Martha George
| Martha George | |
|---|---|
| Chairperson of the Suquamish tribe from the late 1920s to the early 1940s leader | |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
April 28, 1892 Sheridan, Washington |
| Died | January 7, 1987 |
| Spouse(s) | Bennie George, of the Klallam |
| Relations | Chief Seattle; grandson, Suquamish Chairman Bennie J. Armstrong [1] |
| Children | Ten children, including Corinne Dawn (George) Rock, b. 1931 [2] |
| Nickname(s) | Martha Purser |
Martha George (April 28, 1892 – January 7, 1987) was repeatedly elected chairperson of the Suquamish tribe, serving from the late 1920s to the early 1940s. She was a descendant of Chief Seattle in present-day Washington state. She founded the Small Tribes Organization of Western Washington.[3]
George was a famous basketweaver, who taught master weaver Peg Deam.
Deam recounted a story of when she was a little girl and asked George to take her to gather bark for a cedar dress. George laughed - winter is not the time for gathering - and took her in the spring.[4]
Her collection of Salish baskets is displayed in the Suquamish Museum.[5]
Quote
"They took what they needed and that’s all. There’s nothing wasted. That’s quite important among the Indians: that you should respect the earth."[6]
—Martha George, in the video documentary Come Forth Laughing
References
- ↑ Evans, Heidi G. (1998-03-24). "Suquamish Chairman: Confronting the needs of a tribe". Kitsap Sun. Retrieved 2013-04-20.
- ↑ "Corinne Dawn Rock, 81". Kitsap Sun. 2013. Retrieved 2013-04-20.
- ↑ "Notable Native American Women". Retrieved 2013-04-20.
- ↑ "Northwest tribes trade weaving skills at Suquamish". North Kitsap Herald. 2011-10-03. Retrieved 2013-04-20.
- ↑ Melinda West. "New Suquamish Museum". West Gardens Basketry. Retrieved 2013-04-20.
- ↑ "Ethnobotanical Garden - Sustainability". Seattle University, College of Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 2013-04-20.