Computers, cars, smartphones, and other technology advances, define our modern world. Yet, long before present day, the material culture of the ancestral Muwekma Ohlone, helped define their world. The Ohlone transformed rocks, minerals, shells, and other materials into highly effective tools and intricate useful art. They were masters of the technological advances of their day. Today, these same materials enrich the culture of their descendants.
Listen to the sounds of a previous era. They are the sounds of food preparation, the sounds of a mortar and pestle, being used to grind seeds and nuts. You can hear the distinct sound of stone striking obsidian, a beautiful volcanic glass. When crafted to a sharp edge, it’s useful for slicing fish or meat. Traditional Ohlone foods include meats, fresh or dried fish, acorn bread or soup, ground seeds, roots, fresh greens, and berries. For the Muwekma Ohlone, mealtime was traditionally more than time for nourishment. It was also a time to gather as a community, and show reverence.
Their songs and dances pay tribute to the Spirit World, and to those who came before. Today the Muwekma Ohlone are reviving those traditions. Listen to the music from a whistle. Crafted from a bird’s bone, it is an important part of the Ohlone dance regalia.
The Ohlone People's connection to the Spirit World, and to the environment, is embodied in the abalone, a mollusk found in the deeper inter-tidal waters of the Pacific Ocean. In addition to eating abalone meat, coastal dwellers traded the precious shell with people living inland, and used it to manufacture fishhooks, beads, and ornate pendants. Crafted abalone pendants represented social status. They were also a powerful symbol of the Kuksu religion, and included as burial offerings to honor departed religious leaders.
The skills of Ohlone toolmakers are evident in their hunting weapons. Listen. It’s the sound of knapping. Knapping is the process of shaping stones, like obsidian and chert, into tools, by striking them with precise blows. A rock or stone tool is used to break off large flakes, and a "soft hammer" tool, made from dear antler, is used to knock off smaller flakes. The "flake scars" left on the surface are often so unique that they can be used to identify the maker, much like a signature or fingerprint. The flakes are then sharpened and shaped into spear tips and arrowheads for hunting.
Hunting would often lead to a meal, followed by a ceremony. The Ohlone’s remarkable tools supported the hunt, and their exquisite instruments and art embellished their ceremonies.