SOAPROOT BRUSHES

MANY CALIFORNIAN TRIBES HAD SOAPROOT IN THEIR TERRITORIES. HOWEVER MANY AREAS HAD MORE THAN OTHERS. HERE IN SONOMA COUNTY WE HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF SOAPROOT. THE POMO AND OTHER NORTHERN TRIBES MADE BRUSHES OUT OF THE HAIR OF BETWEEN 3 TO 5 SOAPROOT BULBS. BARRETT AND GIFFORD STUDIED THESE TRIBES IN 1906 AND NOTED THAT THE HAIRS WERE SEPARATED FROM THE BULB AND AT ONE END THEY USED THE GLUE LIKE JUICE OF THE BULB TO BIND THE HAIRS TOGETHER. THESE BRUSHES WERE USED TO CLEAN BASKETS, GROOMING HAIR, CLEANING THEIR FLOORS, AND TO CLEAN METATES.

THE CHUMASH COATED THE HANDLE WITH ASPHALTUM. THEY USED AN OAK BRAND TO BURN THE BRISTLES SO THEY WOULD BE EVEN. SOME TRIBES USED MILKWEED FIBER TO TIE THE HAIRS TOGETHER AND THEN COVERED THE HANDLE WITH THE PULP OF THE BULB SOME TRIBES MADE THESE BRUSHES FROM 2 INCHES TO 1 FOOT WIDE. THE YOKUTS WENT TO DIG THE BULBS IN JULY. THE BULBS WERE PUT ON A BED OF HOT COALS IN AN UNDERGROUND OVEN ROASTED AT LEAST A HALF DAY LONG. A SOAPY SUBSTANCE WAS CHEWED AFTER REMOVING THE ONION-LIKE COVER. IT TOOK ABOUT A WEEK TO DRY THE BRUSH HANDLE COMPLETELY. OTHER TRIBES DUG THE BULBS IN SPRING WHEN THE PLANT WAS GREEN.