Creator Record
Metadata
Name |
Jacques, Alfred |
Notes |
Alfred Jacques - Uhnuhsakunkake Onondaga Nation, Turtle Clan Retired machinist Alf Jacques maintains a workshop on the Onondaga Nation. He carves wooden snowsnakes, spoons, and paddles but it is Alf's traditional lacrosse sticks that have gained him worldwide notoriety. His first attempt at what was to become a lifelong passion began with carving his own offset head stick at the age of 12. Like many Haudenosaunee of his generation, undertaking such a project was rooted in financial necessity and self-reliance. Masterful proficiency was gained at the side of his father Louis and stickmaker, coach, and player Eli Cornelius. Including the period when the three were manufacturing 11,500 sticks a year out of their small shop (1968-1974), Jacques estimates he has made 75,000 - 80,000 sticks in his lifetime. The shop on his mother's land at Onondaga remains Alf's base of operations for what remains a lengthy and complex process. With some assistance from an apprentice, Alf carefully selects and cuts the venerable trees that will someday become sticks and snowsnakes. Once split, the straight grained hickory he prefers requires nearly a year to properly dry. The wood is then roughed out on a band saw, steamed and bent around a form. The handle is then finished on a shaving horse with a double-handled drawknife which Jacques employs with formidable speed and precision. Lastly, the pocket is laced with handcut leather or gut and the stick signed. Alf was inducted into the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame (2011), the Upstate Chapter of the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame (2014), and is recognized worldwide for his intimate knowledge of the wood, the sport, and his commitment to craftsmanship. As a sought after speaker and demonstrating artist, he racks up hundreds of miles each year traveling to schools, museums, colleges, and lacrosse conventions. He has exhibited at the Iroquois Museum, Ganondagan Historic Site (Victor, NY), NY State Museum, Everson Museum (Syracuse), and the Lacrosse Hall of Fame (Baltimore, MD) and been featured in numerous publications and documentaries. *Bio text cannot be used in print or web publications without IIM permission. Use for other purposes (such as research papers, presentations) should credit the IIM. |
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