Indian Basket Chat

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 9:27AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Welcome to the Indian Basket Chat with Jan Timbrook of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. Ms. Timbrook is the Curator of Ethnography at the Museum, and we will learn today what an ‘ethnographer’ is, what she studied to become a Curator, about the Chumash basket collection she has helped the museum build and that has recently become the largest Chumash basket collection in the world, and about what these baskets mean to the Chumash as a link to their ancestry as a First People of California ………………………… We invite each class to post 3-6 of their BEST questions for our guest – and we can include general Indian Basket making and use, plant gathering and preparation, and trade network questions today.

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 9:28AM PST (-0800 GMT)
The following are images and excerpts from an article provided by Ms. Timbrook for our Campers to help introduce you to these very special and RARE baskets. Read through it and then post your questions below … Jan will be online beginning at 10am.

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 9:28AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Chumash baskets are versatile, strong and beautiful. In earlier days, they played essential roles in all aspects of life-- for gathering, storing, preparing and serving food, holding water, keeping money and other valuables, measuring acorns for trade, carrying babies, in gambling, as gifts, and for ceremonies. The Chumash house was much like an upside-down basket. Baskets were a metaphor for life itself.

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 9:29AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Both twined weaving and coiled basketry are traditional among the Chumash. Water bottles were twined either of whole juncus stems, or with warp and weft of split and twisted tule. Both kinds were coated on the inside with asphaltum. Hard tar was powdered and put into the finished bottle along with small heated stones. The basket was shaken and rotated to melt the tar until the inside of the basket was covered with it; then the rocks were poured out, the basket was filled with water and left overnight to cure before being refilled with fresh water. Other twined types include leaching basins, sieves, fish traps and cradles.

: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 9:29AM PST (-0800 GMT)
It is for their fine coiled baskets -- trays, bowls of all sizes, treasure baskets, and hats -- that the Chumash are renowned. These are generally made entirely of juncus rush, with a foundation of three slender juncus rods sewn with split juncus strands. In contrast with other southern California peoples, baskets with deergrass foundation are seldom seen among the Chumash. Information recorded by Harrington indicates that the foundation material, called tash, was Juncus balticus, and the sewing was mekhme’y, Juncus textilis. Weavers today are experimenting with various species.

: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 9:30AM PST (-0800 GMT)
The Chumash have long been known for their excellent baskets and exported them to other tribes even in pre-European times. Spanish explorers, later visitors and settlers greatly admired Chumash baskets, which they bought in large numbers and sent as souvenirs to family and friends in all parts of the world. Extraordinary baskets, with coin designs and words of dedication rendered with over 220 stitches per square inch, were made in mission times. The skilled, adaptable Chumash continued to produce baskets despite the cultural upheavals of history.

: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 9:30AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Candelaria Valenzuela, Petra Pico, Donaciana and other old-time weavers were all gone by 1920, but they left a priceless legacy for their descendants today: the baskets themselves. Modern weavers have closely studied dozens of baskets, pored through John P. Harrington’s early interviews with basketmakers, learned to work with wild plant materials, and gained strength from the knowledge that they are bringing ancient traditions back to life. Baskets are once again an important part of what it means to be Chumash………………. In southern California, you can also see fine old Chumash baskets at the Ventura County Museum of History and Art, the Southwest Museum, Los Angeles County Natural History Museum, and the San Diego Museum of Man. It is most gratifying to see these baskets serving as inspiration for new generations of Chumash weavers and to know this art will live again long into the future.

Mrs Bloomquist's class, Madison School, Indio: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 9:33AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Dear Ms. Timbrook - Why did the Chumash use mud to make the basket color?

Mrs Bloomquist's class, Madison School, Indio: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 9:33AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Did both men and women weave baskets? Did children weave?

Mrs Bloomquist's class, Madison School, Indio: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 9:33AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How long did it take to weave a basket?

Mrs Bloomquist's class, Madison School, Indio: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 9:34AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What is the most money that the museum spent on a basket?

Brown Pelicans/Madison: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 9:36AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What do the designs on the baskets mean. Do the designs on the basket tell a story?

Sea Otters/Madison: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 9:37AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How long does it take to make a large basket?

Dolphins/Madison: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 9:38AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Did a left handed basket weaver make her basket coil the opposite way than a right handed basket weaver?

Jellyfish/Madison: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 9:41AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Did a design on a basket ever belong to just one family, and passed on to younger weavers? Can you identify a basket by its design?

Sea Urchins/Madison: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 9:43AM PST (-0800 GMT)
If acorns and plants and seeds were stored in baskets, how did the Native Americans keep the bugs from eating the baskets?

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 9:44AM PST (-0800 GMT)
*** Campers - we are starting to build a Camp Internet Basket Gallery showcasing different tribe's work ... button ... It will be showcased in each track soon so take a peak now while it is still in development to see what is coming soon !

