When you first hear of birch bark biting, it seems so unlikely you might assume that someone is having a joke at your expense.
But the truth is, birch bark biting is one of the most intricate and least known of First Nations arts. Concrete knowledge of the art is hard to come by, but, according to Jadeon Rathgeber of Half Moon Studios, whose mother and sister are two of the last practitioners, birch bark biting was widely practiced through North America for centuries, and very likely millennia. Rathgeber and his family are trying to revive the art, both in education and in business.
Birch bark biting is exactly what it sounds like: The making of patterns in bark through careful bites. Traditionally, it is an art done by women, in which the artists fold the bark so that it can fit in their mouths, and visual a pattern as they create it with delicate bites, at times one tooth at a time.
“What I’ve found out about the art is that anywhere they had birch trees, they’ve had birch bark biting,” Rathgeber says. “It could have a ten thousand year old history. Nobody really knows. When Contact happened, it sort of got lost along with all our other ceremonies because it was outlawed.”
What is known is that three century old Chippewa examples are in the Smithsonian in the United States. Rathgeber has heard of a recent dig in Shuswap territory that unearthed samples that may be three thousand years old. The art is definitely known to have been widely practiced in eastern and central North America, and there are even rumors of it being practiced on the northern coast of British Columbia. A student at the Freda Diesing School, for example, reports hearing his teachers list birch bark biting among the lost local arts.
Exactly what samples of the art were used for is equally undocumented. However, Rathgeber suggests that the art may have been used to create hunting and fishing maps, and to pass cultural and ceremonial secrets between generations.
“I call it the first Indian printing press,” Rathgeber says.
Examples of the art may also have been used as the equivalent of wampum belts to commemorate exchanges between different groups. Among the Cree, it was also used in historical times as the pattern of bead work, laid directly over the leather the beads were sown to.
The best-known biter in modern times was Angelique Merasty of the Cree Nation, who lived much of her life in Beaver Lake, Manitoba. Rathgeber’s mother, Pat Bruderer (also known as Half Moon Woman), knew Merasty for over two decades, and sometimes assisted in the sale of her work. When Merasty died about fifteen years ago, Bruderer began teaching herself the craft. Bruderer is now regarded as the foremost birch bark biting artist. Perhaps three or four other biters exist, but none approach her skill.
The making of a piece of birch bark biting begins with the gathering of the raw materials. In Rathgeber’s family, the gathering is usually done by his step-father. The bark is taken by trees of the right size that are free of knots after a tobacco ceremony in which the harvester asks forgiveness for what he is about to take. Large strips are sometimes taken, but never enough to kill the tree.
When Bruderer receives the bark, she sorts out the most suitable pieces, and peels them away until they are only one layer thick. The peeling is a delicate craft in itself, in which one rough motion can destroy a piece of bark. Perhaps that is why, when Rathgeber says, “No one can peel birch bark like my Mom can,” he speaks with such obvious pride.
Bruderer has her own ceremony to put here in the right mood of calm alertness to work. According to Rathgeber, she does not need absolute silence in which to work, but prefers a setting that is quiet where she will not be distracted. She folds the bark up to sixteen times — “like a xylophone,” Rathgeber says – and works using different teeth for different effects, with one tooth for drawing lines, her incisors for shading, and another for large details. She can use only very light pressure, or else the bark will tear.
Even so, she sometimes does as many as five or six pieces before getting one that is up to her standards. Rathgeber reports that his mother has as many as five hundred rejects that he hopes one day to use in collages. Each piece takes a couple of hours to complete, and is usually done in one session, since it would be next to impossible to resume work after quitting.
When a piece is finished, Bruderer flattens her pieces using a secret twelve step technique that is one of the hallmarks of her work. Another mark of her work is the singeing the edges of her work to give it give it a border. Her work is either framed by itself between two pieces of glass, or else incorporated into other work, such as boxes by other artists.
For many years, the family sold Bruderer’s work for two hundred dollars and upwards. However, now, as Bruderer talks of retirement and focusing on preserving her skills by teaching thems to another generation, the family is starting to husband her output more carefully, limiting sales and raising prices considerably.
More importantly, Rathgeber is also searching for a museum or teaching institution to display the best of her work as well as Bruderer’s collection of Merasty’s pieces. He hopes that by making some of this work public, he can encourage academic study of the art – study that might, for example, help to determine how bite patterns differed culturally, or even through the ages.
When I talked with Rathgeber, he had just heard that the Bill Reid Gallery’s gift shop and the Path Gallery at Whistler had agreed to take some pieces of birch bark biting for sale.
Should you see any pieces, you should have no trouble identifying it for what it is. Mysterious and meticulous, birch bark biting is like no other art you have ever seen.
amazing, it must take real skill
Anyone know an online place to purchase this?
Try http://www.halfmoonstudios.com.
Hello Beth , if you are interested in seeing the art work in person please feel free to give me a call 778-228-0208
I have a few for sale. I grew up in Flin Flon and watched Angelique Merasty bite at the library on a few occasions.
The ones I own are original signed Angeliques.
Let me know if you are interested.
Hi there!
I was thinking of how beautiful this art is and decided to google it. I am interested in one for myself but also one for a gift. Where are you located? Can I see some pictures?
Patrice
Hi, I have been looking for this type of art for a while now. What kind of pieces do you have and what price range are you looking at?
Please email me.
Thank you,
Brenda
Brenda:
Do a search for Half Moon Studios, and I am sure they will be able to help you. I am only writing about the art, not selling it.
Hi Karla – how can I get in touch with you regarding the Angelique Merasty birch bitings?
I can be reached at jrmacks@yahoo.com
Hi Karla,
I too grew up in Flin Flon…what do you have for sale? I am heading to Flin Flon the end of June and hoped to find some bittings of Angelique’s….
I now reside in B.C.
Dear Carla,
It has been a few years since this blog was delivered. I wonder whether you still have any birch bark biting’s of Angelique Merasty available. Please let me know at peter.van.otterloo@gmail.com . I look forward to your response
I just acquired 2 pieces from Angelique Merasty from a garage sale. Pretty excited about them!
tansi how are,
i have been birch bark biter for 1 year and i love it .Iwill be gathering my photos of my work within a month . iwill keep you informed.Hay ay
it would be great to see you work mary jane. please send us an email.
I also am interested. Can you email me with those pictures?
Patrice
Has anyone been in touch with MNBC in Vancouver or Abbotsford, they are opening a Metis Skills and Employment school and may be interested as most of us here are Cree by heritage.
Hello Jadeon;
Hopefully, this note will reach you. Thank-you for your article in the common ground. Your open honesty and story has touched me deeply. You have been protected, guided and richly Blessed. The elders are correct in saying there is a life purpose to come from all of it. The young people, all people, need to hear your truth and experience. Remember the darkest hour comes just before the dawn. Stay close to Great Spirit and know that you will find both positive AND negative forces on your path. Never become disheartened, the way will be made clear for you always, and in all ways. Remain in the light and GRATEFUL. Being a father is perhaps the most important thing you will do and the greatest gift.
Although Irish, I have always found the native teachings and medicine to be of the highest good. Everything I came to respect and benefit from has been passed down to my three wonderful kids and has served us well as a family.
BRAVO, keep up the good work and thank-you for your courage and clarity. Clean and sober in kits, Brianna
Hi I am an artist and have always had a special connection with paper birch. I have the opportunity to do a presentation in a University of Victoria Environmental Studies class taught by Brenda Beckwith to about 36 students. I have been trying to bite some bark I harvested but am not to sure how to go about it. If anyone would like to meet with me who knows how to bite birch bark patterns I’d love to hear from you and talk it through even if it is over the phone but I am most willing to travel a bit to see you to learn about and share birch bark biting art secrets. Please contact me at whittle@uvic.ca or telephone me at 250 294 6534.
Many blessings
~Amber
Hi My name is Katannya Fox,
I have been a birch bark biter for 15 years. I was an apprentice for the late Artist Ilona Stanley “rainbow woman” and do take orders via emial or telephone.
