Gallupe harvests willows, weaves creations
Malcolm Gorrill
Northern News Services
Inuvik (Dec 01/00) - Encouragement from a friend led to Susan Gallupe weaving a few willow baskets and offering them for sale.
Eight years and roughly 1,000 baskets later, Gallupe is owner of Arctic Willow Baskets, and takes orders from as far away as Texas.
"It kind of interested me because this material is unique," Gallupe explained. "It's different from the willows you can find somewhere outside Inuvik. It's more sturdy."
Gallupe grew up in the Philippines. Her uncle owned a factory where baskets were made by hand. Gallupe said that, as a child, the process didn't interest her because she saw it all the time.
After spending two years in Singapore, she came to Inuvik in 1990, at the invitation of a cousin. Two years later, at a friend's urging, Gallupe submitted some baskets to a craft sale. She sold out the first day and hasn't looked back.
She also sews pillows and makes dolls, and does other crafts, but revealed that weaving baskets is what she likes best.
"Working with your hands, your thoughts just go there," she said.
"I put all my emotion into it," Gallupe said, pointing out, "It just releases a lot of tension. It's my healing therapy."
Gallupe said each basket is unique, and that she can always spot her work. She uses different designs.
"Usually I just use my imagination."
Gallupe harvests willows as she needs them so as not to waste any. She washes the willows, takes the leaves off, and soaks them in water to prepare them for weaving.
Doing one basket takes about an hour. First Gallupe makes the round bottom. Then she weaves the sides and does the finishing touches.
"I usually weave my baskets when the kids go to bed, around 9-ish. Then I'm staying up to 1 or 2 a.m. weaving," she said. "I used to shellac it, but then people love to smell it without any varnish."
Many customers
Gallupe said that by now her baskets are all over Canada, from Newfoundland to British Columbia. She's also filled orders for people from places like Texas, Arizona and Chicago.
As well, Gallupe received a request from a mail-order catalogue in British Columbia, which wants to feature her work.
Gallupe said there seems to be a market for her baskets. For example, for the recent 2000 Christmas Craft and Gift Sale at Sir Alexander Mackenzie school, Gallupe took 17 baskets and sold out the first evening.
She also sells her baskets at Delta Flowers and Crafts.
Gallupe said she'd like to expand her business but is unsure if that'll happen. She said she'd need others to weave baskets as well.
