Harvesting the Shore

Harvesting the Shore. . For thousands of years, the Cum-a-Lul Pa'Mu (Coastal Pomo) and neighboring Indian tribal groups have set up seasonal camps within a few hundred yards of this beach to gather the sea's valuable food resources. , Fishing , Pomo caught ocean fish near the shore, and salmon in the rivers with nets. harpoons, and hooks made of shell and bone. Fishing lines were made of wild iris fibers. Surf fish and seaweed was often dried on the rocks or on beds of water grass. , A Seaside Kitchen , Women cooked fish over open fires, baked them in rock-lined pits, or dried and smoked then for future use. , Mussels were popular shellfish, often cooked in holes of the shoreline rock. , Anemones were toasted on sticks over open fires. , Women cooked chitons and barnacles in hot coals or sun-dried them for future use. , Abalone was beaten to tenderize it before cooking, or dried raw and cut into strips for winter use. , After gathering, seaweed was dried on rocks, and then later cooked in earthen ovens. It was also a source of salt. Sea palms and kelp were roasted in hot ashes. , Tradition , The tradition of food gathering and preparation is an element of heritage and culture that many local Native Americans still highly value. Dried seafood plays an important role in the diet of many Native Americans.