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Video Documentary: 1950's Yokut Arrow Maker from California

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AncientTech:
http://aifg.arizona.edu/film/indians-california-2

Arthur Barr was an early pioneer in educational films.  Some of his educational films were devoted to documenting Native American life.  The companion film includes people both singing, and speaking, in the traditional Yokuts language.  It was quite common for people living out west to have direct contact with Native Americans, who were still familiar with their own culture.   

Regarding the kneeling position, numerous historical photos, and written accounts, indicate that Native American knappers worked either while kneeling on pads of skins, or while sitting on their rear ends. 

"Arthur Barr produced two films in 1955 that documented the bygone world of California's Yokut Indians, Indians of California: Village Life (Barr), and Indians of California: Food (Barr). The films were made in cooperation with Kern County Museum's Frank Latta, who had written the seminal Handbook of Yokuts Indians. Two employees of the museum, Pete and Clara Barrios, acted in the films. Clara Barrios's great-grandmother, Josie Atwell, also acted in the Food film as the woman pounding and cleaning the acorn meal. She lived in a reservation near the town of Lemoore, and served as subject matter expert. For the films, a mock village was created along the Kern River, where houses were erected, tule boats built, baskets made, and songs, stories, dances, and religious rites were recreated.  The films are exacting documents, in terms of showing Yokuts crafts and practices.36 Special mention should also be made of made of two other “period” films produced by Arthur Barr: Mission Life (Barr, 1960) and Rancho Life (Barr, 1992, revised)."  (FILMS YOU SAW IN SCHOOL, Geoff Alexander, 2013)

Handbook of Yokuts Indians, (F.F. Latta, 1949)

University of California, Berkeley. Archaeological Research Facility, (1952)

"The remainder of the chipping was done by pressure and not by blows . The method by which this was done probably varied, but the principle was always the same . It is stated by one authority that the Indian squatted with his knees on either side of an upright stake which had been driven securely into the ground.  The work was rested on the top of this stake. The implement used in pressing off the small flake was generally the tip of a buck horn.  The flake which was being reduced by shaping was held in the left hand between the tips of the fingers and the base of the thumb with the edge toward the worker, the hand being protected by a piece of buckskin. The buck horn was held in the right hand. It was sometimes lashed to a stick, which extended up as far as the elbow and was held between the upper and lower arms, with the elbow bent almost double. "The side of the flake was placed upon the edge of the top of the stake, which extended several inches above the knees of the worker. The buck horn was placed across the opposite edge of the stake with the tip resting upon the edge of the flake where the chip was to be removed. The point where these two met was elevated approximately one half inch above the top of the stake . "By bearing down strongly on both buck horn and flake so that they could not slip on the stake and then raising their outer ends gradually, the worker could secure tremendous leverage, and bring great pressure to bear upon the edge of the flake. As the flake cut into the buck horn, and as both were lowered toward the top of the stake, the pressure became so great that a chip was thrown off the flake. By varying the direction of the pressure exerted against the flake, the direction of the fracture could be controlled. The fracture was almost directly in the line of pressure. "The writer has seen arrow and spear points made in this manner. In less than four minutes of measured time a flake was removed from a large piece of obsidian and reduced to a finely worked point. During this time complete explanation was made of the entire process. I know that this method will be questioned by many laymen, but not by persons who have investigated these methods of manufacture."

Sasquatch:
Keep these type of posts coming! I loved watching that video.   I particularly liked the way he was pressure flaking. He was getting huge flakes.  Also what did he do to spall that piece of obsidian?

soy:
X2!

Dalton Knapper:
It is amazing he can make a thin point in that way. I may have to try that and see how it really works.
Thanks for the video resource. I watched one on Navajo Silversmithing too.

Sasquatch:
Yep there's lots of videos.  I watched "before the white man came".  Made in 1918.  It wasn't an informational, more like a movie. 

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