THE GATHERING SEASON

OBJECTIVE: Students will learn about the traditional Washoe gathering season, and the importance of pine nuts and the goom-sa-'bye ceremony in the fall.

TEACHER BACKGROUND: When fall arrived, the Washoe would leave Da-ow-'ah-ga. Some Washoe, particularly the 'Hung-a-lel-ti, would travel west to the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada to gather acorns (mar-lung). Most would gather in the Pine Nut Hills to the east for a great ceremony or big time, called the goom-sa-'bye. For four to five days, the groups would feast, play games, and give thanks to the Maker. At night, they would dance. On the last day of the goom-sa-'bye, the deu-'bay-oo would give thanks for the bounty Of the land, and pray that the people would have respect for each other and the land. After the ceremony, the people would gather pine nuts (t''ah-gum) by knocking pine cones out of the trees and collecting them in large gathering baskets. This would continue for as long as six weeks.

The preparation of pine nuts for eating is a complicated one. First the cones are roasted until they open. Then the shells of the nuts are cracked by rolling a round stone over them. Once the shells are removed, the nuts are roasted by placing them with hot coals on a winnowing basket, a large, Slightly curved tray, and tossing them up and down so they will not burn. Once the t''ah-gum are roasted, they are ground into flour, which is then used to make pine nut soup. Like pine nuts, acorns are cracked open with a large round stone and separated from their shells. Then the nuts are ground into meal. The meal contains tannic acid, which cannot be eaten. In order to remove the acid, the meal has to be leached by pouring cold and then warmer water over it. Afterwards, it is cooked and made either into acorn mush (like a soup) or into acorn biscuits, by dropping a spoonful into cold water. These products would provide food for the Washoe throughout the long winter.

Gathering throughout the spring, summer, and fall, required a great knowledge of local plants and nuts, their locations, their uses, and their methods of preparation. Some Washoe elders still have much of this knowledge, and are trying to pass it on to their children and grandchildren. Some Washoe still gather every fall to pick and prepare pine nuts, though not for such an extended period of time.

KEY POINTS: Goom-sa-'bye, collecting pine nuts and acorns, pine nut processing, acorn processing, gathering skills.

MATERIALS: Pine nuts (with shells), baking pan, oven, and cassette tape player.

MATERIALS FROM KIT: Washoe music tape, Washoe language tape, WA She Shu by JoAnn Nevers, Celebrating Nevada Indians curriculum.

ACTIVITIES:

1. Explain to the students the Key Points. Use the photographs in the kit to show the students the processes of making- acorn biscuits and pinenut soup. Have them help describe their role as a nine-year-old in the traditional Washoe gathering season and the goom-sa-'bye ceremony, such as learning and helping to gather and prepare pine nuts and acorns.

2. Have the children cook pine nuts (available at local supermarkets), and attempt to grind them into flour. Directions are as follows: Spread pine nuts (in shells) on a flat pan. Sprinkle water on top. Bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) until shells start to pop. Remove from oven, let cool, and grind, using a large round rock.

Compare this process to attempting to crack and grind uncooked pinenuts. which is easier? Have the students carefully use the winnowing basket to separate the shells from the nuts.

**Do not have the students taste the pine nuts, as some of them may be allergic to them and not yet know it.

3. Explain the contemporary powwow to the children in relation to the goom-sa-'bye, and have them try a circle dance. This is described in Lesson 4, Activity 3, and is applicable to this lesson, as well.

4. The Washoe vocabulary words for this lesson are: goom-sa-'bye (pine nut ceremony), t''ah-gum (pine nuts), mar-lung (acorns), 'mom-eye (burden basket), doo-'geh-bool (wide weave winnowing tray for cooking with coals), it-'mot-sah (tighter weave winnowing tray for separating nuts from shells), mo-'dahl (tight weave winnowing tray for separating chaff from flour). Use the cassette tape of Washoe words for pronunciation, and see Appendix A for suggested vocabulary activities and the Washoe spelling.

5. Journal Extension: Have the students write an entry in their journals about their fall day during the traditional Washoe gathering season. Suggest that they write about pine nut gathering or the goom-sa-'bye ceremony.

CLOSURE: Read the story of Eagle Rock, p. 37 in WA She ShU or p. ST-27 in Celebrating Nevada Indians. See Appendix B for suggested activities to go with stories.

EVALUATION: Students' participation in pine nut- preparation-and their journal entries will show what they have learned about the importance of pine nuts and gathering to the traditional Washoe. Things to look for in the journal entries: leaving Lake Tahoe, pine nuts, acorns, goom-sa-'bye ceremony, baskets, knowledge of plants. Encourage the students to use Washoe vocabulary words in their journal entries.