“Indian Baskets of Northern California and Oregon“ Guest Speakers: Ralph and Lisa Shanks
Ralph and Lisa Shanks are Marin CNPS members who have studied Native American basketry for decades. Working in museums across America and in Europe and with skilled native weavers, a major focus of their research is on how California native plants were used in basketry.
California Indian baskets are made from an amazing array of our native plants, including everything from redwood roots to Joshua trees! The rich California native flora allowed Native American weavers to create our state’s first and finest native art. Ralph’s talk will have two main goals. First: introducing you to the basketry of Northern California and Oregon and explaining how native plants were central to the creation of these beautiful baskets. Second: drawing together the research from all three books to explain the significance of California Indian basketry in the region.
This will be the third presentation the Shanks have made at CNPS Marin. It results from the completion of their beautiful new book, Indian Baskets of Northern California and Oregon. This is the third and final book in the Indian Baskets of California and Oregon series. All three books in the series will be available for sale at the meeting.
Ralph Shanks is the author of eight books, nearly all of them dealing with California. He is Research Associate in Anthropology at the University of California at Davis and co-president of the Miwok Archeological Preserve of Marin (MAPOM). One of his first published articles appeared in Fremontia, volume 1, number 1.
Lisa Woo Shanks is the editor of the Indian Baskets of California and Oregon Series. She is Research Associate for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, covering Sonoma County south to Santa Barbara County. The Shanks live in Novato.