancestral practice with contemporary expression, always grounded in story and sovereignty. Visit GabrielFrey.com

This season, his artistry lives in a new form: a woven leather sandal that draws from the same techniques he uses in his baskets. Every strap echoes a black ash splint. Every detail is intentional. Each pair of sandals tells this story. Of resilience. Of resistance. Of a tradition still held, even as the world changes. It’s a way to carry the memory forward—on your feet, through your life. Shop Gabriel's Collection

Gabriel’s collection of canteen bags and baskets blends traditional black ash basketry techniques with contemporary materials, honouring ancestral form while exploring new expressions. A few select pieces combine both black ash and leather, bridging the natural with the modern in a way only Gabriel can. These are more than accessories—they’re heirlooms in the making. Shop Gabriel Frey on the Indigenous Market