The Geography and Dialects of the Miwok Indians - Yosemite Online

1908] Barrett .—The Geography and Dialects of the Miwok Indians . 339
three rods of willow, hazel, or other slender wood . In the extreme
south, these wooden rods are almost entirely supplanted by a
multiple grass foundation.
The woven hooded cradle, the looped stick mush-stirrer, and
the grass-foundation coiled basketry of the southern Miwok, they
share with their neighbors of different family, the Yokuts and
Shoshonean Mono. The peculiar cradle, wooden mush-paddle,
and rod-foundation basketry of the northern Miwok, are found
among the Maidu adjacent to them . It is therefore evident that
the difference in regard to these implements can not be ascribed
to independent cultural differentiations among the Miwok, but
must be regarded as part of larger developments of culture affecting
a region of which the Miwok held only part.
These three examples are among the most striking differences
between the two divisions of the Miwok, and grow to be particularly
noticeable in traveling through this region . A fuller
investigation of Miwok implements, customs, and beliefs would
very probably show other differences between these northern and
southern regions . In the neutral region between Stanislaus and
Tuolumne rivers both types of each of the above-mentioned utensils
are found. While the grass-foundation basket is typical of
the southern area, it should not be understood that the willow or
rod-foundation basket is not made . In fact it really predominates,
the grass-foundation basket being the most common in
point of numbers only in the extreme southern part of the Miwok
area, in and about Mariposa. Likewise, the wooden cradle with
cross rods is more particularly characteristic of the extreme
northern region.
It has been impossible to investigate very fully such matters
as ceremonial practices and mythology ; but from information
obtained on these points it seems probable that on fuller investigation
along these lines considerable differences will be found to
exist between the northern and southern Miwok in these respects
also, no doubt with influence from the peoples to the north and
to the south. As to the influence of the stocks to the east, the
Washo and Shoshonean, and the northern branch of the Yokuts
to the west, too little information is now available to make comparisons
possible ; in the case of the Washo and Shoshonean