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- 220426-03 Yokuts basket with lid
220426-03 Yokuts basket with lid
Early 20th century; 4 1/2" + 1/2" knob x 7 3/4"; Coiled basket of Sedge and Redbud; minor wear primarily on the lip of the lid. Overall in Very Good condition.
The Yokuts (previously known as Mariposas) are an ethnic group of Native Americans native to central California. Before European contact, the Yokuts consisted of up to 60 tribes speaking several related languages. Yokuts is both plural and singular, Yokut, while common, is erroneous. 'Yokut' should only be used when referring specifically to the Tachi Yokut Tribe of Lemoore, CA. Some of their descendants prefer to refer to themselves by their respective tribal names; they reject the term Yokuts, saying that it is an exonym invented by English-speaking settlers and historians. Conventional sub-groupings include the Foothill Yokuts, Northern Valley Yokuts, and Southern Valley Yokuts.
Yokuts life was rather peaceful, there were about 50 sub-tribes with up to 350 people in each tribe. In Yokuts culture men and women had different responsibilities. Men usually did the hunting, fishing, and building while the women gathered, maintained the home, and cared for the children. Divorce was not difficult to achieve and could be done for a number of reasons including affairs, laziness, and infertility.
Art Expression among the Yokuts included music, singing, and painting. Basket making was also a way for the Yokuts to show their artistic skills by weaving designs and images into the baskets. Other forms of expression were done on the bodies of the Yokuts, such as tattoos and piercings.
The Yokuts had two important religious ceremonies they partook in, the annual Mourning rite and the First Fruit rite. Shamans were important to the Yokuts as they were believed to have supernatural powers, helped conduct ceremonies, and were able to treat the sick.