Uses: covering in the earth oven; hunting disguises for rodent hunting; squeaking on grass or leaf to attract deer; as surface under butchering deer; as pillow in the ceremonial/sweat house; grass stems for a type of women's breechcloth and for the 1-piece grass skirt/apron worn by girls after the puberty ceremony; above and below mother as she is "steamed" in a heated pit; used in hand for catching eels/lampreys; used as "toilet chips" for wiping
"355. Earth oven ... +; 358. Leaves or grass to cover ... +" (Driver, p.316)
"295. Earth oven ... +; 298. Leaves or grass to cover ... +; 299. Black-oak leaves preferred ... +" (Essene, p.9)
"*Sweat House ... 610. Leaf or grass pillow ... +" Driver, p.321)
"Sweat House ... 408. Leaf or grass pillow ... +" (Essene, p.11)
"*1001. Breechclout (between legs) ... MW; 1005. Whole grass stems ... W; 1006. 1-piece skirt or apron ... MW; 1010. Grass ... W" (Driver, p.330)
"703. One-piece skirt or apron ... W; 707. Grass ... *W" (Essene, p.18)
"707. Ka: Given to girl at conclusion of her puberty rite. Worn till worn out. No other occasion for wearing grass skirt." (Essene, p.60)
"1498. Girl's clothes changed or washed at end of rite ... +; 1499. Wears special grass skirt ... +" (Essene, p.35)
"1332. Mother steamed ... +; 1333. In heated pit ... +; 1334. Green grass and leaves under and over her ... +" (Essene, p.32)
"*2171. Toilet chips ... *+" (Essene, p.48)
"2171. Grass, leaves usual." (Essene, p.72)
"*Hand, Grass, or Many-stick Game ... 1464. Hide [the two bones] in grass in hand, b ... +" (Driver, p.340)
"*Hand, Grass, or Many-Stick Game ... 1060. Hide in grass in hand, b ... +" (Essene, p.26)
"Blinds, Disguises, Decoys ... 62. Grass on brush worn ... +; 63. ... -; 64. Rodents ... +; 65. Waterfowl ... -" (Driver, p.310)
"143. Deer butchered (drawn) in woods ... +; ... 146. On leaves or grass ... +" (Driver, p.311)
"114. Deer butchered (drawn) in woods ... *+; ... 117. On leaves or grass ... +" (Essene, p.5)
"170. Lampreys caught by hand, 'grass' in hand ... +" Essene, p.6)
"There is, however, a kind of game into which grass enters very conspicuousl and which is therefore called the 'grass game.' It is a purely gambling sport, which is played by four persons, two of whom manipulate a pair of small cylindrical bones in their hands. These are skillfully concealed in bunches of very finely chopped grass and are dexterously changed about from hand to hand at the will of the manipulators or the command of their opponents, who are seated opposite to them. One of the bones in each pair is marked by a band of black thread, and it is the object of the opponents to guess in which hand this bone is concealed. Any number of persons may bet on the game, but not more than four do the playing. It has long been the favourite way of gambling, but recently the authorities at Round Valley have forbidden its continuance. It is still played by the Indians who are not under such direct governmental control." (Chesnut, 1902, pp.310-1)
"The fresh leaves of any kind of grass were formerly used in tattooing, the green juice being pricked into the skin with a needle [bone needle]" (Chesnut, 1902, p.311)
Leave a Reply