INDIAN LAW TODAY COMPARED TO 1929
|
An Indian law such as not weaving in boats is not of much concern to contemporary weavers who are seldom in boats. More significant is the traditional prohibition against weaving at night.
This was an important Indian law mentioned by several weavers O’Neale interviewed. Today most weavers work during the day, so most weaving classes are taught at night and they weave
at night. However, some contemporary weavers observe the Indian law of finishing a complete round on a basket before they stop weaving. One area that is still controversial among
traditionalists is men weaving closed-work baskets. Traditionally women did closed-work and men only wove eel baskets with large unpeeled hazel sticks. Apparently there was at least one
Yurok man weaving closed-work in the early twentieth century at Klamath, but generally men did not weave tightly woven caps. Since the 1960s there are a few male weavers. Some are
non-Indian but have been taught by senior Indian weavers who taught anyone with a great interest. Loren Bommelyn, Bill van Pelt, and Frank Tuttle are highly accomplished weavers and
Craig Ervin and David Andersen have woven basket caps of excellent quality. Some basketry teachers have taken the viewpoint that anyone with great commitment should be taught since so
few people are weaving, while others believe only Indian women should be taught.
| |