For Wabanaki basket artists, weaving is a spiritual process. Many artists collect their own materials from the natural world, cutting down the ash tree and then preparing the wood for weaving. There are several steps involved in the preparation. The tree is first cut into sections and the bark is removed. The basket maker then pounds the end of the logs to split the wood along the tree rings. Each ring is then sliced into long, thin strips or splints of various thicknesses. Once the splints are soaked and sanded they can be woven into a basket. Artists also collect sweetgrass, a local grass with a sweet aroma. It is most often used in a braided form. Some weavers can braid so quickly that the movement of their fingers is barely visible. As they braid, the grass makes a sound known as "singing." The artistry in these baskets is in the weaving, and many types of weaves are passed from generation to generation, specific to individual families. The shapes of the baskets vary with fashion and the market, but the weaves are often inspired by tradition and the past.