OHLONE DEER HUNTING

HUNTING WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN A MAN'S LIFE. THEY PREPARED BEFORE THE WENT TO HUNT DEER. THEIR PREPARATION WAS CENTERED AROUND THE SWEAT HOUSE. THE VILLAGES MAY HAVE HAD TWO OR MORE AND MEN HAD TO ENTER BY CRAWLING IN. THEY KEEP THEIR BOWS AS WELL AS SHELLS HALF-WORKED INTO BEADS AS WELL AS PRAYER STICKS AND EAGLE FEATHERS. IN THE SWEAT HOUSE WRAPPED IN DEER SKIN COVERS. THE BOW IS A POWERFUL OBJECT AND THE MEN DO NOT LEAVE IT STRUNG.

THE MEN TAKE SWEATS AND THEN JUMP INTO A STREAM. THE SWEAT HOUSE NOT ONLY PURIFIES AND CLEANS THEM PHYSICALLY BUT IT ALSO IS THE CENTER OF THEIR SPIRITUAL CLEANSING. HIS OTHER PURIFICATIONS BEFORE DEER HUNTING IS THAT HE LIVES SEPARATE FROM HIS WIFE AND DOES NOT LOOK AT HER. HE AVOIDS MEAT, FISH, SALT AND OILY FOODS. HE SPENDS MOST OF HIS TIME DAY AND NIGHT AROUND OR IN THE SWEAT HOUSE. HIS DISCIPLINE AS WELL AS HIS DEPRIVATION FROM CERTAIN FOODS AND ACTIVITES STRENGHTHENS HIM INWARDLY. HE IS OPEN TO THE SPIRIT WORLD.

HE SMOKES TOBACCO AND ONE NIGHT HE GRINDS OYSTER SHELLS TO MAKE LIME. HE MIXES THE LIME WITH TOBACCO AND SWALLOWS IT AND THEN VOMITS. THIS SWEATING AND FASTING MAKES HIM FEEL ALMOST TRANSPARENT. SO HE SLEEPS AND MAY DREAM THAT A HUNTING ALLY WILL COME TO HIM, INSTRUCT HIM AND MAYBE TEACH HIM A POWER SONG.

THE NEXT DAY HE THANKS HIS ALLY AND BATHES IN THE CREEK AND MAY COLLECT AN HERB. HE RUBS ANGELICA AND OTHER HERBS ON HIMSELF AS WELL AS HIS BOWS AND ARROWS. HE SWEATS AGAIN AND GRINDS A BALL OF RED CLAY IN A MORTAR AND SOME OTHER MAN PAINTS DESIGNS OVER HIS ENTIRE BODY. HE WEARS A DEER HEAD MASK AND HUNTS WITH OTHER MEN WHO HAVE PREPARED THEMSELVES FOR THE HUNT. THEY USE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES TO HUNT THEIR DEER. THE HUNTERS CHEW TOBACCO AND THIS ALTERS HIS CONSCIOUSNESS. IT IS A DRAMA AS HE ENTERS VERY CLOSE TO A HERD AND SHOOTS ONE. IR IS A SPIRITUAL COMPLEXITY THAT IS PLAYED OUT IN NATIVE CALALIFORNIA. HE SAYS A PRAYER AND DRAGS THE DEER BACK TO THE VILLAGE TO SHARE WITH HIS RELATIVES. THE MEN GIVE HIM SOME FISH TO EAT AND WOMEN GIVE HIUM STEAMED ROOTS AND CHUNKS OF ACORN BREAD. HE IS RESTRICTED OF EATING DEER MEAT AND THE HUNT ENDS AS A EXERCISE OF SPIRITUAL AWARENESS.

THE BOYS AT THE AGE OF 12 SPENT SEVERAL WEEKS IN A MEETING HOUSE WITH THE ELDERS LEARNING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE TRIBE, THEIR DANCES, CUSTOMS, SONGS AND HOW TO HUNT. THEY HAD AN INITIATION CEREMONY AT THE END OF THIS LEARNING.

MALCOLM MARGOLIN

A HUNTER HONORED THE SPIRIT CONNECTION BETWEEN THE DEER AND HIMSELF. THEY USED BOW AND ARROWS AS WELL AS CLUBS. SOME HUNTERS DROVE THE DEER DOWN A FAMILIAR PATH WHERE THE HUNTERS FIRED THEIR ARROWS. THEY FELT THAT THE SPIRIT OF THE DEER DID NOT DIE. A DEER WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY. ALL ANIMALS WERE THE NAR=TIVES RELATIONS. EVERY PART OF THE DEERWAS USED - THE MEAT WAS DRIED, ROASTED, OR BAKED. WOMEN TANNED THE DEER'S SKIN TO MAKE CLOTHING.MEN USED THE SINEW TO CONNECT THEIR ARROW SHAFTS. THE ATE GROUND UP BONE MEAL. AND DEER HOOVES WERE MADE INTO RATTLES.