c o m m u n i t y t r a d i t i o n s

The Original Social Network

Trade was more than an exchange of gourd rattles and glass beads to the Agua Caliente — it was a cultural enterprise.

BY KATE ANDERSON

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Drum Barracks

La Paz Pacific CALIFORNIA Ocean

Historically, trade between the Agua CULTIVATING MEANINGFUL the entire state was covered in Myriad Indian trails Sonoma and Humboldt Caliente and other tribes would begin with olivella shell beads, which were relationships with others has trails at one time, according to crisscrossed each other in Bay even with a guide: ‘We broken into smaller pieces and strung always been important to Trade and Trails in Aboriginal the valleys of California. halted for half an hour, while on fiber; the more beads one had, the the Agua Caliente people — California, a 1950 report from Early (non-Indian) travelers the guides sought a route; greater one’s relationships with other especially when it comes to trade. the University of California, were often confused by the no easy thing in a country tribes. OPPOSITE: A map sampling Long before Highway 111, Berkeley, Department of multitude of choices; they presenting such an endless the vast network of trading routes Interstate 10, and Interstate 5, the Anthropology. For Native needed and used Indian succession of hills and cut that ran through and parts of the Southwest. Some of Agua Caliente and other Native Americans in the Golden State guides to show the correct up everywhere by Indian and these east-west routes would have American tribes used walking and for the Agua Caliente Band paths. George Biggs, deer trails.’ passed through Cahuilla territory trails to conduct commerce and of Cahuilla Indians specifically, with Col. Redick McKee’s and would have been their means of develop a deep social network primary trade routes ran east expedition in 1851, became In 1863, the William Bradshaw communicating with other tribes. throughout California. In fact, and west. The report states: lost on the way between Trail stagecoach sought a route

THE MOJAVE ROAD BY DENNIS G. CASEBIER, TALES OF THE MOJAVE ROAD ROAD OF THE MOJAVE ROAD BY DENNIS G. CASEBIER, TALES THE MOJAVE KING’S PRESS OF NORCO, CALIFORNIA PUBLISHING COMPANY, BY STUART FUNK ILLUSTRATION

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LEFT: Dolores Patencio is known by many as the wife of Tribal leader Francisco Patencio, but she was also recognized for her beautiful, handcrafted Cahuilla baskets, which became a popular item of trade in the 20th century. She would often instruct Tribal members on the art of basketry.

people don’t realize is that these baskets were woven without the aid of a drawn-out plan. All these basket designs were held in the mind of the basket maker and then woven over a period of months into the design of a basket. Those cultural icons were able to do that work. The work demanded a premium, and that’s when people started collecting the baskets, and they became a big trade item.” For generations, the Agua Caliente cherished their trade and

ABOVE: Indian Canyons Trading Post, circa 1930s. As tourism grew in Palm Springs, Tribal members began selling baskets and other handmade items here. commerce relationships — and still do. In the late 1880s and into the mid-1900s, visitors traveled to through the Banning Pass from Southwestern archaeological sites relationship was the development Palm Springs to enjoy the healing Los Angeles to Arizona. The Agua that could have come only from of an understanding,” says waters of the Agua Caliente Hot Caliente embraced the advent the Southern California coastline. Moraino Patencio, an Agua Mineral Spring in downtown. of the stagecoach in the desert, “ The exchange of these Caliente Tribal member. “Those Now, people from around the using the traditional trade routes The items items, as well as pinyon nuts relationships our ancestors globe travel to the Agua Caliente and watering sites to establish and seeds for specialized crops had built across the Southern Indian Reservation for golf, hiking, trade with travelers. people really or other goods or services, California territory would have and resort-style entertainment Trade representatives, such enriched the lives of California been respected.” One such in both Palm Springs and as those solicited by travelers enjoyed from the Native Americans. Many trade individual who understood the Rancho Mirage. like Col. McKee, would have Cahuilla were relationships developed when a significance of these newfound “It wasn’t just about the been talented individuals with tribe could provide goods and bonds was Francisco Patencio, food, and it wasn’t just about the ability to cross harsh terrain the masterfully services that were not readily an Agua Caliente political and the trade,” Patencio says, “but and explain their purpose to available to those living a great ceremonial leader in the early it was about the relationships those they encountered along designed distance away. 20th century who spoke several we created in bringing people the way by speaking various baskets. ... The One trail route that still exists, languages and dialects, including together and bringing our dialects and languages. known as the Jo Pond Trail, Cahuilla, English, Spanish, children together. It was Thanks to these designs were begins in the Indian Canyons and French. important that they knew of each interconnecting routes and breathtaking; in Palm Springs, stretches to Historically, trade did not other and could be aware of each knowledgeable guides, California Garnett pass, then pushes happen quickly; it was a major trade beads marked you as The trading process involved women sold baskets at the other, and eventually they could tribes could communicate and they were well into the Lake Hemet area, ceremonial event that included someone significant. The passing ceremonies every few years. The Indian Canyons Trading Post extend those into relationships interact with others who lived traversing at least 20 rugged many days of travel. Moraino of the beads was to solidify the beads would be passed back and elsewhere. with one another. Having good hundreds of miles away. For beautiful. miles in all. It was one of the Patencio explains that trade with trade agreement between the and forth throughout — like a “The items people really trade relationships has always instance, the same UC Berkeley pathways the Agua Caliente another tribe would begin with people. The beads were part of sister-city relationship, Patencio enjoyed from the Cahuilla been important to the Cahuilla study mentions trade of gourd Moraino Patencio, used to patiently move cattle an invitation that involved olivella the ceremonial bundle, which explains. The trading took place were the masterfully designed and the Agua Caliente.” rattles and glass beads taking in the summertime from the shell beads, which were broken was made with seaweed and prior to European contact and baskets,” Patencio says. “They Though most evidence of Tribal member place between the Yuma and desert floor to higher elevations into smaller circular beads and different objects that held cultural into the era of the Spanish had a tight weave, and the the Tribe’s trade routes has the Cahuilla. There is also — then back down again in strung on fiber or sinew. significance that were used for missions and well after, he adds. designs showed the meticulous vanished over time, the stories archaeological evidence of cooler temperatures. “We would send out the different purposes and kept in Eventually, trade for the Agua nature of these baskets. The of their impact and the cultural- Pacific Coast shells found as far For the Agua Caliente, beads as an invitation to come the roundhouse and under the Caliente evolved into tourism. In designs were breathtaking; preserving relationships that as the Pueblo ruins and at other ” “the development of the trade and trade,” he says. “These protection of the net, or chief.” the early 1900s, Agua Caliente they were beautiful. One thing were made endure. PALM SPRINGS HISTORICAL SOCIETY PALM ETHAN KAMINSKY (BASKET) MUSEUM (DOLORES PATENCIO), AGUA CALIENTE CULTURAL

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