SECOND FLOOR 33 



Continuing to the westward, one enters Hall No. 202 of the 

 West Wing. This hall contains the collections illustrating 

 the culture of the Indian tribes of the southwestern Indians of 

 part of the United States and of Mexico. The north- CaUfornia. 

 eastern portion of the hall is occupied by collections from the 

 Indians of California, tribes particularly interesting on account 

 of their basketry. First come the baskets of the southern and 

 central part of the State. The large wall case beside the entrance 

 contains the larger specimens and also material illustrating the 

 mode of manufacture. The "A" cases contain examples of beau- 

 tiful weave and design. The Pomo, a tribe living near San 

 Francisco, weave feathers into their baskets; each of the black 

 tufts represents all that is used from a single bird (the Valley 

 Quail). The culture of the Mutsun, the Maidu, the Shasta, the 

 Wintun, the Pit River and the Yurok tribes is shown both by 

 their baskets and by means of their implements of war, hunting 

 and fishing. 



Beyond the California exhibit {i. e., towards the west) are the 

 collections showing the cultures of the tribes of Mexico, arranged 

 in the following order : Tepehuane, Tarahumare, Hui- Indians of 

 chol, Cora and Tarasco. It will be noted that the Mexico. 

 northern tribes, the Tepehuane, the Tarahumare and the Huichol, 

 have been affected less than the southern by Spanish influences. 



The region inhabited by the Huichol is comparatively arid, 

 hence most of their religious ceremonies are intended to pro- 

 pitiate the gods of rain, and their ceremonial objects The 

 are covered with symbols representing rain. A large Huichol. 

 series of these objects is on exhibition. Elaborate ceremonies 

 pertain to the pilgrimages after the cactus, from which the drink 

 known as "mescal" is made. These ceremonies are illustrated 

 by many specimens. The Huichol are skilful weavers, and the 

 collection shows many samples of their work. A group shows 

 the methods employed by this tribe in making arrows and cloth. 



The other tribes of southern Mexico and Guatemala (see the 

 cases in the northwest corner of the hall) show the survival of 

 pre-Columbian culture in their sacrificial jars, masks and other 

 objects, most of which pertain to ceremonial rites. 



