Case No. 12: Cahuilla of California—food platter rattlesnake design. (See [Plate 12a])
Case No. 12: Chemehueve of Arizona—a “stink bug” design. (See [Plate 12c])
Case No. 12: Yavapai Apache of Arizona—a tarantula design. (See [Plate 12d])
Case No. 13: Paiute of Nevada—porridge bowl. (See [Plate 10b])
Case No. 13: Hoopa of California—grinding tray and stone. (See [Plate 10d])
THE VANISHING INDIAN?
The vanishing Indian? He is not vanishing! In 1890, the Indian population in North America numbered about one quarter million and in 1963, records reveal there are over one million Indians.
SYMBOLIC DESIGNS?
There is the mistaken idea that one tribe “understands” the designs of another tribe and that there is symbolism, or meaning, to every design. Actually, most designs are purely decorative renderings and they have no more symbolism for the Indian than a fabric design has for the general public.
The identification of a basket is made not through the interpretation of a “mysterious meaning” of the design but generally from the design motif itself. For instance, baskets made by tribes of southern California are distinguishable to the trained eye since they tend to be of a particularly heavy, bold and angular style. They seldom have mysterious meanings! (See [Plate 12b])