Even though California Indian baskets were created for such practical reasons as the gathering, processing, storage and consumption of foods, they are thought of as more than just utilitarian objects. It is clear by observing the beauty and complexity of design and manufacturing of the baskets that they surpass utilitarian purposes and provide a source of aesthetic pleasure in the context of everyday life. According to basketry scholar Bruce Bernstein, baskets were an integral part of life: infants were carried in baskets, meals were prepared in them, and baskets were also given as gifts to mark an individual's entrance into, and exit from, this world.

California Indian basketry tradition is remarkable for its diversity. Baskets vary from one part of the state to another, and a given community might produce a wide variety of basket types. Moreover, individual artists will develop throughout their artistic life, displaying great individuality and innovation within the parameters established by long-standing weaving customs.

Tribal oral tradition often attributes the original knowledge of basketry to mythical or spiritual sources.  These stories illustrate the important role basketry plays in the lives of the people that create them.

Coiled basketry: Coiled basketry is found among all the Central Californian tribal groups. This method of weaving involves the forming of a foundation or coil which spirals outward and is held together by wrapping and stiching each subsequent coil to the last one.  The stitches holding the coils together can be interlocking, non-interlocking, and/or split. A sharp awl, originally of bone but now made of metal, is used to pierce the coil so that the stitch can pass through coiled rods. The sewing strand has a beginning or fag end and a running  or terminal end that, depending on tribal preference, can be bound under the next strand or clipped flush.

The weaving and foundation materials vary depending on availability, as well as the artist's preference and training.  In general, most of the materials used come from the roots and bulbs of plants and trees, from the stems of certain ferns, from grass stalks, and from shoots of a variety of shrubs and trees.

Once the materials have been gathered, they need to be split and sized before aging, dying, and using. These procedures are not only time-consuming, but require great knowledge as to when to gather the plants, the effects of heat, soaking, dying and drying on the materials, and of their strength and proper usage.

Once all the ingredients are prepared, the basket weaver must conceptualize the end product.  A strong sense of design, balance, symmetry and the adherence to tradition are a must. Designs are to be fitted properly to the size and shape of the basket and must be thought out before the work begins.

Nowadays, traditional weavers have limited access to the materials needed for their baskets.  Their rancherias and reservations are too small to supply enough natural materials, so weavers often have to trespass onto private and federal lands in search of the required plants. The use of pesticides and chemicals is another great concern. One of the predominant characteristics of California weaving tradition is the quality and properties of the materials. In addition to the aesthetic qualities of baskets and the ingenuity of their functional design, proper materials are essential for the proper construction of the baskets.

About the Artist: Marie Bonillas was born in 1956 in Hollister, CA. She was raised in Hayward and traces her American Indian heritage to both sides of her family. In 1995 she began learning basketry, and she is currently devoting more and more time to learning about history and the way of life of her ancestors.

Acorns have been part of the California Indian diet since approximately 3,000-2,000 BC. It is remarkable that such an ample supply food, which is inedible in its natural state, could be processed into one of the food staples of California Indians. Native Californians harvested approximately ten or more species of acorns. It is not only the abundance of the nut that made acorns so valuable in the diet of the native people, but also the fact that acorns can be stored unspoiled for long periods of time.

Acorn Preparation: After gathering the nuts in the fall, the shells must be cracked open. The acorn is set on its end and struck on the top or side with a small hammer-stone. Once the acorns have been shelled, they must sit in the sun to dry. Following the drying process, the paper-thin skin that adheres to the nut must be removed by rubbing the kernels together in a shallow basket. Any remaining skin must then be peeled off by hand.  Now the acorns are ready to be processed into flour.

A stone mortar and pestle are used to pound the nuts until they reach the consistency of flour. Acorn pounding requires the mastery of certain techniques: gripping the pestle, positioning of the body, directing the force of the pestle, and making sure that the meal is circulating at all times. Nowadays, a food grinder is used instead to grind the flour. At intervals throughout the pounding process, the acorn flour (uutim bati) is put on a flat, tightly woven basket to sift, the finer flour remains attached to the basket's weave, while the coarser meal rolls off the edges of the basket when it is tapped at a certain angle. The fine flour is then saved in a basket. After the flour has been sifted, it must be leached of its bitter tannins. The flour is then placed in a basin, usually made of layers of fine and coarse sand. Water is constantly poured over the acorn flour, percolating down through it and into the sand, the leaching basin acting as a filtration system. After this step is completed, the flour has no bitter taste to it. It is then placed in a cooking basket or on top of a stove; water is added and the solution is mixed. Traditionally, hot cooking stones are placed inside the basket holding the acorn mush. These rocks are stirred about and replaced with new hot rocks until the soup has boiled and reached the desired consistency.

About the Presenter: Ruth Orta was born in Newark in 1934 and has lived in the Newark/ Fremont area all her life.  Ruth takes great pride in her Ohlone heritage and is passing down her knowledge to her 7 children, 14 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.  Mrs. Orta works as a train operator for the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority.