BPSC X410 - Native American Uses of Southern California Plants

Course Description

This workshop explores many ways that indigenous peoples of Southern California used local plants in their daily lives. Emphasis is on how local tribes processed and used seeds and made soap, brushes and cordage. This workshop provides the opportunity to work with a variety of plants and materials to learn how to create useful products. These activities include processing yucca root and soaproot (amole) into soap products; using traditional techniques to make broom and brushes from pine needles, soaproot fibers, yucca and wild teasel; and creating a seed beater fan to learn how various seeds were collected and processed.