INDIANS OF CENTRAL CALIFORNIA

THEY KNEW HOW TO MANAGE LAND THAT WAS PLENTIFUL FOR BASKET COLLECTING, GROWING FOODS AND MAKING AND TENDING CERTAIN PLANTS THAT WOULD BE EASY TO USE FOR COLLECTING AT SEASONAL PERIODS,  POMO, WAPPO, PATWIN, COAST MIWOK AND YUKI KNEW AT LEAST 450 PLANTS THAT WERE NATIVE AND EASY TO USE AS FOOD, MEDICINE OR CLOTHING.  THEY KNEW HOW TO USE FIRE TO HELP WITH REDUCING OLD GROWTH.  THEY WORKED THE LAND INTENTLY  AND THEY KNEW WHICH SEEDS TO KEEP AND COLLECT FOR SEEDING THEIR VILLAGES.

KATHLEEN SMITH OF POMO/ MIWOK ANCESTRY SAID SHE LIVES IN SPIRITUAL BALANCE WITHOUT NEEDING TO GO ELSEWHERE.  HER REGARD FOR NATURE REQUIRES KEEN SENSE OF NATURE.  HER MOM TAUGHT HER EVERYTHING FROM NATURE -PLANTS AND ANIMALS ARE OUR RELATIVES,

AS SHERRI FERRI, CURATOR OF THE UKIAH MUSEUM (GRACE HUDSON)STATED THE ART OF MAKING POMO BASKETS IS A COMPLEX TOPIC TODAY.  MORE YOUNG FOLKS ARE GETTING INVOLVED.  THEY ARE PLANTING BASKET MATERIALS NEAR THEIR HOUSES/RANCHERIAS TO HAVE THEM READILY AVAILABLE.  SHE HAS BEEN A CONSULTANT FOR EXHIBITS, BUT ADMITS IT IS QUITE A DIFFICULT TASK.  THE MUSEUM IS DEVELOPING AN OUTDOOR SPACE FOR FOLKS LEARNING BASKET MAKING.  THE ANGLOS SAW THEM WORK THE LAND TO IMPROVE IT BY BURNING,SOWING AND WEEDING, TILLING AND HARVESTING.

THESE NATIVE AMERICANS ENJOYED A VAST AND VARIED DIET.
IN THIS AREA IF THE ACORNS WERE NOT PLENTIFUL THEY HAD BEAR, FISH, OR 500 OTHER ANIMALS OR PLANTS TO RELEY ON THAT ENCHANTED VISITORS.  THESE LANDS THOUGHT THEY LIVED IN A LAND OF FERTILITY.  IN THE EARLY 1880'S THERE WAS MUCH ABUNDANCE.

AS MISSIONSECLINED THE SPANISH  FRIARS CONFINED 1000 INDIANS TO CONVERT TO CHRISTIANITY..  SOME WERE ABUSED AND OTHERS WERE TAKEN TO THE MISSIONS TO JOIN OTER INDIANS.  THEY ATE BRODEA OR ROUND BULBS AND WERE CALLED DIGGERS BY THE SPANISH.  THEY RETURNED TO THEIR GATHERING SPOTS AND AERATED SOILS WITH THEIR STICKS.

EVN THOUGH SPANISH CAME HERE THEY USED LOCATIONSTHAT THE ANGLOS THOUGHT WERE OVERUSED.  SOME OF THEIR TRADITIONS WERE LOST.  MABEL MCKAY, A 20TH CENTURY POMO HEALER, AND BASKET MAKER SAID SOME BULBS WERE MADE TO BE TAKEN WITH CARE.  WHEN PEOPLE DO USE PLANTS, THEY GET SCARCE.  IF PLANTS AREN'T GATHERED OR TALKED TO. THEY MAY DIE.  SAME WITH WILDLIFE.

VIRGINIA ALEXANDRIA