In 1855 the Warm Springs Reservation was created in Oregon for the Warm Springs and Wasco Tribes. The Wascos were the easternmost Chinook-speakers. The Wascos received their name from the village of Wasq’u, their principal village. The name means “small bowl” or “cup” and refers to a cup-shaped rock near the village into which a spring bubbled. The Wascos traditionally lived on the south bank of the Columbia River between The Dalles and Hood River. The Museum at Warm Springs includes a diorama of the Wascos in the nineteenth century.
Because of their location on the Columbia River, the Wascos were involved in trade with tribes from the Plains, the Great Basin, and the Northwest Coast. Their material culture—particularly the designs used for decoration—reflect the influence of these different cultures.
In the diorama late nineteenth century dress is shown. Men aboriginally wore very little, usually only a breechclout made of skin or fur. In her book Encyclopedia of American Indian Costume, Josephine Paterek reports:
“But with plains influence, the men began to wear deerskin garments—a long breechclout with flaps front and back, thigh-length leggings with side flaps, and a long shirt, almost to the knees.”
Among the women, the early dress were garments made of fibers, such as cedar bark or bear grass. Josephine Paterek reports:
“Later, reflecting Plains influence, the women wore an ankle-length dress of tanned leather in the two-skin style, with the deer tail retain in the yoke; this was usually belted, had fringes on the sides and the bottom, and often rows of thongs. The yoke was heavily beaded in a lazy-stich technique.”
Josephine Paterek reports:
“Beautiful wedding caps were made of multicolored beads and dentalium shells, displaying the family wealth; from a velvet crown the beads and shells were festooned in long strands down the back and side. Worn with the cap was a wedding veil, as well as bells, coins, and other trinkets.”
More American Indian museum exhibits
Indians 101: Paiute Home Life (museum exhibit)
Indians 101: Warm Springs Home Life (museum exhibit)
Indians 101: Wasco homelife (museum exhibit)
Indians 101: Entiat and Chelan Indians (museum exhibit)
Indians 101: Plateau Indian food gathering (museum exhibit)
Indians 101: Wenatchi Indians (museum exhibit)
Indians 101: Native American Salmon Fishing on the Columbia River (museum exhibit)
Indians 101: Warm Springs beadwork and baskets (museum exhibits)