Molly Neptune Parker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Molly Neptune Parker
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Parker's National Endowment for the Arts Heritage Fellowship portrait, in 2013
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| Born |
Molly Newell
February 6, 1939 Indian Township, Maine, US
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| Died | June 12, 2020 (aged 81) Calais, Maine, US
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| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Passamaquoddy basket weaving |
| Spouse(s) | Moses Neptune Terrance C. Parker |
| Awards | 2012 National Endowment for the Arts Heritage Fellowship |
Molly Neptune Parker (February 6, 1939 – June 12, 2020) was a very talented American basket weaver. She became famous for her beautiful art. Some of her baskets sold for thousands of dollars!
Molly helped start and lead the Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance. She taught young people this traditional craft. She also shared her skills with four generations of her own family. Molly was also the first woman to be a lieutenant governor of Indian Township. This is one of the two main groups that govern the Passamaquoddy tribe.
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About Molly Neptune Parker
Molly Newell was born on February 6, 1939. Her hometown was Indian Township, Maine. She was one of seven children born to Irene Newell and Lewey Dana.
Her first language was Passamaquoddy. At the school on the reservation, which was run by nuns, she was told not to use her native language.
Early Life and Basket Weaving
Molly came from a family of basket makers. She started weaving as a child. She used small pieces of ash wood that her mother didn't need.
In her community, men usually pounded the wood. Women would then remove the bark. They would split the wood into thin and thick strips. These different strips were used for various types of baskets. Some of Molly's later flower designs were the same as those used by her mother and grandmother.
Her basket weaving helped her family a lot. It gave her money to buy a house and pay for her children's education.
Family Life and Work
Molly's first husband, Moses Neptune, was a truck and school-bus driver. He also made baskets. They decided to teach their children to speak English first. This was so their children would not have a hard time in school.
When her children were young, Molly would trade her baskets. She would get dental care for her kids in return. For a few years, she worked very hard. She made baskets all day. Then she worked the night shift at a wool factory. She would come home to make breakfast for her children.
At one point, she and her husband made many "scale baskets." These were used in the fishing industry. They collected fish scales to make nail polish. Later, as Molly became more famous, her basket weaving helped her family even more. She bought a home and helped pay for her grandchildren's schooling.
Her Amazing Artistry
Molly used old techniques from her tribe's basket-weaving traditions. She also created her own detailed methods. She was especially good at making "fancy baskets." These often had pretty decorations like flowers on top.
Her most famous design was a basket shaped like an acorn. She also made baskets shaped like strawberries and other things. It would take her about five days to make one of her special baskets from start to finish.
As her art became more well known, her baskets started selling for thousands of dollars. People would even recognize her at airports! Her work is now shown in the Abbe Museum.
Teaching and Preserving Culture
Molly was a co-founder and president of the Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance. This gave her a chance to teach new students. She helped bring back Passamaquoddy basketry. She did this by teaching young people and four generations of her own family. One of her students and grandchildren, Geo Soctomah Neptune, continues the tradition today. He always thinks of Molly when he weaves.
Other Activities
Molly Parker was the first woman to be a lieutenant governor of Indian Township. This is one of the two main governing groups of the Passamaquoddy tribe. She was on the Passamaquoddy council when the U.S. government gave the tribe their land back in 1980.
In the 1990s, she ran a restaurant called Molly's Luncheonette. It served classic American diner food. It also offered special Passamaquoddy dishes. These included hulled corn soup, stewed muskrat, and fry bread.
Personal Life
Molly had six children. She also adopted three more children. She was a foster mother to many others. After her first marriage ended, she married Terrance C. Parker, who was a police officer.
Molly Parker passed away on June 12, 2020, at the age of 81.
Awards and Accomplishments
- 2012 National Endowment for the Arts Heritage Fellowship
- Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from Bowdoin College in 2015
- Maine Arts Commission's Fellowship Award for Traditional Arts
- New England Foundation for the Arts - Native Arts Award
- First People's Funds Community Spirit Award
- Demonstrated Basketmaking at 2006 Smithsonian Folklife Festival
- Distinguished Achievement Award from University of Maine at Machias in 2013
