Object: Basket

E/1982/11/403

Pomo Tribes: Feather Basket
North America
Early 20th Century
Materials: Feathers, Grasses

This object is a Pomo feather basket from the early 1900s. The “Pomo” name was originally ascribed to Indian tribes living in the area of present day California during the turn of the century, though researchers have since noted that over 70 different groups were represented by the name. Basketry techniques and styles were similar among the groups, however, especially in the production of feather baskets. This basket is small and measures only 3 inches wide (about the size of a baseball). It features a coiled construction– formed by small bundles of grasses stitched into a spiral to create the round shape and coiled body of the basket.

The yellow feathers on the basket come from the Western Meadowlark (see figure left). The Western Meadowlark is a North American species of the blackbird family. It lives in grassland areas primarily west of the Great Plains. The red feathers on the basket come from the Acorn Woodpecker (see figure right). The Acorn Woodpecker is a species of woodpecker that lives in the western and southwestern portions of the United States. Pomo baskets are produced by both men and women. Basketmakers collect the bright yellow feathers of the meadowlark and the small red feathers of the woodpecker with respect and reverence for the birds. In fact, many Pomo basketmakers, such as Mabel McKay, regard feather baskets as living entities in themselves and are careful to honor the spirit of the baskets. Just like the birds represented in the baskets, Pomo feather baskets are unique and come in many different types. They serve a variety of purposes and have been produced for ceremonial and religious contexts, daily use, and even tourism.

What do you think about this basket? Share your thoughts and enjoy getting to know the Story Behind the Object!

[Lauren Simons]

Object: Mask

E/1951/9/1
Cherokee Tribe: Mask
Southeastern US
20th Century
Materials: Wood, Animal Fur

This mask is a wooden “Booger” mask from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of present-day North Carolina. Masks like this one were often used in ritual dance performances to satirize the tensions between tribal members and outsiders. Booger masks were fashioned to represent the faces of foreigners –Europeans, Germans, Africans, or neighboring Indians– and the masks were worn during the dance to designate these clumsy intruders.

In this Booger mask, an eagle feather and strips of white deer skin and brown bear skin make up the hairpiece. The mask was made in 1939 by Will West Long, a Cherokee shaman, who lived on the Qualla Reservation in North Carolina. His influence on the social, political, and cultural ways of the Cherokee is still being studied to this day. Additionally, with anthropologist Frank Speck, he put together several books, recordings, and collections of Cherokee dance and drama.

Booger masks were usually carved from wood or gourds and dyed with vegetable pigments. They often exhibited sexual characteristics, like phallic noses with opossum fur as seen here, and the actors who wore them made obscene, albeit humorous, gestures during the dance to illustrate the perception many had of foreigners with rude behavior and a preoccupation with sex. In the Booger Dance, “Boogers” dressed in European clothing, wrapped themselves in sheets and bed quilts, and chased women around the room, fondling them and soliciting giggles and screams. The performance often culminated in the community Eagle Dance, whereby both the Cherokee and the Boogers danced, and singing and partying continued into the night.

The following is a video of Michael Searching Bear, a Cherokee and Powhatan musician, performing a rendition of the Booger Dance. Check it out and enjoy getting to know the Story Behind the Object! [Lauren  Simons]

[Lauren Simons]