Ceremonies of the Pomo Indians

Drawing on interviews with elders who remembered the rituals of a fading world, this study offers a rare glimpse into the ceremonial life of the Pomo people of California. The author spent years living among the tribes, recording what could be recalled about dances, songs, and rites that have largely disappeared from everyday practice. By weaving together oral histories from three dialect groups, the book reconstructs the core elements of ceremonies that once marked seasonal changes, rites of passage, and communal gatherings.

The work also maps the loose yet meaningful organization of Pomo ritual specialists, from hereditary fire‑tenders and drummers to the elected captains who guided public celebrations. Readers learn how honor, generosity, and kinship shaped roles such as the female captain and the master of ceremonies, revealing a social fabric where authority was shared rather than centralized. For anyone interested in Native American traditions, this careful ethnography provides valuable insight into a cultural heritage on the brink of loss.