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 9:53AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Why did Chumash use mud to make the basket color? They buried the split rush strands in dark organic mud around a seep or spring so that the minerals in the soil would be absorbed into the fibers. To get a deep, rich brown/black took at least 2 weeks. After the Spanish came and introduced iron, the Chumash soaked the strands for a few days with rusty nails, a horseshoe, or in an iron pot with acorns or oak galls to get black. This took less time but weakened the fibers.

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 9:56AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Who made the baskets? Most baskets were woven by women, although men would make baskets used to catch fish or birds. Men also sometimes made the cradle baskets for their own or relatives' children. Girls learned to weave at a very young age by practicing with their mothers. In the Museum we have a basket made by a 7-year-old Mono Indian girl named Lizzie Hawkins. It's much better weaving than I could do!

: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:02AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Ray Wiltsey Middle School --- We want to say hello to all of Camp Internet and to Jan Timbrook. David RWMS : What different materials were the Chumash baskets made out of?

: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:03AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Dulce RWMS Why were Chumash baskets highly prized in trading?

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:03AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How long did it take to weave a basket? This is the most frequently asked question! If you ask an Indian basketweaver, she will say it can take years to make a basket. That's because you have to manage the basketry plants for at least a year before you collect the material. Then you have to pick each kind of plant at exactly the right time, split it and trim it, then let it dry and cure for at least another year, sometimes longer. Then you do the final trimming so each strand is exactly the same width. Then, at last, you begin to weave. The weaving itself depends on: how big is the basket? how fine are the strands? how complicated a design does it have? how skilled is the weaver? what other things does she have to do besides weave? Most weavers don't work at it full time, and they often have several baskets going at once. But, to give you some kind of answer: Abe Sanchez is a very fast weaver. He made a basket about the size of a bucket, weaving 4 hours a day every day for 7 weeks. So that's about 200 hourse of weaving-- but it took him a year to gather and prepare the materials.

: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:06AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Ray Wiltsey Middle School says hello to all Camp Internet campers. Dulce RWMS Why were Chumash baskets highly prized in trading?

Sara, St. James Elemn: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:06AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Do Indian people across the Southwest use the same materials to make baskets? Or are there different plants used ? what are some of the most common - or rare plants ?

Evan, St. James Elemn: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:07AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Do you think Chumash baskets were traded with the Ansazi?

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:07AM PST (-0800 GMT)
About basket designs: Among the Chumash, some designs did have names -- little deer, butterfly, arms or branches, and so on -- but we think the designs did not actually symbolize those things. The names were just easy ways of referring to a particular pattern. But it is true that some designs were apparently passed down in families from mother to daughter. People who know baskets and weavers well can often recognize who made a particular basket. For example, at the Museum we now have four baskets that have such similar patterns we are sure they were all made by the same person, Petra Pico, who was one of the last old-time weavers in the Ventura area. She died in 1902.

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:10AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Did left-handed weavers work in the opposite direction? Good question-- but no, they almost always wove in the same direction as right-handed weavers. Different Indian tribes traditionally always wove in a certain direction -- to the right for the Chumash, to the left among the Miwok of Yosemite Valley, for example.

Sara/Crystal/Payne/State St.: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:12AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Dear Ms.Jan Timbrook, Did the Chumash use the baskets for catching fish and cooking them?

Daniel / Payne/State St.: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:13AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Dear Ms.Timbrook, How much weed would it take to weave a basket?

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:14AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How did they keep bugs from eating the baskets in which seeds were stored? Another good question. The acorn and seed storage baskets were often lined with strong-smelling plants like white sage or bay leaves to discourage bugs and rodents. Actually, a few bugs weren't too much of a problem, they'd just add a little protein to the food. But squirrels or woodrats might chew a big hole in the basket -- in fact we have some examples of baskets found in caves that do have rodent damage. Many times people would just sew a big patch cut from another basket over the hole and keep on using it.

Paul & Adrian/Payne State Street : . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:14AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Dear Ms. Timbrook, Did they use the baskets for any games?

Alejandra/Brianna/Payne/State Street: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:16AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Dear Ms.Jan Timbrook, Who tought the Chumash how to weave such beautiful baskets?

: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:16AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Aaron,Ernesto Palm View Wat was your most favorite diesined basket?

Edwin & Carlos/Payne/State Street: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:16AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Dear Ms.Jan Timbrook, What is the value is the basket collection? Are there any model baskets that we can purchase?

L.Walker: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:17AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Aaron,Ernesto Palm View What was your most favorite diesined basket?

