The art of making cordage is an ancient human technology. The long history of cordage making in Native California extends far back into the beginnings of Native California. Cordage was, and can still be claimed to be an essential element of traditional Native California life. Creation stories often reveal that the landmass that we refer to today as the Earth is, according to tribal tradition, tethered by strong thick ropes to enormous posts stationed at each cardinal direction. In a hands-on sense, weapons, tools and clothing depended on a constant supply of cordage of various strengths, pliability and diameters. 

The making and use of cordage requires a fund of knowledge drawing from botany, physics, esthetics and philosophy. Knowing what plants yielded usable fibers is a foundational skill for cordage making. Not all plants could be used for cordage and useable plants were not always available due to season of the year or limiting environmental conditions. Plants develop differ structural qualities as they grow during the year, and thus, specific plants during specific times of the year would produce a preferred material. Although a number of plant materials ranging from root stock to limber, pliable saplings were used, it seems a smaller number of plants and their inherent fibers make up the bulk of cordage used, for example, milkweed, dogbane or iris. 

Fibers at first glance appear as a humble byproduct of simply smashing, breaking or cracking open a plant’s stalk. However, carefully prepared fibers destined to become cordage prove to be an amazing resource. Fibers subjected to a paced, rhythmic repetition of hand movements and a watchful eye will quickly transform into a length of cordage. Such cordage will then go on to become a necessary structural component of a larger object or fabric.

Ancient techniques such as wrapping and tying of string and twine were employed to produce a secure adhesion, and create a strong point of attachment. Cordage is the simple foundational element of net making, a skill that produced  fishnets, deer nets, hair nets, bags and handles for bags, snares and tumplines. Ropes and twine function as an important structural unit of mats, canoe building, the flexible bindings to construct living houses and ceremonial structures. Social function of simple cordage can be a knotted arrangement conveying an  invitation or announcing a person in mourning. Native clothing, such as  skirts, hair nets, ceremonial garments, necklaces and sandals. The creation of everyday objects, such as clothing and tools depended heavily on a large supply of cordage of various sizes and materials.   

The handmade manufacture of cordage involves twisting and a consistent tensile strength. It is a physical process: rolling individual fibers on one’s thigh with an in sync hand and forearm movement combined with eyesight while also attentive to overall bodily sensations. Another labor intensive twisting process involves small, intricate coordinated movements of the fingers, hand and eyes. The two basic methods of hand twisting are labeled as a “Z” or “S” twist - a descriptor of the slant of the twist. Once a single cord is made from the initial twisting together of two strands, two cords consisting of two smaller twisted strands now may be twisted together to begin forming a larger single strand like a rope. The “spinning” - the twisting -  of separate strands together is a  lengthy, time consuming process requiring a ready supply of processed fibers.