Pomo Trade Routes

If you were a native person in Mendocino County before the arrival of white folks, what trade items would you share with other natives, and what would you want in return?

I docent at the Kelley House in Mendocino and doing research with fellow historian Bruce Levene he introduced me to “Trade & Trails & Economic Exchange Among Indians of California” by James T. Davies in 1974. And I bless an anthropologist that provided the records Davies used, named Kniffen, who in 1939 collected the trade route information. Since “Indian” was the term they used in the documents it is the term I use in this story.

Did you know Patwin Indians in the Central Valley supplied bows for hunting to Pomo’s and in return took clam shell disk beads, salt, and dried fish in return? The inland Yuki tribe traded furs for Dentalium shells used in making personal adornments.

Dried surf fish, Abalone, mussels, seaweed, and kelp were valuable trade items Pomo’s provided because they were salty. Pomo’s received in trade woodpecker scalps to decorate baskets and ceremonial headdresses and belts and in return provided tanned otter skins for trade.

The mineral Magnesite was a greatly valued trade item. A gray white buff mineral, it was collected by the Southern Pomo along Cache Creek in Lake & Napa counties. When burned in a fire bright colors appeared with bands of pink, orange and cream in color and sparkles of melted Quartzite. This rock was made into individual cylindrical beads and they were very valuable, as was Abalone shell.

Pomo traded with northern tribes for Yew wood for bows and wild iris fiber made into string for hunting snares. Those purple wild iris you see in bloom in the spring have strong fibers in their leaves. Natives in the interior of the county traded the long smooth stems of Redbud to be used in basketry and took back sea shells non return

The Pomo people in Hopland took acorn flour to Pt. Arena to exchange for seafood. The text I read had some trade goods coming from “the North” and included things like sea lion bones that were used to make harpoon points and fishing hooks.

The Kato (Cahto) tribe around Laytonville supplied Hazelwood bows to Coast Yuki Indians and accepted giant Chiton sea shells and dogs in trade. (Who would have thought dogs would be traded?…but once upon a time there were no dogs around as they arrived with white folks). Pomo folks made moccasins footwear and traded it to Yuki’s. Obsidian (volcanic glass) was a much sought after trade item because it made great projectile points and Clear Lake Pomo’s provided it

As a resident of Comptche, I know from local history that trading parties of Pomo passed through our valley on well established trails as acorn flour from inland tribes was swapped for dried seafood. Orr Hot Springs, well known by natives for its healing powers, was a favorite spot for trading and all healing springs were seen as areas free of any hostility between tribes.

I find it distressing in this day and age that the hard work that anthropologists did in the last century is now being looked down on and slighted because the facts were collected by white people, not natives. In today’s politically correct world native history should be written by the people who lived it. That’s fine for the future going forward but I, for one, will remain grateful for all the researchers of the past whose writings educate us today.