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:18AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What materials did the Chumash use to make baskets? Just a few. The main one was a kind of rush called Juncus textilis, or Indian Rush, which was split to make the sewing strands. The foundation core of coiled baskets could be either very slender strands of that same plant, or of another, smaller species of rush. Occasionally they used white material split from stems of a bush called Sumac or Sourberry (Rhus trilobata), which looks a lot like Poison Oak.

Kassandra/Jackson/Rivera : . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:21AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Is it realy haard to make a basket?

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:21AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Sara, about materials used -- Different Indian peoples throughout the Southwest and California used many different materials to make baskets. Each tribe had their own plants that they preferred to use. As I just wrote, the Chcumash used mainly rushes. The Pomo Indians north of San Francisco used sedge, redbud, willow, and bulrush root. The Hopis in Arizona use one kind of grass and yucca leaves. One of the ways we can identify who made a basket is to look at what materials they used.

L.Walker: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:22AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Aaron,Ernesto Palm View What was the first basket made out of?

Jacob Lee Sunset School: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:24AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How big is the largest basket ever made?

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:25AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Why were Chumash baskets highly prized in trading? Because they're beautiful! Also, very well made, strong, and useful for lots of different things. Did the Chumash trade baskets with the Anasazi (prehistoric people in Arizona)? No, I don't think so, because the Anasazi also made good baskets. Pieces of some of these have been found in dry caves in the Southwest. But we do know that shell beads made by the Chumash were traded to the Anasazi, probably lot directly but through people who lived in the areas between coastal southern California and the Arizona deserts.

L.Walker: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:26AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Aaron,Ernesto Palm View Have you ever made a basket?

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:27AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Daniel, it's hard to say how much reed or other plant material it takes to make a basket, because it depends on what kind of basket and how big it is. But I do know that a scoop-shaped winnowing basket made by Mono Indian people would take more than 500 slender sticks of redbud, all exactly the same size.

Terry, St James: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:27AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How did the museum get all of these beautiful baskets ? How many do you have?

Jacob Lee Sunset School: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:27AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How big is the largest basket ever made?

L.Walker: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:28AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Tanya,Saray and Zulaima Palm View school. 1.How did the chusmash make the baskets.

: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:28AM PST (-0800 GMT)
HOW LONG DOES A BASKET LAST?

Phyllis, St James: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:28AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What is an ETHNOGRAPHER ? What did you study in college to do this job ? Getting to work with baskets sounds great !!

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:29AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Paul & Adrian: The Chumash did make baskets used for games. There was a very popular game played with walnut shell dice that were tossed onto a big, flat basketry tray. We have a couple of examples of these in the Museum collection. They're on exhibit here in our Chumash Indian Hall.

L.Walker: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:29AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Aaron,Ernesto Palm View What materials do you yous to make a basket?

Tara Sinclair: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:30AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What was the most common design that the Chumash used?

Kassandra/Jackson/Rivera : . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:30AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Can you make an animal shaped basket?

Phyllis, St James: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:30AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Where do the basket materials come from ? in the wild ? or were they panted?

David and Joey: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:30AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Calling all peoples do you know where you found any Chumash indian baskets in these places Ventura, Channel islands, Oak view, Ojai,and Santa Barbra if so write to answer the quistion.

KYLE NELSON @ SUNSET SCHOOL: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:31AM PST (-0800 GMT)
HOW LONG HAVE THE CHUMASH BEEN MAKING BASKETS?

Hi it's Jeff and Johnny of Sunset Elemantary School : . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:32AM PST (-0800 GMT)
About how long would it take for a young girl to learn how to weave a medium size basket?

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:32AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Alejandra & Brianna: Who taught the Chumash to weave such beautiful baskets? Som researchers think that the Chumash had been making twined baskets for a very long time, but that they learned to make the beautifully decorated coiled baskets sometime around 2000 years ago. Indications are that this knowledge may have come from people in the southern Sierra Nevada, including Tubatulabal, Yokuts and others. But clearly they adapted quickly and made lots of innovations on their own. Chumash baskets are very distinctive.

L.Walker: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:32AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Aaron,Ernesto Palm View When was the first basket invented?

L.Walker: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:33AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Saray,Tanya and Zuly Palm View School. 1.When was the firs basket meid.

Kassandra/Jackson/Rivera : . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:33AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Do any baskets hold water?

KYLE NELSON AND Memo@ SUNSET SCHOOL: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:34AM PST (-0800 GMT)
where did they get there materials

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:34AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Aaron, Ernesto: Well, I have made one little basket that's on exhibit here, to show the weaving technique, but I must say, it's pretty pathetic. It is very good experience to try weaving yourself because it gives you great respect for people who are really good weavers.

Bradley Sunset: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:34AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What is the measurement of the smallest basket?

L.Walker: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:36AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Aaron,Ernesto Palm View Did the Chumash use the baskets for catching fish and cooking them?

