KASHIA POMO INDIANS IN CALIFORNIA

THE KASHAYA PEOPLE KNOWN TO HAVE LIVED IN NEAR POINT ARENA WERE EXPERT GAMBLERS AND STILL SPEAK POMOAN LANGUAGES. THEIR TERRITORY WAS FROM 30 MILES FROM THE GUALALA RIVER TO THE NORTH TO DUNCANS LANDING AND THEN SOUTH TO THE RUSSIAN RIVER WHERE WARM SPRINGS CREEK MEETS DRY CREEK. THEY HAD AN IMPORTANT OLD VILLAGE OF METINI NEAR THE RUSSIAN FOR. PRE-CONTACT POPULATION WAS PROBABLY ABOUT 1500. METINI WAS AN ASSEMBLY HOUSE FOR GROUP CEREMONIALS AND SOCIAL LIFE . THEY HAD SMALL VILLAGES LINKED TO EACH OTHER. THEY MEASURE TIME ACCORDING TO THE SEASONS. THEY LEARNED LONG AGO THAT THE SUN, MOON, AND EARTH AFFECTED ALL OF THE PEOPLE. IN SUMMER THEY MOVED CLOSER TO THE COAST AND GATHERED SEA FOOD AND VARIOUS MAMMALS. IN LATE FALL THEY MOVED INLAND. THEY DEVELOPED SPECIAL PROCESSING AND STORAGE TECHNIQUES FOR THERE FOODS. IN FALL THEY COLLECT SEEDS, ACORNS AND SEA SALT. THEY MAKE BASKETRY THAT IS A RITUAL ART. THEIR BASKETS HAVE STONE, BONE SHELL, HORN, FIBERS AND FEATHERS. MANY KASHAYA, LEARNED RUSSIAN AND SOME INTERMARRIED THEM. TODAY MANY LIVE ON THEIR RANCHERIA AND MANY HAVE RECEIVED DEGREES AND CAREERS IN THE CITIES AND THE BAY AREA.
THE KASHAYA STORIES ARE AN ORAL TRADITION AND THIS IS HOW THE PEOPLE LEARNED AND RELATED THEIR LEGENDS. THEY HAVE CREATION STORIES. THEY MAY HAVE HUNTED WHALES FROM THE OCEAN AS THERE WERE OVER 10,00 OF THE GREY WHALES PASSING BY THEIR LANDS.

THIS WEEKEND I VISITED MENDOCINO, A SMALL ARTITIST COLONY ON THE COAST. IT HAD BEEN OVER 6 YEARS SINCE I HAD BEEN THERE. IT IS AN INTERESTING AND BEAUTIFUL TOWN THAT HAS NO FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS. THE FLOWERS IN THIS TOWN ARE OUTSTANDING AS THEY GET PLENTY OF FOGG. I CAME PREPARED TO THINK GOING TO BE CHILLY HOWEVER IT WAS ACTUALLY HOT AND MUGGY. THE TOWN HAD NO DRINKING FOUNTAINS AND ONLY TWO PUBLIC RESTROOMS. THEY WERE PLANNING FOR A MUSIC EVENT THIS WEEK.

I WENT THROUGH MANY OF THE ART GALLERIES AND WALKED THE MIDDEN AREAS ON THE OCEAN THAT WAS QUITE CALM. ONE TOURIST SAID HE CAUGHT SALMON IN THE OCEAN FROM HIS BOAT. SALMON ARE VERY RARE IN THE RIVERS. THEY HAVE NO LARGE COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES EITHER. MANY OF US WERE TRYING TO IDENTIFY SOME OF THE COLORFUL BEAUTIFUL PLANTS. MANY OF THEM WERE FROM AUSTRAQLIA AND FOREIGN COUNTRIES. SOME PEOPLE MADE BEAUTIFUL ARRANGEMENTS IN FRONT OF THEIR SHOPS. THE ART CENTER HAS MANY CERAMICS WITH LIVE AND DRIED ARRANGEMENTS AND FEATHERS. THIS IS DEFINITELY A CREATIVE GROUP OF GALLERIES. ONE GUY WAS MAKING ALL KINDS OF LEATHERPURSES, WALLETS, BOOK CASES, PHOTO ALBUMS. OTHER ARTICLES, HE SAID HE DOES NOT DO HAND TOOLING AS I ONCE DID. HE SAID IT WOULD TAKE TOO LONG. HE LIKELY SCRAPES LEATHER TO MAKE DESIGNS! AT THE ART SCHOOL GALLERY THERE WAS A LARGE CHAIR BUILT OF WELDED SCRAPS OF STEEL , IRON AND COPPER.

I LIKED ONE STORE WHERE THEY HAD A MIXTURE OF OLD ANTIQUE CHAIRS; SOME CASES OF JEWELRY; SOME PHOTOS OF THE TOWN IN 1800'S BY A PHOTOGRAPHER; SOME OLD WORKING CAMERAS; SOME USED CHILDREN'S CLOTHING - $12 EACH; VARIOUS JEWELRY;AND DOLLS FROM SEVERAL COUNTRIES. THEY HAD A STREET BANJO PLAYER WITH A DOG!

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