William Ralganal Benson (1862-1937) was an Eastern
Pomo
The Pomo are an Indigenous people of California. Historical Pomo territory in Northern California was large, bordered by the Pacific Coast to the west, extending inland to Clear Lake, and mainly between Cleone and Duncans Point. One small grou ...
basket maker from
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
. He and his wife
Mary Knight Benson Mary Knight Benson was a Pomo woman who excelled in traditional basket making. Her work is highly collectible and renowned for fine craftsmanship. She and her husband, William Ralganal Benson, partnered as basket weavers, and their work is curate ...
(
Pomo
The Pomo are an Indigenous people of California. Historical Pomo territory in Northern California was large, bordered by the Pacific Coast to the west, extending inland to Clear Lake, and mainly between Cleone and Duncans Point. One small grou ...
) excelled in traditional basket making. Their work can be found in the collections of major museums.
Early life and family
William Benson (1862-1937) was born at Shaxai, now known as Buckingham Point, near the ancient town of Shabegok on the western shore of
Clear Lake, California. His mother was Gepigul, known as "Sally" to the local whites. She belonged to Kuhlanapo (Water Lily People) and Habenapo (Rock People) Pomo people and descended from a line of hereditary leaders. William’s father, Addison Benson, was one of the first white settlers in the area near
Kelseyville, California. He was an intelligent man who was very friendly with his
Pomo
The Pomo are an Indigenous people of California. Historical Pomo territory in Northern California was large, bordered by the Pacific Coast to the west, extending inland to Clear Lake, and mainly between Cleone and Duncans Point. One small grou ...
neighbors, and when he married, Addison learned the language of his wife's people, Eastern Pomo. Because of this mixed heritage, William Benson grew up in a household in which Eastern Pomo was the primary language, and he did not learn to speak English until later in his adult life. William also taught himself how to read and write as an adult.
William was a master of the Pomo traditional culture, particularly the art and literature. He excelled at every aspect of traditional culture he attempted and was especially known for his superlative work in basketry, regalia, and storytelling. Sherrie Smith-Ferri, director of the Grace Hudson Museum in Ukiah which has a noted collection of Pomo baskets, says of William, "Bill Benson was a totally phenomenal talent.” When he met and married Mary Knight (1877-1930), he was already an expertly skilled basket maker. Mary, daughter of master basket maker Sarah Knight, was a Central Pomo speaker and also expert in basketry
The couple belonged to the
Pomo
The Pomo are an Indigenous people of California. Historical Pomo territory in Northern California was large, bordered by the Pacific Coast to the west, extending inland to Clear Lake, and mainly between Cleone and Duncans Point. One small grou ...
tribe, a group
indigenous people of California
The indigenous peoples of California (known as Native Californians) are the indigenous inhabitants who have lived or currently live in the geographic area within the current boundaries of California before and after the arrival of Europeans. ...
who traditionally resided in the coastal region of
Northern California
Northern California (colloquially known as NorCal) is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. Spanning the state's northernmost 48 counties, its main population centers incl ...
above
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
. The couple lived most of their lives on Pomo tribal territory near
Ukiah, California where William was an elder, band chief, and tribal historian. As a couple, they became renowned for their basket making.
Basketry reputation and recognition
The Bensons may have been the first California Indians who supported themselves solely by crafting and selling their baskets to collectors and museums. Beginning with the Spanish mission period on California, the Pomo, like other tribes, suffered drastic declines in population, severe cultural destruction, and the loss of homeland. As such, they began working as laborers on farms and ranches that occupied their traditional lands. However, a market for genuine, traditional baskets opened the 1880s and lasted until the 1930s.
William and Mary Benson took advantage of this commercial opportunity. While Pomo men did not traditionally make the kind of fine baskets demanded by the market, William adapted his skill to the fine work done by women. He was one of the few men who did so. Mary developed her skills that grew to an astounding level and was noted for focusing on perfection. Mary and William enjoyed significant success in their artist careers of weaving Pomo baskets, traveled widely, and developed relationships with collectors and art dealers. The couple demonstrated their weaving skills at the
Louisiana Purchase Exposition
The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, informally known as the St. Louis World's Fair, was an World's fair, international exposition held in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, from April 30 to December 1, 1904. Local, state, and federal funds tota ...
in Saint Louis in 1904. They had their own exhibit and jointly wove a basket that won the fair’s highest award.
Baskets made by William and his wife Mary are curated in museums such as the
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Founded ...
's
National Museum of the American Indian
The National Museum of the American Indian is a museum in the United States devoted to the culture of the indigenous peoples of the Americas. It is part of the Smithsonian Institution group of museums and research centers.
The museum has three ...
, and the
Field Museum of Natural History
The Field Museum of Natural History (FMNH), also known as The Field Museum, is a natural history museum in Chicago, Illinois, and is one of the largest such museums in the world. The museum is popular for the size and quality of its educational ...
and are known as some of the finest ever woven.
Footnotes
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Benson, William Ralganal
Native American basket weavers
Pomo people
1862 births
1937 deaths
20th-century Native Americans