Shakers and Wabanaki, a shared Lakes Region history continues

Wabanaki Summer Market Returns to Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village, Celebrating Generations of Indigenous Craft and Shared History

NEW GLOUCESTER, Maine — On a sun‑dappled Saturday, Aug. 22, the historic Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village opened its doors to the 2026 Wabanaki Summer Market, drawing artisans, historians and visitors to the grounds where two of Maine’s oldest cultural traditions have long intersected.

The village sits on land that was once the heart of the Wabanaki Confederacy, a confederation of Indigenous nations whose territories stretched across northern New England and into eastern Canada. When the Shakers arrived in the late‑18th century, they settled among these peoples, establishing a community that would, over time, weave together many aspects of Indigenous knowledge.

Shakers have long recognized the contributions of their Wabanaki neighbors, especially in the realms of herbal medicine and basketry. According to museum Director Michal Graham, the Shakers’ celebrated herbal industry “originated in the tradition of Indigenous peoples, who understood plants that grew in the wild had benefits and values in treating illnesses and medical conditions.” The same reverence is evident in the Shakers’ adoption of woven basketry, a craft they used for both everyday tasks and as market goods.

Historical records and a Shaker‑Wabanaki pamphlet highlight specific examples of this cross‑cultural exchange. Among the treasured items on display are a lidded storage trunk attributed to the Penobscot nation, featuring alternating brown‑ and floral‑colored splints, and a laundry basket adorned with hand‑painted pine trees and bull’s‑eye motifs. “These baskets lend evidence that the Shakers considered these baskets to be equally attractive as they are useful,” the pamphlet notes.

Graham emphasized that the Shakers’ relationship with Indigenous peoples has always been marked by appreciation and respect. “The Shakers have always been highly appreciative and respectful of Indigenous peoples, and that appreciation shows in how they have incorporated Indigenous knowledge into their own practices,” he said.

The summer market itself is a continuation of that spirit of mutual preservation. Now in its 18th year—the inaugural event took place in 2008—the market gathers Wabanaki artists from across the region to showcase both traditional and contemporary expressions of their heritage. Many of the vendors are part of families that have passed down artistic skills through multiple generations; some now feature a fourth generation of creators, ensuring the continuity of cultural practices.

Among the artists featured this year is Eric Otter Bacon, a Passamaquoddy craftsman renowned for his hand‑woven baskets and birch‑bark canoes. Bacon began experimenting with design at a young age, drawing inspiration not only from his own Passamaquoddy roots but also from other Indigenous cultures known for canoe‑building, particularly those of the Pacific Northwest. “I started doing design work at a young age, and a lot of my artwork incorporates designs from other Indigenous cultures, particularly canoe‑using cultures such as the peoples of the Pacific Northwest,” he explained. His pieces reflect a blend of cross‑cultural motifs while staying true to time‑honored techniques—a approach he describes as “contemporary style with traditional methods.”

The market’s atmosphere extends beyond the village grounds. For decades, Wabanaki and Shaker artisans have mingled in resort towns such as Bar Harbor, Boothbay Harbor and Kennebunkport, where visitors can purchase handcrafted goods while learning about the stories behind each piece. This tradition of shared commerce and storytelling reinforces the intertwined histories of the two communities.

Looking ahead, the Shaker Village is working to further highlight this legacy through the long‑planned herb house museum project, which will focus on the Indigenous origins of the Shakers’ herbal industry. The project, still in development, aims to provide an educational space where the public can explore how Indigenous knowledge shaped Shaker medicine and craft.

For Graham, the market represents more than a commercial event; it is a living example of parallel paths toward cultural preservation. “The relationship today is one of mutual and parallel paths of cultural preservation,” he said. “We admire the production of Wabanaki crafts as a reflection of the Wabanaki people and culture, and the market is a way of supporting the continuation of those traditions.”

As the sun set over the tranquil fields of Sabbathday Lake, the sounds of traditional drumming and the scent of wild herbs lingered, underscoring a day where past and present, Shaker and Wabanaki, converged in a celebration of enduring artistry and shared history.