California Tribal Arts - Dance Regalia

CALIFORNIA TRIBAL ARTS

DANCE REGALIA

Lauren Wilson, Miwok dancer, shown wearing both Batsawi and Patsuni headpieces. PWT photo 7/22/99.	KONKOW MAIDU BATSAWI. A topknot of turkey or goose feathers attached to a circular foundation by securing each feather in place with knotted twine; buckskin strap attached; 7 – 9" high. Originally used in the Chico Bear Dance and Oya (Coyote) Ceremony. Similar to topknots used by the Pomo, Miwok and others. #670.
	KONKOW MAIDU PATSUNI (left). The head roll is of bound tule, covered with faux otter fur and ornamented with pegs fastened at varying angles. Each peg is made of a turkey feather quill with a clamshell disk bead attached at the tip, wrapped with glass seed beads and tipped with a “flicker” quill flag and abalone pendant suspended with glass seed beads. Head pieces of this type are believed to have been originally used in the Aki Dance. They are now generally used by both Maidu and Miwok dancers and Pomo dancers use variations of the style as well. #671.

	Above: Pomo – incised bird bones tipped with feathers and clamshell disk beads. #674. Below (upper): Nisenan – made of charred elderberry. #675. (lower): Pomo – elderberry with burned-in spiral design and clamshell disk bead at one end. #676.

Above: YOKUTS DJUH HEADDRESS. This style extended from the Owens Valley Paiute to the Yokuts of the Central Valley and the coastal Chumash, with slight variations. It was worn by men as part of their dance regalia as well as by medicine men during healing ceremonies. . This complex headdress features a central topknot of turkey feathers attached to a willow ring by securing each feather in place with knotted twine, the lower third of each spike wrapped with red wool yarn and white ermine skin and ornamented with drops of glass seed beads. A ruff of cut feathers encircles the base and a chin strap of braided cotton twine is attached to the foundation ring. A separate wooden hairpin (approx. 20" long), stained with red ochre and tipped with white goose feathers fastened on with cordage, is used to secure the headpiece in place. Not shown in the illustration is a circlet made of cordage with interwoven white down feathers sometimes worn under the topknot headdress. #673	MAIDU MAN’S HEAD NET. Fashioned of cotton twine and worn during the dance to contain the hair and help secure feathered hair pieces and plumes. Similar nets were used by the Yuki, Wintun, Miwok, Pomo, Yokuts, and others. #672.

DANCE REGALIA – HAIRPINS & PLUMES

An early illustration showing hair plumes and flicker bands from a painting by Russian artist Louis Choris, dated at San Francisco Mission, 1816.

The use of hairpins and dance plumes in Central and Northern California by both men and women is documented in several cultures, including the Miwok, Maidu, Pomo, Wintun, and Wailaki. Men’s varieties were generally worn in pairs at the back of the head, skewered through a bunched-feathered headpiece or hairnet so that the plumes projected horizontally. Women’s pins were often worn at the temples, either secured by a headband or pushed into the braids so they stood vertically. Hair plumes were a standard part of the headdress for most ceremonial dances, including the Toto, Hesi, Acorn, and others. Replications of historical examples are made available in the designs illustrated by the accompanying sketches.

Above: WINTU MAN’S DANCE PLUME. Composed of three dogwood spikes wrapped with beaded red wool yarn, white sinew-wrapped goose feathers suspended at their tips with strands of glass seed beads, two simulated flicker bangles spaced along each spike, and cut turkey feathers bunched at the base; about 19” long. #651-pair.

Below: WINTUN TREMBLER. Three steel wires wrapped with alternating red and yellow thread, set in madrone or manzanita wood base, a simulated snow goose feather bound at each tip; about 15“ long. #658-pair

Above: MAIDU WAI-YET-TEH. A three-pronged dogwood fork tipped with simulated snow goose feathers; about 15” long. #659-pair.

		Left: NORTHERN MIWOK CHEE-TE-PAH. Two spikes wrapped with red thread set in dogwood pin; abalone pendants spaced along each spike, clustered hackles at base; about 12" long. #655-pair. Below: NORTHERN MIWOK PUTYA. Two spikes set in dogwood pin, feather fluffs set at base and tips, quill bangles spaced on each spike; about 16" long. #654-pair.


Above left: KONKOW MAIDU MOTKIN. Two spikes wrapped with red thread set in willow pin; four quill bangles suspended with glass seed beads spaced along each spike; approx. 11" long. #657-pair. Above right: POMO KATAS TREMBLER. Two steel wires wrapped with bands of red and yellow thread, set in dogwood pin, rods tipped with white feathers, black feathers at base, abalone pendant suspended below each plume; about 17" long. #652-pair.
	Left: NISENAN MAIDU hair plumes after those made by Lizzie Enos. Two prongs wrapped with red twine, attached to dogwood pin with white cotton thread; simulated flicker bangle suspended from each with glass seed beads, white feather fluffs at base and tips; about 16" long. #656-pair. Right: POMO NOWA HAIRPINS. Two goose quill spikes wrapped with three alternating sections of black thread, attached to willow pin with white cotton thread; three quill bangles spaced along each spike; about 13" long. #653-pair.

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