CALIFORNIA FEATHERWORK: Considerations for Examination and Preservation

Birds, and by extension, feathers, hold a central role in California's Native American cultures. Feathers are utilized in a variety of ways and are selected based on the cultural significance and availability of the birds, aesthetics, tribal preferences and tradition, and intended use. Featherworking is a cumulative process, and some items are augmented and repaired during their lifetime. Feathers are increasingly understood as complex materials, and although items of featherwork contain significant evidence that provides information on tribal values, use, cultural adaptations, and condition changes occurring since collection, few resources exist to assist museums in interpreting this information. Therefore, research was undertaken to document the cultural contexts of California feathered regalia and baskets and to start linking this information with scientific knowledge and collecting practices to ultimately enable better interpretation and preservation of California featherwork in museum collections.