Ishi the Last Yahi: A Documentary History

by Robert F. Heizer, Theodora Kroeber (Editor)

From the Introduction by Theodora Kroeber, Editor:The number of documents having to do with Ishi is finite. For the reader who wishes to know something of the sources from which the story flows, there are reproduced here the principal out-of-print and most inaccessible primary materials on Ishi and the Yahi Indians. Of first importance are monographs on Ishi, his people, his languages, his medical history, whose authors are Professors Thomas T. Waterman, Alfred L. Kroeber, Edward Sapir, and Saxton T. Pope, M.D. Most of these monographs are here reprinted in full. Next in interest and importance are the books of reminiscences concerning the Yahi Indians written by white settlers in or adjacent to Yahi country in the years following closely upon the gold rush. These are usually in small editions, long out of print. Two, those written by Carson and R. A. Anderson, are reprinted in full; the others, only those parts having to do with Ishi and the Yahi. There are letters bearing on our subject, newspaper accounts, and pictures, of which we include significant examples. There are as well books and articles having to do only in part with Ishi and his people. We reprint only those parts.  Beyond these essential primary materials, the editors made hard choices to keep the number of pages realistic. Readers with areas of special interest will regret some of our exclusions among the secondary but often fascinating accounts: of archaeological findings in the Yahi homeland; of linguistic quirks and grammatical technicalities--a large literature, difficult for the uninitiate; of medical history when it adds nothing to our understanding of the man Ishi. Our order of presentation is chronological, beginning with the background materials, then going to Ishi's first entry into the outside world, then to his years at the museum, and, finally, to his death. We have not included the occasional newspaper stories of still-living Yahi Indians supposed to have been seen or heard in the Yahi hills and caves after Ishi's departure, since none were ever substantiated. When in 1914 Ishi returned to his old home for a few weeks with Waterman, Kroeber, Pope, and Pope's son, Saxton, Jr., he found the land, the caves, and the village sites as he had left them. 

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Anthropology, Native American, Biography, American History

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1979

Reviews

[Aleta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this was a documentary film, I returned it to the library without taking note of the ISBN number. Couldn't find a listing, so entered it as a book.

I read the volume when it was first published decades ago. It remains informative and heartbreaking, poignant and somehow reminiscent of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks in its tragedy and implications regarding how the pursuit of knowledge can conflict impact the human lives that source such information.

[Jasmine]

Since this book is more of a reference filled with articles, letters, and reports regarding Ishi and the Yana people, I am not giving this book a rating. It doesn't read easily as non-fiction, and I ended up skimming through sections to get to the parts I wanted to understand more.

That being said, this book seems valuable to anybody that wants more detailed and in depth accounts surrounding the history of the Yahi and Ishi. The first half of the book covers the time when the settlers were hunting down and killing indigenous people and also the accounts of white people being kidnapped by native people in retaliation. The second half covers when Ishi is discovered and the time after when he is living at the anthropology museum.

I was impressed by Ishi's ability to mimic animal sounds to draw jackrabbits, wildcats (which I assume they mean bobcats), coyotes, and bear to his call. Saxton T. Pope wrote:
"Upon one afternoon's hunt, to test the truth of his assertions, I had Ishi repeat this call twelve times. From these dozen calls came five rabbits, and one wildcat emerged from the brush and approached us. Some rabbits came from a distance of one hundred and fifty yards. The wildcat came within fifty yards..."

The final chapter titled "Ishi's Death" gives the most insight to Ishi as a person. Ishi was an extraordinary person, beyond the fact that he was the last "wild" indigenous person in California:

"His affability and pleasant disposition made him a universal favorite. He visited the sick in the wards with a gentle and sympathetic look which spoke more clearly than words. He came to the women's wards quite regularly, and with his hands folded before him, he would go from bed to bed like a visiting physician, looking at each patient with quiet concern or with a fleeting smile that was very kindly received and understood."

The one thing that I wish they did not include in the book was Ishi's clinical medical history. It detailed specific information about his frame, facial feature placement, but worst of all was certain very private details that I don't think anybody would want published in a book about them. It was disrespectful to Ishi.

[Nishi Serrano · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tragic story, a tragic history to the Native Americans.