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:36AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Palm View School: When was the first basket made? We think that knowledge of basketweaving is very, very ancient. Probably people who first came to the Americas over 15,000 years ago were already making baskets of some kind, but they haven't been preserved so we don't know what they were like. Here in the Chumash area, there's evidence of basketmaking at least 5000 years ago.

jordan at sunset elementry.: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:37AM PST (-0800 GMT)
how old are the oldest baskets?

KyleAND Memo@ SUNSET SCHOOL: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:37AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How long have you been collecting baskets/

cv2--James M.: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:38AM PST (-0800 GMT)
James Montenegro at Peter Pendleton Elem. School--How far back do the earliest baskets date back to?

Tyson Howery Sunset School: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:38AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Beside baskets, what else do you study?

Tara Sinclair/Sunset Eementary School: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:38AM PST (-0800 GMT)
In what year was the first basket made?

David and Joey sunset school: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:39AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How do you judge a price on a baskets value and if anybody knows write to answer the question?

: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:39AM PST (-0800 GMT)
hi bum

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:39AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Smallest and biggest baskets: To see the smallest one you practically have to look through a microscope! I have one by a Paiute weaver named Charlotte, that's the size of a small pea, but there are others far smaller. The biggest basket I know of was by a Pomo weaver and was probably about 5 ft across. It was extremely finely woven and actually took several weavers to finish it.

L.Walker: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:41AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Aaron,Ernesto Palm View For what did the Chumash yous the baskets?

: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:41AM PST (-0800 GMT)
HI we are the eagles from room ten and we would like to know how old is the oldest indian bastkat ever fond is?

cv2--James Montenegro: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:41AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Peter Pendleton--How long have you been working at the S.B. Museum of Natural History?

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:42AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Kassandra, Many baskets were so finely woven that they do hold water. That's partly because when you soak them in water the fibers swell up and close any little spaces. So these baskets were actually used for cooking soup. You heat rocks in the fire until they're red hot, then put them into the basket to make the liquid boil. It's pretty amazing. I've seen it done, and it really works. There are also baskets made for storing water -- these usually are coated inside with tar or pitch to make them water-tight.

stephanieMrs.ziazieMarvin ave: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:43AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Why did they always used baskets why?

: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:43AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Whats the worlds largest indian basket

L.Walker: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:43AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Fernando and Oscar Palm View When was the first basket invented?

Tsunami - 11th grade - PHS: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:44AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Jan Timbrook - do any of the baskets have cerimonial or religious importance.

Aleida Mrs. Ziazie Marvin Avenue: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:44AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Are the baskets big or small

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:44AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Kyle, The Chumash got their basket materials only in certain places. The rushes grow in moist places beside creeks, lagoons, or springs. It's hard for weavers to find these plants today because much of the habitat has been destroyed.

L.Walker: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:44AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Aaron,Ernesto Palm View With what did they made the materials to do the baskets?

: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:44AM PST (-0800 GMT)
eagels-- How old is the oldest indian basket ever found

Henry, Mrs.Ziazie,Marvin ave: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:45AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How do you get the matierial for the baskets?

stephanieMrs.ziazieMarvin ave: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:45AM PST (-0800 GMT)
why did the chumash always used baskets where they special?

Henry, Mrs.Ziazie,Marvin ave: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:45AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How do you get the matierial for the baskets?

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:46AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Aaron, Ernesto: Yes, the Chumash did make baskets kind of like nets for catching fish. they also made stone and brush dams across rivers, then placed specially-woven fish traps at openings in the dams to catch steelhead trout or salmon as the fish migrated upstream. But baskets weren't used for cooking fish -- fish were mostly roasted or smoked.

cv2--Antonio Rodriguez: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:46AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Antonio Rodriguez--Peter Pendleton How did the Chumash get the colors for their baskets? Did they use plants or animal oils?

L.Walker: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:46AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Aaron,Ernesto Palm View For what did they yous the baskets?

L.Walker: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:48AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Fernando and Oscar Palm View When was the first basket that they made?

L.Walker: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:49AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Aaron,Ernesto Palm View When was the first basket that you saw?

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:49AM PST (-0800 GMT)
The Museum has been collecting baskets since the early 1900s. We have baskets from all over California, the Southwest, Great Basin, Northwest Coast, and Arctic. Now we have 43 Chumash baskets, which is the largest collection of Chumash baskets in the world. We think there are probably only about 400 Chumash baskets in existence.

: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:49AM PST (-0800 GMT)
have you ever made a baskset

Tylar and Dani Sunset School: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:50AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How many baskets were made by a tribe in a year?

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:50AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What else do I study? I'm most interested in the relationships between people and plants, a field called Ethnobotany. So that includes how people use plants to make baskets, but also how people manage the plants, and how they think about plants, and what influences plants have on how people live.

