Final answer:
Collectors struggle to obtain Pomo baskets due to the disruption of Native American communities, loss of traditional materials, introduction of new materials, and the impacts of historical looting and illicit trade. The appropriation of tribal lands, displacement onto reservations, and changes in available resources have all impeded the craft's continuation and the availability of genuine baskets.
Step-by-step explanation:
The difficulty for collectors to obtain Pomo baskets can be attributed to a variety of factors, including historical, cultural, and environmental changes that have impacted the tradition of Pomo basket weaving. By the end of the 1800s, with the appropriation of tribal lands and the displacement of Native Americans onto reservations, traditional tribal groupings and customs were disrupted. This directly affected the transmission of weaving techniques and the availability of natural materials needed for traditional Pomo basketry, such as willow shoots, river canes, and sedge roots. The Pomo baskets, notable for intricate patterns including the 'dau' or spirit door, represent a significant cultural art form created by different genders for various uses, from fish and bird traps by men to food storage and religious rites by women.
With the severe decline in large-bodied game species, as documented by Jerozolimski and Peres, and the forced adaptation of Native communities to less selective harvesting methods, there was likely a secondary impact on the traditional materials available for basketry. Moreover, the inclusion of new materials such as glass beads, coming from European traders, indicated a shift in traditional practices, that while allowing for new artistic incorporations, may have simultaneously made original examples rarer and, for collectors, more desirable.
Further impacts on the ability for collectors to obtain such artifacts include the historical looting and illicit trade of indigenous art. Just as with the large-scale, illegal export of Paracas textiles, Pomo baskets could be subject to similar exploitation, making legitimately acquired pieces rare and creating ethical dilemmas in their collection. This ongoing issue highlights the difficulty for collectors in finding authentic, ethically obtained Pomo baskets for their collections.