362-117<BR> Walapai seed beater; áhvayjay (TK); willow; l. 38 cm., w. 11.2 cm.; ca. 1880.<BR> Virtually all Walapai basketry was made by twining, predominantly diagonally, and it was manufactured in a variety of utilitarian types: conical seed gathering baskets, large but light burden or firewood baskets, winnowing and parching trays, mush trays and bowls, globular water bottles with a cover of pitch, hats, etc. The material used for rods and splints was mostly squaw bush (Condalia spathulata), and before weaving began, the twigs were dried to prevent warping of the basket. Black willow (Salix nigra) and sumac (Rhus) were also used to a certain extent. Seed beaters were not made in a twining but a wicker technique. Ten Kate recorded the native name of this artifact as áhvayjay, meaning "beater", but the full name was recorded by Robert McKennan of Kroeber's research team as sele' a'via (seed beater). The Walapais harvested a variety of wild seeds. These were gathered by beating the grasses and stems of plants with the beaters and catching the seeds and kernels in conical seed baskets or sometimes in basketry bowls. The major seed plant was called sele' and ripened in June-July. It was first boiled and roasted, or immediately roasted with charcoal on a basketry parching tray, ground into flour and baked into chunks or boiled in a mush. After drying and parching the seeds could also be stored for later use (Mason 1904:518; Kroeber et.al. 1935:48,55,79-81; Ewing 1960:68-69; Whiteford 1988:101-104; Bernstein et. al. 2003:73; Herold 2005:80-81).<BR> (Hovens 2008-09)<BR> <BR> <BR> instrument gebruikt bij het inzamelen van graszaden enz., lepelvormig, gevlochten van boomtakjes; "ávejé" ser. etiket.