Clothing Plants
Eastern Pomo Clothing
The Eastern Pomo clothing ranged from nothing at all, customary with many men in warm weather, to elaborate dance costumes of skins, reed breast plates, hair nets and brilliantly feathered headdresses. The ordinary clothing of the man in cool weather was a blanket of twinded and woven rabbit skins, with thrust-through holes for the arms and rope sash to tie it about the middle if needed. No hat was worn, but, if cold enough, low sewn skin moccasins were put on the feet. Wealthier men and chiefs were inclined to wear seal skin or even sea otter skin blankets. A loin cloth of deer skin was occasionally but not often worn or a skin was simply wrapped and tied about the hips. Dance costomes were made of Flicker Feathers used in head bands. Some costumes were extremely varied and colorful, decorated with both beads and feathers in many intricate designs, showing talented artistic ability.
The women wore a two piece skirt of skin or strips of tule or other plant fibers and skin in combination, with a narrow apron-like part in front and a wider hind section covering clear around the hips. Women usually wore a rabbit-skin blanket around their shoulders in cold weather. A skin skirt often was slit along the bottom for decoration and for greater freedom of movement.
A basket basket cradle was carried on the back by a mother with a baby. It was a great aid to the mother in allowing her arms to be free to work. Diaper material was usually made out of soft shredded bark. A rabbit-skin blanket was wrapped around the baby to keep it warm in cold weather and it was lashed into place with rawhide thongs. This probably helped develop an erect way of walking and a straight back.
We will provide Pictures in the Near Future Click on any of the following:
- Plants used for ceremonies
- Plants used for clothing