L.Walker: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:50AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Aaron,Ernesto Palm View Whow did they do the colors for the baskets?

Jerry, Mrs.Ziazie,Marvin ave: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:50AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Do they still use the same matirial?

Claudia and Reco from Maple: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:51AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Hi everybody. We are here from Maple. We are happy to be here.

Lizbeth Mrs. Ziazie Marvin Avenue: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:51AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Did Chumash indians use their hands to make baskets or did they use special tools like needles?

Ingrid Mrs.ziazieMarvin ave: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:51AM PST (-0800 GMT)
how do they boil water in the basket and they donot burn?

L.Walker: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:51AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Aaron,Ernesto Palm View Who did they do the colors for the baskets?*

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:51AM PST (-0800 GMT)
I've been working at the Musem for nearly 28 years now. I studied Anthropology and Art at the University of California Santa Barbara. I'm very lucky to have such a fun and interesting job.

Tessa Robles Sunset School: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:51AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Are there still an chumash indian still alive making basket.

Michael H. sunset school: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:52AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Did the Chumash traid baskets?And what for?

Jerry, Mrs.Ziazie,Marvin ave: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:53AM PST (-0800 GMT)
are they special?

: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:53AM PST (-0800 GMT)
what were the baskets made out of

Jaclyn Sandra and Michael from Sunset school: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:53AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How many baskets are one display at the Santa Barbra Museum

mat and ricardo sunset : . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:54AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How do you handle the baskets at the museum to prevent them from getting damaged?

Jasihel and Roger from Maple: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:54AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Hi everybody.We are happy to be with you.

L.Walker: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:54AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Fernando and Oscar Palm View When was the first basket that they use?

Nadia/ Ms. Morrison / Sacramento: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:54AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How long would it take a student like myself to make one basket?

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:54AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Everyone's getting ahead of me here! The Chumash and most other California Indians always used baskets mainly because that was their tradition. They didn't make pottery like Indian people in the Southwest, and I think that's at least partly because baskets are better -- more durable, versatile, and they don't break when you drop them.

Jerry, Mrs.Ziazie,Marvin ave: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:54AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Do they still live?

Alejandra Hernandez Sunset Elemenetry: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:55AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How can people today learn how to make a basket?

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:56AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Some Chumash Indians are making baskets today. The last of the old-time weavers died about 1915, so weavers today didn't have anyone to teach them. They had to figure it out on their own from looking at Museum baskets, from trial and error, practice, and talking to weavers from other tribes.

Henry, Mrs.Ziazie,Marvin ave: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:57AM PST (-0800 GMT)
are their baskets in the museum?

tanner: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:57AM PST (-0800 GMT)
how big are normal size baskests

Elizabeth/Michelle/Rivera : . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:58AM PST (-0800 GMT)
do you know some of the Indians names back when they were alive?

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:58AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Tools: a sharp-pointed bone awl was used to pierce a small hole in the basket foundation, then the sewing strand was inserted and pulled through. Other than that, they just used their hands and teeth.

Cheyenne,Matthew,Chris, and Duke: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:58AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Do you know what the indian baskets were made of?

angelaMrs.ziazie: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 10:58AM PST (-0800 GMT)
which indians were the best basket makers the pomo indians or the chumash?

Crystal Mrs. Ziazie Marvin Avenue: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:00AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How could they drank out of a basket

: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:00AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Ernesto and Aaron Palm View When was the first basket use

Henry, Mrs.Ziazie,Marvin ave: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:00AM PST (-0800 GMT)
how do you use the baskets?

abel: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:00AM PST (-0800 GMT)
when did you start studingbaskests

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:01AM PST (-0800 GMT)
People have asked about prices of baskets. Because Chumash baskets are very very rare, and very beautiful, they are popular with collectors of art and antiques. Some cost several thousand dollars. The Museum can seldom afford to buy these baskets, so we are always happy when people donate money that can help us add to our collection. These baskets are all on display now, and are always available for research or viewing by anyone who is interested.

Michael H. sunset school: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:02AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Did the Chumash trade baskets?And what for?

Tessa Robles Sunset School: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:02AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Are baskets like potterey ?

: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:03AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Ernesto and Aaron Palm View Is it interting to make a basket?

stephanie.r Mrs. ziazie: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:03AM PST (-0800 GMT)
how come the water did not fall when they put it in the basket?

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:03AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Who were better weavers, the Chumash or Pomo? Well, to be honest, I would probably say the Pomo were better weavers overall, because they used more different materials and a greater variety of weaving techniques than the Chumash.

Jerry, Mrs.Ziazie,Marvin ave: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:03AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Do they still make baskets?

Alexa Dolittel sunset school: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:04AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How wide are baskets?????

