Mono Monday : : Traditional

This traditional Pomo Indian basket has been in our family for as long as I can remember. It's my favorite design of several baskets which were given to my grandfather by a parishioner. As I write this, I realize I don't know any more than that. I always assumed it was given to him in exchange for pastoral services, but it seems unlikely that a Pomo would have been attending the Red Bluff Presbyterian Church. 

There are still Pomo tribes in California but now it would seem that most of them own casinos and are no longer making traditional baskets that are so finely woven they still hold water a hundred years after they were made. Many beautiful handmade items like this may have outlived their practical usefulness but are still preserved for their beauty and attention to detail. 

I have friends in Bali who travel to a number of Indonesian islands trying to encourage and restore the traditional textiles and bride cloths which used to represent the wealth of an entire family or community. Tempted by factory produced dyes and cloth, the skills of weaving and producing hand made dyes are being lost It is a difficult balancing act not to appear to be the all-knowing superior beings who can swoop in and tell people from another culture how they should be doing things. You can check it all out at http://threadsoflife.com

Wonderful news this morning about the future of Blipfoto, guardian of so many stories, hopes and traditions. We are so lucky to have Annie, Bob, Graham and Ian who have worked so hard to bring the negotiations together and to everybody who bought shares and donated to ensure the future of the site. In recognition of this,  I plan to make one more donation in hopes that Blipfoto can be even more excellent.