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Indians of California by Edward Chever (12 pages)
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Page: of 12
126
Figure 7. Woman carrying a burden basket.
salmon rolled in grape leaves and surrounded with
hot stones, the whole covered with dry earth or ashes
over night and taken out hot for breakfast, does not
need a hunter’s appetite for its appreciation.
Marriage among the California Indians was
similar to that of other tribes in other parts of the
country. Presents of sufficient value were given by
the man to the girl’s parents, and the bride might be
given away without her knowledge or consent. From
JOURNAL OF CALIFORNIA AND GREAT BASIN ANTHROPOLOGY
my own observation I know that the Indian uses the
best of his judgment in making a selection, and desires
neither family strife or misery in his lodge. Girls are
married at thirteen or fourteen years of age, and no
woman of marriageable age remains single long. Most
of the Indians, who became personally well known to
me, were very happy in their family relations, and
the custom of dividing food equally among them,
allowed no family to suffer from want.
When the whites first came into the country the
Indians were virtuous and happy, and if whiskey had
not demoralized them they would have retained much
of their original independence and self-respect. They
were naturally cheerful and attached to each other,
and although polygamy was permitted I knew only
one chief who had two wives. These seemed to agree,
although Waketo said of his family that it had “too
much tongue.”
In earlier days dancing among them was confined
to ceremonies of different kinds. In some of these the
women joined, forming themselves into a circle; but
as only one step was used in a solemn way, accompanied by a half turning of the body, a stranger might
be in doubt whether it was rejoicing or mourning.
Within this circle the men danced with great activity,
leaping across a fire burning in the center, and yelling and singing whilst the women continued their
solemn dancing, singing a low monotonous chant.
Figure 8. Stone mortar and pestle, from the Museum of the Peabody
Academy.