Cheyenne,Matthew,Chris, and Duke: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:05AM PST (-0800 GMT)
The biggest basket was 5 feet wide and 5 feet deep.

Ernesto, Mrs.Ziazie,Marvin ave: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:05AM PST (-0800 GMT)
how do they make the baskets?

tanner: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:06AM PST (-0800 GMT)
do you have a favorite kind of baskests

Jasihel and Roger from Maple: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:06AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Are there Chumash indians still making baskets these days?

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:06AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How do you get the materials? All basket materials come from wild plants. You have to know where to find them, when to pick them, what part to use, and how to prepare it. Indian people were very observant and developed knowledge like scientists through testing and experimenting.

Lizbeth Mrs. Ziazie Marvin Avenue: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:06AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Did the chumas indians use their hands to make the baskets or did they use other materials like needles?

Michael H. sunset school: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:07AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Did the Chumash trade baskets?And what for?

Ingrid Mrs. ziazie Marvin ave: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:07AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How many kinds of baskets are there ?

Henry, Mrs.Ziazie,Marvin ave: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:08AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What do they use the baskets for?

L.Walker: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:09AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Tomas & Valerie Palm View School What made you think of building Baskets.

Jerry, Mrs.Ziazie,Marvin ave: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:09AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How did they die?

L.Walker: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:09AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Fernando and Oscar Palm View What was the first basket made out of?

Cheyenne,Matthew,Chris, and Kami: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:09AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What was the smallest basket?

angela Mrs. ziazie Marvin ave: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:10AM PST (-0800 GMT)
which indians are the best basket makers the pomo indians or the chumash?

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:11AM PST (-0800 GMT)
I can't remember what was the first basket I ever saw. I must have been a little kid though. I do remember one I saw that was so gorgeous it almost knocked me off my feet -- a Chumash basket in a museum collection that was touring from Spain. It is an oval-shaped basket container with a lid, and has the most incredible finely woven design of checks, lines and dots -- hard to describe, but strikingly beautiful. What's my favorite kind of basket? You may be surprised, but I really like baskets that are heavily used, that show how people used them for cooking, winnowing, sifting, or some part of everyday life. Sometimes they're mended or patched. To me a basket like that is a lot more interesting than one that's perfect and new.

Kassandra/Jackson/Rivera : . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:11AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Is there a book that tells how to wave a basket?

Jessica, Mrs.Ziazie,Marvin ave: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:11AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How do we know about the remains we found are really the remains of the basket?

Cheyenne,Matthew,Chris, and Kami: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:11AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Do you know any basket weavers?

Aleida Mrs. Ziazie Marvin Avenue: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:11AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What color are the baskets?

sal: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:11AM PST (-0800 GMT)
ghkh

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:11AM PST (-0800 GMT)
*** CAMPERS *** IMPORTANT **** Be sure to read our guest's answers above as many of the more recent questions were answered earlier in the morning. Use the scroll back box - type in 100 - to get back up to earlier postings.

L.Walker: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:12AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Tomas & Valerie Palm View School What made you think of making Baskets?

Cheyenne,Matthew,: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:12AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How many baskets were made a year?

Henry,Mrs.Ziazie,Marvin ave: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:13AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How do they get needles for the baskets?

chris,kami,matthew, CHEYENNE: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:16AM PST (-0800 GMT)
hOW BIG WERE BASKETS?

L.Walker: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:16AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Fernando and Oscar Palm View Why did you invented basket?

L.Walker: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:17AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Tomas & Valerie Palm View School Why do you need baskets?

Claudia and Reco from Maple: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:17AM PST (-0800 GMT)
The baskets that the women made, did they go on their backs or did they hold them in their hands?

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:17AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How do we take care of baskets? The most important thing is to be very careful how you pick them up. Never, NEVER pick up a basket by the rim using one hand. That places so much stress on the edges that they'll break. Be sure to lift the basket from underneath with both hands. Next, we keep the baskets out of direct sunlight, and keep the exhibit lighting as low as possible. Light will fade colors and damage the basket's structure. Third, we keep the climate conditions as stable as possible, aiming for a temperature of 65 degrees and humidity of 50%. Changes in temerature and humidity cause swelling and shrinking that damage the fibers. And finally, we try to keep the baskets as free from dust as possible. We do not ever wash the baskets or coat them with anything. When new basket donations come in, they are sometimes dusty. We clean the baskets very carefully by gently dusting them with a soft brush.

L.Walker: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:19AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Tomas & Valerie Palm View School Why do you need baskets?

Jasihel and Roger from Maple: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:19AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How could we learn to make baskets?

L.Walker: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:21AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Fernando and Oscar Palm View How did the basket look like?