I am an aboriginal artist of many different mediums but specialize in birch bark bitings.
If you are interested in any pieces to see please send me what size, in glass,etc. you are interested in.
cree_ations@hotmail.com
647.239.2876
mee-gwetch!
Hi! My name is katannya fox and I have been practicing this artform for over 15 years.I apprenticed the late ilona stanley my aunt,and sell my work,if u google her artwork,u can see what type I do,which is mostly framed in glass and only sell upon orders. U can reach me at aynnatak@live.com
Kinanaskomiten!
Hi !! I loved your blog. The information was great. What I need is how do you the birch bark biting. How do you fold the paper? What pressure do you put on the paper as you bite down? I have been trying but nothing comes on my piece of bark. Why I am asking is that my grade 5 class where I am an educational assistant at is going to be doing something similar to this but on waxed paper to begin with. What I don’t understand is how do you get the pattern. I know from biting but do you make a pattern first or do you just bite one. I hope you can help me. We are ending our unit in aboringal peoples and we would like to end it with this activity if possible. I do have lots of birch bark and I have taken some pieces apart already..
Thank you
Leslie Loutit
You might want to contact Half Moon Studios, and see what the birch bark biter there can tell you. (see http://www.halfmoonstudios.com/)
Thank you all for the interest and good words. Also thank Bruce for sending people to the site . Happy New Year to all!!!! Our new site should be up this week.
I have two birch bark biting pictures done by Angelique Merasety. Would like to know thier worth
what are they worth
Hi Bruce!
I never did learn to birch bark bite but then I have to have the teeth to do it. Ha ha . I finally found someone who knows how to birch bark bite and I am hoping to have her come to my class this spring. I come back everyone once in awhile to see what other people wrote about Birch Bark biting. Thanks Bruce for having such a interesting blog. Happy New Year to you and your family.
Leslie Loutit
I have a Angelique Merasty birchbark flower biting (the woman mentioned in this article, there is a young woman with her name also, not sure if she is related), and have just bought a Pat Bruderer piece (similar to the one pictured here with people and fish surrounding a flower which is enclosed in a round glass) at my local thrift store (50 cents, can you believe that?). Can’t find any pricing for these items, if anyone can help that would be great.
Try contacting Half Moon studios, Pat Bruderer’s site.
I live in the Shuswap area and saw an artist with her birch bark bite art and regret I didn’t buy some pieces. I was given a small piece which I use to educate people I have on tour about this very fine old art. This tiny piece is signed by Morning Star 06. If anyone knows someone in the area that has some pieces for sale, please contact me. Thanks! Lyndaepo@gmail.com
Angelique Merasty’s daughter still does birch bark biting. She lives in Prince George, BC, and has a shop called Angelique’s Native Arts. There is a website, if anyone wants to look.
[…] seven students in the Holy Trinity Catholic School Division in Moose Jaw. I did an art workshop on Birch Bark Biting. I am fortunate to have done a Birch Bark Biting workshop when I was in elementary school, and it […]
I just found a beautiful bark biting in a second hand store! One man item is now this woman’s treasure 🙂
It’s has a write on the back saying it was made by Angelique Merasty.
Any ideas who could authenticate the signature?
I have several birch bark bitings by Angelique Merasty witch are signed by her in Cree tperepeluk@hotmail,com
If anyone is looking for Angelique Merasty Original pieces, please offer my contact info.
I am releasing 2 of my 10 birch biting art and would like to find them a good home!
I am interested in your Angelique Merasty pieces.
I just write about the art. I don’t sell it.
Hi Brian ,
Wondering if you still have any of Angelique’s bitings for sale?
Brian: please contact me if you still have any of her work left
Hello my name is Christine and I have Ilona Stanleys art work after she passed I have thousands of pieces of her Birch Bark biting’s. I’m married to her son and it was all left to him. Please contact me if interested cmahoney1971@gmail.com
Hello my name is Julie and live in England. I am interested in owning a piece of Birch biting art but failing that getting a book with the patterns in, I would be interested in learning to do it, can you help me please. My e- mail is tj22brett70@btinternet.com