Mabel McKay
Encyclopedia
Mabel McKay was a member of the Long Valley Cache Creek Pomo
Indians. She was the last Dreamer of the Pomo people and a basket making prodigy.
Greg Sarris
published a biography of Mabel, called Weaving the Dream (University of California Press, 1997), which follows Mabel’s way of storytelling – a meandering one which describes her work as a dreamer, doctor, and basket weaver.
in Lake County, California
. Her father was Yanta Boone (Potter Valley Pomo) and her mother was Daisy Hansen (Losel Cache Creek Pomo). Raised by her maternal grandmother, Sarah Taylor, Mabel was described as an unusually quiet little girl. She was considered a sickly child whom talked in her sleep and often woke screaming from dreams. Sarah, her grandmother, remembers hearing Mabel mumble in her sleep. Sarah knew what was happening to Mabel, she understood that she was Dreaming. As she grew older, Mabel would sometimes sleep for days and Sarah Taylor would have a hard time waking her up. Spirit would talk to Mabel in her dreams telling her necessary steps to take in order to fulfill her role as a doctor. Like a shaman, Mabel was a medium between the spiritual and the real world.
Mabel was taught by Spirit in her Dreaming to be a doctor and a basket weaver. Spirit taught Mabel how to suck sickness from the ill with her mouth and spit it out into her baskets. Spirit taught Mabel certain songs to put sicknesses to sleep, songs which Mabel would not remember after singing them. Mabel had to work with an interpreter who thoroughly understood her language and could translate to the people what she was saying in her songs.
Mabel was a well-respected scholar. She lectured at universities and served as a cultural consultant for anthropologists. As a weaver her skill and attention to detail brought worldwide recognition to her basketry. Her baskets are shown in many museum collections in the U.S. and abroad. Weaving for Mabel was a spiritual path, not a craft. She was never 'taught' to weave a basket. Instead she was strictly instructed by Spirit as a Dreamer.
Pomo people
The Pomo people are an indigenous peoples of California. The historic Pomo territory in northern California was large, bordered by the Pacific Coast to the west, extending inland to Clear Lake, and mainly between Cleone and Duncans Point...
Indians. She was the last Dreamer of the Pomo people and a basket making prodigy.
Greg Sarris
Greg Sarris
Gregory Michael Sarris is a college professor, author, screenwriter, and a member and current Chairman of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria. He was chosen in 2005 to fill the Endowed Chair in Native American Studies at Sonoma State University...
published a biography of Mabel, called Weaving the Dream (University of California Press, 1997), which follows Mabel’s way of storytelling – a meandering one which describes her work as a dreamer, doctor, and basket weaver.
Life as doctor and weaver
Mabel McKay was born on 12 January 1907 in NiceNice, California
Nice is a census-designated place in Lake County, California, United States. Nice is located southeast of Upper Lake, at an elevation of 1362 feet...
in Lake County, California
Lake County, California
Lake County is a county located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of California, north of the San Francisco Bay Area. It takes its name from Clear Lake, the dominant geographic feature in the county and the largest natural lake wholly within California...
. Her father was Yanta Boone (Potter Valley Pomo) and her mother was Daisy Hansen (Losel Cache Creek Pomo). Raised by her maternal grandmother, Sarah Taylor, Mabel was described as an unusually quiet little girl. She was considered a sickly child whom talked in her sleep and often woke screaming from dreams. Sarah, her grandmother, remembers hearing Mabel mumble in her sleep. Sarah knew what was happening to Mabel, she understood that she was Dreaming. As she grew older, Mabel would sometimes sleep for days and Sarah Taylor would have a hard time waking her up. Spirit would talk to Mabel in her dreams telling her necessary steps to take in order to fulfill her role as a doctor. Like a shaman, Mabel was a medium between the spiritual and the real world.
Mabel was taught by Spirit in her Dreaming to be a doctor and a basket weaver. Spirit taught Mabel how to suck sickness from the ill with her mouth and spit it out into her baskets. Spirit taught Mabel certain songs to put sicknesses to sleep, songs which Mabel would not remember after singing them. Mabel had to work with an interpreter who thoroughly understood her language and could translate to the people what she was saying in her songs.
Baskets
During her Dreaming she was told that her baskets would come from Spirit that she would be famous for them, and people would offer a lot of money for them. Spirit directed her on each basket she wove. Mabel used prayer as a way of communicating to Spirit, and in return Spirit showed Mabel what to make for each person. Each of her baskets had a purpose. Each had a rule. Many people could not understand her process but Mabel was successful in explaining that her baskets are living, not just pretty things to look at.Mabel was a well-respected scholar. She lectured at universities and served as a cultural consultant for anthropologists. As a weaver her skill and attention to detail brought worldwide recognition to her basketry. Her baskets are shown in many museum collections in the U.S. and abroad. Weaving for Mabel was a spiritual path, not a craft. She was never 'taught' to weave a basket. Instead she was strictly instructed by Spirit as a Dreamer.