THE POMO HAD CLOSE KNIT FAMILY UNITS AND LIVED IN MULTI-FAMILY HOIUSES. SOME POMO MARRIAGES WERE ARRANGED BY THEIR PARENTS AND IN OTHER VILLAGES THE PARENTS HAD A SAY ABOUT WHO THEIR CHILD MARRIED. IF THEY SELECTED SOMEONE THAT THE PARENT DISLIKED THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO MARRY THEM.
AFTER A MARRIAGE THE GROOM MOVED INTO THE BRIDE'S HOME FOR AWHILE. GIFTS WERE EXCHANGED BETWEEN THE FAMILIES. ACORN SOUP WAS OFFERRED AS A GIFT, RABBIT FURS AND BLANKETS AS WELL AS BASKETS AND VALUABLE CLAM SHELL BEADS. THE YOUNG COUPLE THEN MOVED TO THE GROOM'S HOUSE FOR AWHILE. THEY MIGHT MOVE FROM ONE FAMILY'S HOUSE TO ANOTHER.
ONCE THE BRIDE HAD CONCEIVED A CHILD THE COUPLE STAYED WITH THE WIFE'S FAMILY UNTIL IT'S BIRTH. WHILE PREGNANT SHE HAD SPECIAL RULES TO FOLLOW - CERTAIN FOODS COULD BE EATEN, WHERE SHE TRAVELLED WAS RESTRICTED, AND SHE HAD WORK RESTRICTIONS. THERE WAS A SPECIAL STRUCTURE BUILT FOR THE MOM AND HER BABY WHERE SHE STAYED FOR SEVERAL WEEKS. THE FATHER'S MOTHER OR SISTER WOULD VISIT THE HOUSE TO TAKE CARE OF THE BABY AND HELP CARE FOR IT. ONCE THE CHILD TURNED ONE IT WAS NAMED FOR A DEAD RELATIVE.
GRANDPARENTS HAD AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN A YOUNG PERSON'S UPBRINGING. THEY STAYED CLOSE TO HOME AND TENDED THE FIRE AND HELPED TO TEACH CHILDREN THEIR TRIBE'S RULES AND SPECIAL WAYS. THEY HELPED THE PARENTS TO HUNT, FISH, GATHER ROOTS AND TUBERS AND TO PREPARE FOOD. SOME OF THE OLDER MEN WERE SHAMANS BEFORE THE 1870'S. AFTER THAT TIME MOST POMO SHAMANS WERE WOMEN AND HELD HIGH STATUS.
THE CHILDREN LEARNED HOW TO HUNT, FISH, MAKE BASKETS, MANAGE AND TEND THEIR SPECIAL SEEDS AND TUBERS, AND PREPARE FOOD.
SPECIAL CUSTOMS WERE OBSERVED AT DEATH. A DYING PERSON WAS SURROUNDED BY THEIR LOVED ONES WHO DISPLAYED THEIR GRIEF. THE BODY REMAINED IN THE HOUSE FOR FOUR DAYS. IT WAS BURNED ALONG WITH GIFTS AND SOME BASKETS AND ANY OTHER POSSESSIONS. THEIR ENTIRE HOUSE MAY HAVE BEEN BURNED AS WELL. AND AYEAR LATER MORE GIFTS WERE BURNED AS AN OFFERINGTO THE DEAD.
No comments:
Post a Comment