About the Artist

Do not collect baskets from California without purchasing American Indian Basketry of Southern California, Central California and Northern California by Christopher Moser. "Prior to 1850 the Yurok (yoo rak) lived in permanent villages along the Pacific coast beween modern Trinidad City and Wilson Creek, as well as on the lower 45 miles of the Klamath River. Their name comes from their neighbors, the Karok, and means "downriver people"... "The Yurok were sedentary hunters and gatherers, deriving the greater part of their livelihood from gathering acorns, hunting, fishing and trading. They reflected the Northwest Coast social pattern of social statification. . . Ownership of wealth, land or marine areas for gathering or hunting, houses, etc. could be either individually held or held by the whole descent group. . . . The above represents a tiny portion of information found in Mr. Moser's book on American Indian Basketry of Northern California.