'The Basket Is in the Roots, That's Where It Begins'
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UC Merced The Journal of California Anthropology Title 'The Basket is in the Roots, That's Where it Begins' Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7qz254p5 Journal The Journal of California Anthropology, 3(2) Authors Peri, David W Patterson, Scott M. Publication Date 1976-12-01 Peer reviewed eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California 'The Basket Is In the Roots, That's Where It Begins' DAVID W. PERI and SCOTT M. PATTERSON EDITOR'S NOTE: The senior author. provide one of the most important basketry David W. Peri, is a member ofthe Olamentko elements used by the Pomo (Hudson 1893:567- band of Bodego Miwok and Assistant Profes 568; Chesnut 1902:314). Baskets made from sor of Anthropology at California State Col sedge form the basis for much of the Pomo's lege, Sonoma. The Bodega Miwok are located reputation for excellence in basketry, allowing in Sonoma County. for a fineness and evenness of stitch that is by some standards without equal anywhere HE renown of Pomo basketry in the (Hudson 1893:562, 576; Purdy n.d.: 19; Curtis T ethnographic literature has been based 1924:57; Kroeber 1925:144, 147). Samuel almost exclusively on form, fineness and Barrett (1908:137) observed: evenness of stitch, symmetry, design, and, to a lesser extent, technique. Pomo basketweavers, The fine woody fibers make it possible to however, have continually stressed that an dress sewing elements down to a size hard ly larger than that of a fine thread, and it is essential part of learning the art of basketry is from this material that almost all of the learning the art of root collection. One of the very finest Pomo baskets are chiefly made. biggest complaints about new weavers, Indian and non-Indian alike, is as follows: 'They don't V. K. Chesnut (1902:314) wrote that baskets want to learn how to dig and prepare those made from sedge "are known technically as roots. They can't call themselves weavers until 'root baskets' and are the strongest, most they learn how to do that.' This paper durable, and most costly that are made." maintains that the cultivation of basketry roots Discrepancies arise in the Pomo ethno is a significant factor in the superior reputation graphic literature as to the species of Carex, or of Pomo baskets. According to a celebrated sedge, used as basketry elements. Some Dry Creek weaver, 'the basket is in the roots, authors record only one species (Hudson that's where it begins' (Fig. 1). Consequently, 1893:567; Purdy n.d.:2l), while others record we explore here the processes of basket sedge two or more being used (Chesnut 1902:315; collection (i.e., cultivation) that the Pomo Mason 1904:443; Barrett 1908:137; Merrill practice.' We also include the characteristics 1923:236). and qualities that weavers use in assessing As a sewing element sedge roots were first sedge roots and comment on sedge root idenfified by J. W. Hudson (1893:567). He exchange and value.^ reported only one species, "slough grass" "kah-hodm," and identified it as Carex SEDGE IN LITERATURE mendocinoensis (1893:567-568). In Chesnut's (1902:315) work, the first The rootstocks of sedge (Carex sp.)^ discrepancy, and the apparent cause of all JOURNAL OL CALIFORNIA ANTHROPOLOGY Fig. I. 'The basket is in the roots, that's where il begins.' THE BASKET IS IN THE ROOTS 19 future problems of identification, arose when Chesnut (1902:315) and is not of concern here. "ka-ho6m" was recorded as Carex barbarae. Because the confusion in the literature Chesnut made no mention of C. mendocinoen between C. mendocinoensis and C. barbarae sis or why he recorded ^'kah hoom" (now cannot be resolved based solely on the written ka-hom) as C. barbarae. The possi literature, and because Barrett's data concern bility that Chestnut was correcting Hudson's ing his unidentified Clear Lake species are misidentification is supported by the fact that insufficient for identification, ethnobotanical Chesnut (1902:314fn) cited the authority upon fieldwork is needed. which his identifications were based, whereas According to the botanical literature Hudson did not. (Munz and Keck 1968:1429), Carex is the This unresolved confusion was perpetu largest genus of flowering plants in California ated by later authors, some of whom recorded and, with its more than 1000 species, one ofthe only C. tnendocinoensis as the principal largest in the world. Though hybridization is species (Purdy n.d.:2l), others recording only common, it has been rarely observed or C. barbarae (Mason 1904:443; Barrett 1908: reported in California. Munz and Keck record 137), and still others recording both (Merrill 144 species in California; of these, 3 are 1923:236). introduced, 15 extend beyond North America, Carl Purdy (n.d.:21), writing in 1901-1902, and 21 are endemic to the state. recorded ''ka-hum'' or ''Carex mendocinoen The discussion of Carex in Munz and Keck sis" as the most important of the basketry (1968:1436-1468) reveals interesting data on its elements, apparently having used Hudson's extensive distribution in California. Of the 29 (1893) earlier work. plant communities recorded (Munz and Keck Barrett (1908:137), without citing the basis 1968:12-18), species of Carex occur in all but of his identification, recorded the use of C. four.'