Marie Watt, A Spoon Is - Print

In A Spoon Is, Marie Watt investigates the complex history of a silver spoon from the Buffalo History Museum’s collection of Hodinöhsö:ni’ objects. The photogravure depicts a silver spoon rumored to be made from silver coins received by a Seneca family who sold their land due to the Buffalo Creek Treaty.

During this time, Hodinöhsö:ni peoples, including the Seneca, were coerced into selling their ancestral lands. This led to a rupture between nations and tribes. The event broke with the concept of a “dish with one spoon,” often employed between tribes and in the context of treaties to avoid violent conflict. The “dish” represents the land to be shared peacefully, and the “spoon” represents the individuals living on and using the resources of the land in a spirit of cooperation.

The text around the spoon reveals and amplifies the complicated story of this animate object while also acknowledging the history of spoons in Hodinöhsö:ni culture. The handwritten language further reflects on spoons as a method of conveyance, community, sustenance, craft, and tradition.