Pomo Indian basketry

To make their trademark sun baskets, the Pomo covered a basket completely with the vivid red feathers of the pileated woodpecker until the surface resembled the smoothness of the bird itself. With the feathers--30 to 50 to every inch--the Indians fastened beads to the basket's border and hung pendants of polished abalone shell from the basket itself. Pomo women sometimes spent months or years making such gift baskets. Pomo baskets were not only gifts, Archambault says. Baskets were central to Pomo life. Featherless woven baskets of different sizes and shapes were made mostly by women for a variety of Pomo children were cradled in baskets; acorns--a major food staple--were harvested in great conical burden baskets, and wickerwork fish show more traps and quail traps--made by Pomo men--helped furnish other seasonal foods. In fact, food was stored, cooked and served in baskets, some watertight. In earth colors of black, tan and deep brown, the baskets were often covered or accented with tiny colored songbird feathers, clamshell disks (which once served the Pomo as money), glass beads, abalone pendants and stones. They brought in good money for Pomo women, who could earn between $30 and $60 per basket. It beat doing white people's laundry at $1 a day or picking stringbeans for $1.50; what's more, it could be done at home. Often, several generations of a family participated, mothers teaching their daughters and granddaughters. show less