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Miwok Material Culture: Indian Life of the Yosemite Region (1933) by S. A. Barrett and E. W. Gifford


MEASURES

Strings of shell beads were measured. Beads seem not to have been counted, Pomo fashion. The measures used were (1) lua, from the nipple to the end of the outstretched arm, on the opposite side of the body, the thumb and forefinger holding the beads and marking the end of the measure; (2) ana, the reach from the holding thumb and forefinger of one outstretched arm to the holding thumb and forefinger of the other, usually mentioned as keña ana, one ana; (3) motuku ana, half ana, from the middle of the chest to the holding thumb and finger of one outstretched arm. Other measures for which no names were recorded are (4) from the holding thumb and forefinger to the inside of the elbow joint; (5) from the tip of the middle finger to the wrist joint.

Another unit of measure was the length (stature) of a man. The circular ceremonial earth lodge had a radius of “four men,” oyisa yaña (C) and was measured by men lying at full length. The circular brush ceremonial house had a radius of “two and one-half men,” otega yaña homotani (C). In this case short men were employed. The “half man” was measured by a man lying on his back with his feet drawn up.



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