Timothy - Camp: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:21AM PST (-0800 GMT)
***CAMPERS*** if you have seen baskets like we are discussing today on a trip to a Natural History Museum be sure to share your visit with other Camp classrooms by filling our the Field Report form at button ********************************************************** You can use that form to upload photos, report on what you saw and let us know where you saw the baskets.

Jessica,Mrs.Ziazie,Marvin ave: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:22AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Did the Chumosh make only coil baskets or different ones too.If so,what other kind did they make?

Andy Mrs. Ziazie Marvin Avenue: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:24AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Did the chumash made jewerly out of the same material of the baskets?

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:25AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Tylar & Dani: How many baskets did a tribe make in a year? Lots and lots! Probably each family owned at least 20 or 30 baskets that they used for different things. Last year a couple of Miwok Indian women, Jennifer Bates & Kimberly Stevenot, demonstrated traditional acorn cooking here at the museum. Somebody counted how many baskets they used in the process -- fourteen! And that's just for preparing acorn soup. When you figure in all the other uses, that's a LOT of baskets you need. You'd be making new baskets much of the time to gradually replace the old ones as they wore out.

L.Walker: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:25AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Fernando and Oscar Palm View Are the basket large?

: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:29AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Hi Miss . Timbrook. This is Ivan from Maple. I like reading about the Chumash baskets.

kieth mrs.ziazies class marvin ave: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:30AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How did they fireproof the basket so they wouldn't burn when they cooked food in them?

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:31AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Ceremonial or religious uses of baskets? At ceremonies, the Chumash collected ritual offerings of seeds or beads in baskets. Baskets were sometimes buried with people after they died, or placed on a pole above the grave. Among other tribes, baskets were formally held and displayed in ceremonial dances (like the Hopi Basket Dance, or the Hupa Jump Dance), or used to hold sacred pollen or corn meal in religious or curing ceremonies (as among the Navajo).

Jessica,Mrs.Ziazie,Marvin ave: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:32AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Did the chumash make instrument with the basket?

L.Walker: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:32AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Fernando and Oscar Palm View Are the basket colorful?

Lizbeth Mrs. Ziazie Marvin Avenue: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:32AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Which indians were better at basket making the Pomos or Chumash indians?

: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:33AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Hello MISS Timbrook. We are here to learn about the Chumash baskets.

Cristal and Michael from Maple: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:33AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Hi Miss Timbrook. We have been studying about the Chumash Indians. We would like to know how to make baskets.

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:34AM PST (-0800 GMT)
*** CAMPERS **** you can learn more about the wonderful Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History by visiting their web site at button and be sure to go into their new Chumash resource section button .

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:35AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Tara: The most common design in Chumash baskets is called a "principal band." This is a design band athat is about an inch wide and placed an inche below the rim. It can be decorated with zigzags, stepped design, slanted lines, diamonds, or other patterns. There are often small sections of alternating dark and light stitches in the top row, called "rim ticking." The main part of the basket can have vertical, horizontal, or diagonal designs, and sometimes small isolated figures, but they are always rather delicate designs, with no big blocky areas of black. Look at the pictures posted here at the top of this chat to get an idea of some of the designs the Chumash used.

Adam, PHS: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:37AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Did their neighbors also make baskets - the Gabrielino / Tongva?

Tara, PHS: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:38AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Have any baskets ever been found in remote rock art cave sites?

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:43AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Edwin & Carlos -- You asked about the value of the basket collection: priceless. I hesitate to assign any kind of dollar value because the baskets have far greater value in teaching us about Chumash Indian life and culture. In terms of where you can buy baskets: I am not aware of any Chumash weavers who are making baskets for sale. Other kinds of baskets are often for sale in stores or on Indian reservations. Incidentally, this coming weekend (Nov 30 - Dec 2) we are having a Folk & Tribal Arts Marketplace at the Museum. Among native arts and crafts from all over the world, there are sure to be lots of baskets for sale. Proceeds from this event benefit the Museum and our basket acquisition fund. Great Christmas shopping opportunity, too.

Cristal and Michael from Maple: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:44AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How and where did you find the Chumash baskets?

Brandi and Sam from Maple: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:45AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Miss Timbrook we didn't know that the indians sometimes used their teeth to make baskets. That is creative!

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:47AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How long does a basket last? Depends on how you treat it! A cooking basket could probably take frequent use for a few years before wearing out beyond repair. The cooking baskets Jennifer and Kimberly used here to demonstrate acorn soup were family heirlooms that had been passed down through their mother, but they were becoming too fragile and would soon have to be retired.

Cesar and Margarita from Maple: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:48AM PST (-0800 GMT)
We have to go to lunch now but we will read later.