^ Carex grows in all types of soils, alkaline barbarae. No mention was made of C or acidic, barren or fertile, marshy or dry, and mendocinoensis. occurs from sea level to the timberless Sierran Edith Merrill (1923:236, 230) reported that peaks, with Carex haydeniana growing at both C. mendocinoensis and C. barbarae were 13,600 feet maximum elevation. Some species used by the Pomo as a wrapping element, with are of wide occurrence while others are quite C. barbarae recorded as one of their "chief restricted. Of all the species recorded, Carex materials." Her sources for C. mendocinoensis rossii has the widest range, from sea level to must have been Hudson (1893) and/or Purdy 12,400 feet; however, sedge is conspicuously (n.d.), because her study was based solely on absent in the arid desert regions and the pubhshed sources (Merrill 1923:216); her lodgepole pine forests. source for C. barbarae must have been Chesnut (1902) and/or Barrett (1908). It SEDGE TRACTS should be noted that she apparently misap plied Hudson's (1893:568) common name Though Carex is widespread and common "slough grass" to C. barbarae (1923:236). in Pomo territory, not all sites where it occurs Two additional unidentified species are are used as sources of basket roots. According also discussed in the ethnographic literature. to older basketweavers, tracts of sedge were One of these, occurring in the vicinity of Clear widespread before the turn ofthe century, and Lake, was reported by Barrett (1908:137); the most Pomo tribelets had a local source of other, Carex vicaria, found in Round Valley roots. outside of Pomo territory, was recorded by The terms 'tracts' and 'beds' are used here 20 JOURNAL OF CALIFORNIA ANTHROPOLOGY to reflect a Pomo point of view in that they (1893:568). Today's most preferred tracts refer only to those sites known to be used. yielding the highly prized river roots occur in Basketweavers divide tracts into one of two Mahilkaune Pomo territory along Dry Creek, types: 'river root tracts,' typically growing Sonoma County. An elderly Dry Creek weaver along the Russian River and its tributaries; and recalls that these tracts were used at least as 'coastal root tracts,' growing along water early as 1875.' The oldest ofthe basketweavers courses closer to the coast. These geographical remember Dry Creek as being the most divisions overlap and refer not to individual continuously and most extensively used area in species of Carex but to many species growing the Russian River basin. Indians from in the same general region. For example, Mendocino, Lake, and Sonoma counties use, coastal sedges are also found along the Russian when given a choice, the Dry Creek tracts River as far upstream as Guerneville, Sonoma exclusively. Today's most preferred coast root County. A third type of sedge tract may tracts occur along the Navarro River, possibly exist in the Clear Lake region (see Mendocino County. Barrett 1908:137); however, our fieldwork to Although there is no record in the date has not confirmed this. ethnographic literature on private ownership Within coastal and river root divisions, of sedge tracts among the Pomo, many there are three types of beds: 'sand root' beds; basketweavers todayestablish informal'claims' 'dirt root' beds; and heavy clay beds. Sand root on certain beds through extended usage, beds consist principally of sand, and are the though they make no attempts to prevent most preferred because they yield the whitest others from using these sites. One Ukiah Pomo roots, which are used in the finest baskets. weaver stated that 'in the early days' the loca Sand root beds occur in both coastal and river tions of sedge tracts were kept secret: 'They tracts though principally in coastal tracts. Dirt only tell their relatives.'^ After being dug, roots root beds consist of a mixture in varying were coiled and carefully concealed in the bot proportions of loosely-compacted sand and tom of a burden basket; the women then re soil. It is said that these roots grow faster than turned home, pretending their digging sticks those found in sand because ofthe additional were walking sticks. Dry Creek women were nutrients available in the soil of dirt root beds. apparently unconcerned with concealing the Dirt root beds occur along stream and river whereabouts of their preferred tracts, and said bands in low bottom land and yield a less- that people who were 'stingy' with the locations preferred colored root, from off-white to of new tracts would lose their luck in find brown.