Native American Cordage Technology - Page 2
© Tara Prindle
The inner barks of trees like basswood and cedar are more time consuming to harvest. Speck (1976) describes the process wherein the Penobscot of northern New England prepared inner basswood bark. First the outer bark is cut through with an ax, loosened at the cut and pulled off upwards in long ribbons. Next the exposed inner bark is separated with a knife, grasped, and pealed off in long strips. The ribbons of inner bark are coiled up for storage. When the bark is needed it first must be boiled Jor a day and a half in water with wood ashesW The Iye from the ashes relaxes the bark fiber and removes the sap which would make the bark brittle and stiff. The boiled strips of bark are shaved down with a knife to their desired width. Without great care harvesting inner bark will threaten the life of the tree. Fallen branches can be a good source for basswood inner bark. Fairy suitable cedar bark can be gathered from fallen trunks.
Once fibers and plant materials were finally prepared, Native Americans in southern New England used the threads and cords to make ropes and lines, nets, mats, baskets and bags, belts and straps, shoes and many other items.
Methods for making rope or heavy cord from fibers involve anchoring two lengths of fibers to a post or to your toes, and tightly twlsffng each length in turn to the right. Then the nght-most twisted length is passed over the lest length (ie you switch the lengths between your two hands). The process is repeated, twisting the individuaZ lengths, and then crossing the lengths over each other? splicing in new lengths of fiber to get the desired length. Look at Hilary Stewart's (1984) book CEDAR for an excellent description of traditional rope making by Native American women of the Northwest coast.
'Thigh-rolling' is the fastest way to make fine cordage or string for sewing. If you look closely at most hand made cord, the plies are twined around in a 'Z.' twist (the twisted strands lie diagonally from top right to bottom left). The individual strands in 'Z.' twist cordage will be twisted in the opposite direction in an 'S.' twist, the strands lie diagonally from top left to bottom right). Many plants that are inflexible or brittle when they are dry become pliable when they are soaked or dampened. Shredding and pounding the fibers can also improve the flexibility of many fibers. Even the shorter fibers of cornstalks and short grasses can be used if new pieces are continually spliced in.