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:51AM PST (-0800 GMT)
*** A BIG THANK YOU to our guest and to our students for these great QUESTIONS and excellent ANSWERS. We had at least 13 schools online today, representing close to 400 students, and our TRAIL GUIDE, JAN TIMBROOK did a great job of getting to so many questions, and providing such interesting insight --- thank you Jan ! ( any more answers are welcome and the room stays postable until noon) ........ This chat will remain accessible here as an archive (read only) beginngin this afternoon and for the days to come, and then moves into the permanent archive accessed by any of our 9,000 students from the main Camp Internet portal. *******

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:51AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Phyllis: An Ethnographer is a cultural anthropologist. We study living people and cultures, whereas archaeologists study the material evidence left by people who lived in the past. I studied anthropology and art at UC Santa Barbara, later went to graduate school there in anthropology. There is also a field called Museum Studies that offers special training for people who want to work in museums. Yes, it is great to work with baskets and with the people who make them.

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:54AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Antonio Rodriguez, how did they get the colors? For the most part, the colors are the natural colors of the plants. For example, sumac is white, juncus rush is tan or deep orange-brown.

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 11:57AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Jeff & Johnny, a young girl would probably have to practice several years before she was able to weave a basket well enough to be used for cooking. We have one by a 12-year-old Mono Indian girl, Viola Bowman, that is very well made.

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 0:00PM PST (-0800 GMT)
Ingrid, to cook in a basket you don't put it directly over the fire like we do with our pots and pans. Instead, you heat rocks in the fire until they're red hot, then put them into a basket full of liquid (water for tea, or acorn soup to be cooked). The stones are so hot the liquid comes to a boil quickly. You just have to keep stirring them around with a paddle so they don't rest on the basket and burn it.

Junior Luna/Ms.morrison: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 0:03PM PST (-0800 GMT)
How long dose it take to make a basket?

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 0:06PM PST (-0800 GMT)
Several people asked how they can learn to make baskets. We sometimes have classes here at the Museum (contact our education department through the Museum website www.sbnature.org). Also we have basketry books and kits for sale in the Museum Store. And our Museum Library is a great resource for anyone wishing to learn more about the Chumash and about baskets.

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 0:10PM PST (-0800 GMT)
Many of our students are close to the SOUTHWEST MUSEUM or the AGUA CALIENTE MUSEUM - and they too offer Indian basketmaking classes regularly each year .... we welcome visitors to Santa Barbara too ! and can arrange school field trips.

Matthew and Zach : . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 0:12PM PST (-0800 GMT)
Do the indians use plants to make other tools?

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 0:12PM PST (-0800 GMT)
Some people asked whether I know any basket weavers or other Indian people. Yes, I have several Chumash friends who come to the Museum to give us advice on how to take care of our collections and how to interpret their culture for the public. We often help Chumash people trace their family ancestry. And I also know many basketweavers who come from various tribes. For several years I have worked with a wonderful organization called the California Indian Basketweavers Association. They have a gathering of weavers every year, with demonstrations, classes, and an exhibit of their recent work. Next year's gathering is June 21-23 at Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park near Jackson, California. For more information on this group, their website is button

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 0:17PM PST (-0800 GMT)
The Gabrielino/Tongva people of the Los Angeles region also made baskets. These were much like the Chumash except they usually finished off the stitches by tucking the ends under rather than clipping them off. And there were slight design differences too. We do have about 4 Gabrielino baskets at the Museum. One of them is a woman's basketry hat, a small cap that protected her head from the sun and from the weight of the strap that supported the carrying basket on her back.

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 0:20PM PST (-0800 GMT)
Thank again Jan - this has been a great, lively, and very inforamtive chat - it is a good sign so many classroms attended ... and congratulations on the Chuamsh basket collection acquisitions - they are where they should be !

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 0:20PM PST (-0800 GMT)
Baskets have been found in dry caves in the back country. Some were storage baskets that probably held acorns or other seed foods that people cached one year and would use the next year when they returned to the same campsite. Others were water bottle baskets, lined with tar; trays used to sift acorn flour or toast seeds with hot coals; seedbeaters used like a tennis racquet to knock seeds loose from bushes; carrying baskets loosely twined from willow stems, and more.

Timothy - Camp: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 0:22PM PST (-0800 GMT)
Thanks Jan for an excellent and very informative chat. And Camp classrooms - your questions were great!

Jan Timbrook, Curator of Ethnography, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: . . . . Tue, Nov 27, 0:24PM PST (-0800 GMT)
Well everybody, this has been great fun. Please read back through the article at the beginning and the other entries to see if I answered your question. I think I answered most of them. After reading all that, if you would still like more information, check out the Chumash Life section of the Museum website button or you can contact the Museum Library at library@sbnature2.org or you can e-mail me at jtimbrook@sbnature2.org. Please come and visit us at the Museum! Thanks again, Marcy and everyone.

Questions about Camp Internet--click here