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In the summer of 1929 when O'Neale completed her
interviews, there were many weavers making caps for each
dance. Now there are only a few weavers making caps.
Among senior master weavers in their seventies and eighties,
only Ada Charles (Yurok) continues to weave caps.
Her caps are still going out to dance but others of this
generation who are weaving have turned to less difficult
types of baskets. The number of cap makers in their forties,
fifties, and sixties is very small and none of them have
made more than a half dozen caps. Almost invariably these
weavers say, partly out of humility and partly out of
respect, that they will never weave caps as accomplished
as their mothers and grandmothers. Among the weavers in
their thirties or younger none have made more than a few
basket caps. Consequently, the small number of weavers
and the lack of weaving on a daily basis are significant
reasons why it is unlikely a renaissance of finely woven
basket caps will soon occur. |