NATIVE AMERICAN CLOTHING

IN 1770 FATHER SIERRA NOTED THAT IN BAJA ALL THE NATIVES WERE NAKED WOMEN AND CHILDREN WERE CLOTHED. MEN HAD ANIMAL SKINS THEY WORE ON THEIR HIPS. THE WOMEN WORE BUKSKIN APRONS ON THE FRONT AND BACK.. OR USED STRIPS OF INNER BARK OF THE COTTONWOOD OR WILLOW TREE. IN THE WINTER THEY MADE SKIN ROBES OF BEAR, DEER MOUNTAIN, WILDCAT, FOX, RABBIT, BIRD, AND LAND/SEA OTTER.

YOUNG YUROK FOLDED A DEERSKIN AROUND THEIR HIPS WITH THE FUR LEFT ON . WOMEN WORE FOOT - WIDE APRONS OF DEERSKIN WITH FRINGES AND A BRAID OF PINE NUTS. WEALTHY WOMEN WOULD ORNAMENT THEIR DRESS. HEAVILY WITH SHELLS OR OBSIDIAN PRISMS ON THE END OF FRINGES. SOME WOMEN WORE FOOT WIDE APRONS WITH FRINGED SKIRTS OF BUCKSKIN AND A BRAID OF PINE NUTS.

SOME WOMEN WORE A FRINGED SKIRT OF THE BARK OF MAPLETREE.

HUPA WORE CAPE OF TWO DEERHIDES SEWN TOGETHER. THEY KEPT THE LEGS OF THE DEER ATTACHED. BASKET CAPS WERE WORN BY THE WOMEN.

MAIDU MEN AND WOMEN WORE MOUNTAIN LION ROBES, RABBIT SKIN BLANKETS, OR LARGE SKINS SEWN TOGETHER. IN THE MOUNTAINS THE MEN AND WOMEN WORE MOCCASINS (STUFFED WITH GRASS FOR TRAVEL OR SNOW). IN WINTER THEY WORE DEER SKIN LEGGINGS WITH FUR FACING INWARD. SHASTA AND HUPA WOMEN WORE TWO TASSELS OF GRASS OR BARK OF YELLOW WILLOW TO A BELT OF BUCKSKIN. OR FIBER CORD. MAPLE BARK PREFERRED FOR SOME SKIRTS THAT WERE STRUNG WITH BEADS AND SHELLS.

THE NORTHEAST MAIDU MADE SIMILAR APRONS OF BUCKSKIN IN ADDITION TO THOSE OF BARK. THEIR SKIRTS HAD PINE NUTS AND DEER HOOVESON THEM. THEY WORE BASKET CAPS.

IN 1920 ROBERT LOWIE NOTED THAT THE PAUITE WORE RABBIT SKIN BLANKETS FOR SLEEPING AND FOR WINTER COATS. BABIES WERE WRAPPED IN SAGE BRUSH BARK BLANKETS. WOMEN WORE ANTELOPE SKIRTS. BOYS HAD LEGGINGS OF DEER AND COYOTE HIDE AND BADGER SKIN CAPS.

NORTH PAUITE SAGEBRUSH MATS WERE USED AS CLOTHING. MATS WERE OPEN IN THE CENTER FOR THE HEAD AND HUNG DOWN. SHE SOFTENED THE BARK BY RUBBING BETWEEN HER KNUCKLES. BUNDLES OF SMALL FIBERS WERE WOVEN WITH HEMP. THE KLAMATH MADE A BLANKET WORN AS A CAPE SIMILAR TO THE ABOVE OUT OF SAGEBRUSH OR TULE. MIWOK MEN WORE HIP SKIRTS OF SKINS AND WOMEN WORE SKIRTS OF DRESSED SKIN FRINGE WITH ORNAMENTS. CHILDREN WENT NUDE. THEY MADE ROBES OF WILDCATS, FOXES, RABBITS, AND HARES.

COSTONOANS WORE USUAL RABBITSKIN BLANKETS AND WOMEN WORE SHORT SKIRTS OF DEERSKIN. THE MEN COVERED THEIR SKIN WITH MUD IN THE MORNING UNTIL THE CHILL OF THE MORNING PASSED!

DURING MENSTRUATION WOMEN IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA WORE TANNED BUCKSKIN BREECH CLOTH WITH THE SKIRT. IT WAS HELD BY A MILKWEED BELT. WOMEN WORE A COILED BASKETRY CAP THAT CAME DOWN TO THE EYES WHEN THEY TOTED A PACK. CHILDREN ONLY WORE CLOTHES DURING COLD WEATHER. MEN NEVER WORE HATS.

MOHAVE WOMEN AND MEN WORE LOIN CLOTHES OF INNER BARK OF WILLOW. THEY STRIPPED THE BARK FROM TREES IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER.

LUISENO WOMEN MADE A BACK SKIRT OF INNER BARK OF WILLOW OR COTTONWOOD AND HAD A FRONT APRON AS WELL WITH CORDED FIBER. COILED CAPS OF JUNCAS WERE WOVEN.

DIEGUENO MEN WORE NOTHING OR AN APRON OF WHITE SAGE TWIGS, WOMEN WORE TWO APRONS. THEY WORE A RABBITSKIN BLANKET IN THE WINTER.

KILIWA MEN WORE NOTHING IN THE SUMMER. WOMEN WORE APRON OF DEER HIDE SOAKED IN WATER. MOST INDIANS WENT BAREFOOT AND LONG TREKS. THEY WORE SINGLE PIECES OF LEATHER MOCCASINS. MUCH OF THEIR CLOTHING WAS SIMILAR TO THAT WORN THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO AND WAS TESTED FOR ADAPTING TO THEIR ENVIRONMENT.

PAUL CAMPBELL