California
California Region / Kashaya Pomo

Gourd, beads, bone, turkey feathers, yarn, dowel stick
ca. mid 20th century
Length: 10.25 in
Idiophone – Struck – Indirectly (Rattle)

A rattle was made by a Kashaya Pomo. The Kashaya are one of seven individual groups of people who speak what linguists have labeled as the Pomoan languages.  They were the first inhabitants of the coastal Sonoma County area around Fort Ross. 

This rattle was made as a dance rattle and was part of the regalia in a deer dance. The gourd was grown from a bell gourd (kobu) seed but formed differently. The wood handle is a common dowel and the bead work is single drop peyote done with 11/0 seed beads. The pattern is an earth pattern and the spirals at the end represent the mystery of motion. This green on green pattern is done in “One Drop Peyote” stitch. There is also a beaded ring added to the handle done in “Flat Peyote” and a wrapped and tied turkey feathers.