Evening star., 1941-12-14
History Of Indians
Shows That Culture
Survives Conquest
Hitler Can Never Wipe
Out Traditions Of Beaten
Peoples, Soy Scientists
By Wide World News.

TeoPieSS Soy S~'e"''S'S
By Wide World News.
UKIAH, Calf, Dec. 13-The life
Of the Indians in this community
test-tube of American civilization is
convincing social scientists that the
Germans never will be able to wipe
out the cultures of the peoples they
are conquering.
There now are less than 1000 OF
these Indians left in Ukiah. They
are members of the Pomo tribe, the
best Indian basketmakers.
Once the exclusive, dominant In
habitants Of the region, these In
dams were figuratively overwhelmed,
as the United States grew by other
racial groups-white Americans,
Chinese, FiIpinos, Russians, Mexi-
cans and Italians.
This mixture has given the COM
munity a new amalgamated culture
of It's own. The old Pomo culture no
longer exists as a complete way OF
life br the Indians, but they still
retain much of it piecemeal.
COrrobOrates Theory.
This outstanding case history, the
sociologiSts say, corroborates the
theory that a dominant culture can
not wipe out subordinate one, but
necessarily absorbs 1t, and In absorb
ing It, Is itself shaped by the original
culture of the region.
This unusual example IS one Of
the reasons Ukiah is being made
into a unique permanent laboratory
for scientists puzzling out the why's
and wherefores of human beings.
A small community of 5000 people
in a valley 100 miles north OF San
Francisco, It was selected because II
is a fine cross-section Of American
civilization which has developed rel
atively independent Of other COM
munities.
1t was discovered" in 1884 by DR..
Burt Aginsky, New York University
anthropologist. The first laboratory
group to study the community was
begun in 1898. Work now is under
way to make 1t permanent labo-
ratory where scientists of all kinds
can come for a convenient sample
of the United States, past and pres
ent.
Peaceful Tribe.
Most of the study up to now has
been on the Pomos and their rela-
tionship with the other racial groups
that moved in on them.
The Pomas are distinctive tribe.
Peaceful by nature, different groups
of Pomos used to have periodic bat
ties lust to get rid of their excess
energy.
They would line up opposite each
other and start shooting arrows. AS
soon as somebody got hit. the battle
was stopped. Nobody won.
Although some of their baskets
are worth hundreds of dollars, and
the Redwood Highway runs right
through Ukiah, no one has ever
seen a Pomo trying to sell a basket
to q tourist.
Women Led Men.
Pomo women have never been
drudges. as women were in some OF
the warlike plains tribes, but in some
| community activities led the men.
Pomos once were afraid to go any
where in the dark because OF ghosts.
Deep religious convictions ana the
supernatural played big part In
Pomo life. Doctors had to practice
a lifetime to become real experts,
and ghost singers" saved tribal
clients from human and super
human "poisoners."
The Pomos made money from
strings of sea-shells. tribal bankers
attained great prestige. and some
men became big gamblers.
The scientists found that the pre-
vailing attitude among the white
members of the community was that
the Indians were lazy and worth
less. The Indians in turn consider
that the whites stole their heritage.
However, there has never been open
violence between them.
White and Indian children used to
60 to different schools. A court de-
cision changed that. Nov they study
and play together and become
friends.
Social Anomaly.
Social scientists have been inter-
ested by the results of the conflict
between the Pomo culture and the
culture of the white race. Their
present culture apparently is incon-
sistent with both the white and
aboriginal cultures, something of a
social anomaly.
The past is linked vividly with the
present in this little community
for there are both Indians and
whites who remember the Pomos'
first contact with the white man.
The Oldest Pomo still can remem-
ber the ways of his forebears and
some even now can recall child
hood stories of cruelties by the
Spanish conquistadores and doings
of the padres.
Large vineyards and orchards.
wineries and canneries combine to
make Uklah both agricultural and
industrial, little world largely self
contained economically, politically
and socially.
The social scientists are curious
to know how this strange community
developed through the years and
how the blending of the races shaped
the peoples unique culture. They
oelleve the answers may point a
lesson to the rest of the world
that no culture can be obliterated
even by conquest.