Se'skwech Journals

6 x 4 1/4 x 11/16 in

Se’skwech merchandise is available exclusively at the Abbe Museum. Se’skwech design by Jennifer Pictou, Mi’kmaq.

Se’skwech is the Mi’kmaq word for Big Foot, and this design was inspired by Jennifer’s tribe's traditional birch bark biting techniques.

According to Mi’kmaq stories and legends, a spirit known to protect the forest has been in the Maine woods for thousands of generations. Some people call them Big Foot, some call them Sasquatch, but the Mi’kmaq word for them describes how they interact and means “howling screamer.”

As an artist deeply connected to her Mi’kmaq heritage, Jennifer draws inspiration from the rich cultural tapestry of her ancestors’ resistance and survival, infusing her work with elements of tradition and history. Through the ancient techniques of glass beads, lampwork, and stained glass, she reclaims indigenous space and weaves a contemporary narrative that honors the resilience and beauty of Mi’kmaq people in her homeland. Through her work, she explores themes of identity and belonging, using the interplay of light and color to reclaim and redefine Mi’kmaq narratives in a contemporary context. Each piece is a rebuttal of the prevalent ideas that they [the Wabanaki Peoples] are no longer here, reminding viewers of the importance of preserving and honoring Indigenous heritage in an ever-changing world.