142 



THE PIMA INDIANS 



[KTH. ANN. 'Jli 



Agave leaf serves for the front matting or apron that rests agamst 

 the back. Between the front and the frame a roll of bark or cloth 

 is usually placed to prevent chafuig. The headband is of the same 

 material as the apron. It is really a circular band that is flattened 

 out and doubled across the forehead. 



Human hair is used to attach the hoop to the frame sticks. It is 

 of 2-ply 4-strand cord, which is made fast to the hoop and, after 

 drawing the hoop as high as possible to tighten the net, wound from 

 10 to 50 times around the frame sticks. 



The maguey, Tasylirioni wheeleri, furnishes the fiber for the net 

 (fig. 38). Yucca elata is also a valuable fiber plant and it is prob- 

 able that the Papagos obtain netting material from Agave hetera- 

 cantha. The first two of these plants are found ou the higher liills 



Fig. 05. Mending ki&h& net. 



and mountains of Pimeria, whence they are gathered by parties who 

 go especially for them. Pits are dug and fires are built in them as 

 the maguey is gatiiered. After the fire has died down it is cleared 

 out and the pits are lined with small stones. The maguey is spread 

 on these, covered with earth, and allowed to roast over night. After 

 it has been removed from the pit the pulp of the roasted plants is 

 scraped away with a deer's scapula, leaving the fibers a foot or two 

 in length. These are dried, and when they are long a roU 6 inches 

 in diameter will be sufficient for a kialia net. Such a roll of fiber is 

 easily transported, and is a recognized article for barter between 

 Pimas and Papagos. The spinning of kiaha tliread is a social event, 

 and the women gather for the purpose and gossip merrily as they 

 twist tile 2-ply twine, which is rolled into balls that may also be bar- 



