INDIAN CULTIVATION OF FIBERS AND PLANTS FOR BASKETRY

THE NATIVES BURNED UNDERSTORY FIRES IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN CERTAIN TREES AND SEDGES FOR THEIR BASKETS AS WELL AS REDUCE LARGE FIRES FROM OCCURRING. IT ALSO KILLED OFF THE INSECTS THAT COULD BRING DISEASE TO THE VILLAGE TREES.

IN KAT ANDERSON'S BOOK SHE EXPLAINS THAT ONE PERSON WOULD BURN ONE PLANT AT A TIME - DEERGRASS SO THAT YOU GET MORE BUDS IN THE SPRING AND YOU GET MORE PLANTS TOO. THESE GRASSES WERE USED FOR MOMO INDIAN BASKETS. THE POMO SET ANNUAL UNDERSTORY FIRES NEAR THEIR VILLAGES TO HAVE THE TREES GROW STRAIGHTER SHOOTS AND REMOVE DUFF AND BROKEN LIMBS. IT ALSO ASSISTED IN HUNTING DEER AS THE TRAILS WERE CEARER.

THERE WERE A WIDE VARIETY OF INDIAN BASKETS IN A VILLAGE. THESE INCLUDED BASKETS FOR COLLECTING TARWEED SEEDS, 1 INCH GIFT BASKETS, AND 5 FOOT SALMON STORAGE BASKETS. BASKETS STORED BULBS, CARRIED SEEDS OR PODS, STORED BULBS, HAULED DIRT, HELD ACORN MUSH, CARRIED GRASSHOPPERS AND BIRDS. THEY ALSO MADE CONE SHAPED BASKETSTO HAUL FIREWOOD, FANSHAPED BASKETS FOR FANNING FIRES. THEIR BOATS WERE MADE OUT OF TULE AND WERE TWINED TO CARRY PEOPLE DOWN THE RIVERS. SOME BASKETS CAUGHT BIRDS AND CAPTURED FISH. THEIR WERE BASKETS THAT HELD CREMATED REMAINS.

INDIAN KITCHENS CONTAINED BASKETRY POTS, PANS, AND SERVING DISHES, PARCHED AND WINNOWED SEEDS, ACORN SOUP, AND MANZANITA CIDER. OTHER BASKETS INCLUDED BOAT SHAPED BOWLS AND OVAL TRAYS FOR SERVING FOODS AND BASKETRY DISHES. OTHERS WERE MADE FOR SIFTING FLOURS AND CLEANING SEAWEED. CEREMONIAL BASKETS OF THE POMO WERE WOVEN WITH BIRD FEATHERS AND SOME WERE PASSED TO THE YOUNGER FAMILY MEMBERS WHILE ORTHERS WERE BURNED DURING CREMATIONS.

BASKETRY WAS A SELF EXPRESSION OF THE WEAVER AND IN CALIFORNIA THEY USSUALLY DID NOT PLAN IT. THE FAMILY HOUSES OR WICKIUPS WERE AN UPSIDE DOWN BASKETS WOVEN OF WILLOW STICKS AND WATER REPELLANT TULE. THESE WERE REBUILT USUALLY EVERY YEAR AFTER THE STORMS PASSED. THERE WERE ALSO MENSTRUAL HUTS WHERE WOMEN STAYED DURING THEIR MENSES, AND THERE WERE LODGES MADE OF WILLOW AND TULE THAT WERE ABOUT 100 FEET LONG BY 20 OR SO FEET WIDE. EACH PERSON HAD THEIR OWN STYLE OF BASKETMAKING AND IN MOST VILLAGES PEOPLE COULD DISTINGUISH WHO MADE WEHICH BASKET BY ITS SUBTLE STYLE.

BASKETS WERE GIVEN AS SPECIAL GIFTS DURING A CHILD'S BIRTH, INITIATION CEREMONIES, MARRIAGE AND PERHAPS BIRTHDAYS. KROEBER NOTED THE BASKET AS THE MOST DEVELOPED ART OF THE NATIVES. BASKET DESIGNS WERE MADE IN MOST TRIBES TO INCLUDE A DUA OR A PURPOSEFUL MISTAKE OR OPENING IN THE DESIGN SO THAT THE SPIRIT COULD ESCAPE. MANY BASKETS HAD MYTHOLOGICAL SYMBOLS THAT I DESCRIBE IN MY HIKES AND LECTURES. ARCHAEOLOGISTS HAVE DISCOVERED BASKETRY FRAGMENTS DATING TO 10,000 YEARS AGO.

IT IS AN ANCIENT PRACTICE THAT THE NATIVES INTRODUCED LONG STRAIGHT SHOOTS OF CERTAIN PLANTS THEY USED FOR THEIR BASKETS. THEIR IS EVIDENCE THAT THE PRUNING, TENDING, CUTTING, BURNING AND REPLANTING OF SHOOTS WENT ON FOR SEVERAL THOUSAND YEARS BEFORE ANGLO SETTLERS ARRIVED.

KAT ANDERSON