Ishi's Brain

Michelle Soucier
Professor Johnson
Hspc 106
11/15/10
Ishi’s Brain
Ishi’s Brain: In Search of America’s last “Wild” Indian is a book written by Orin Starn. Orin Starn is the chair and Professor of Cultural Anthropology and History. The book Ishi’s Brain was an award-winning book and is one of his most recent books as well. In summary, this book is basically about the last survivor of a California’s Yahi tribe and his life story. The last surviving Indian was called Ishi; for this was not his birth name, but rather a name that was given to him because he was an Indian. The real name of Ishi is never discussed and is lost within in his tribe. Ishi was raised in a time of turmoil for the Native Americans in primarily California. During the Civil War, sometime during the 1860’s, Ishi was predicted to be born. California was under attack against its own people in fight for land. Struggles were breaking out between settlers and Indians. Since Ishi was born during a time of turmoil, the Native American tribes hid to avoid been taken for captive. The Yahi tribe, in which Ishi was part of, had hid at a place called Wowunupo Mu Tetna or Grizzly Bears hiding place.
Around 1860-1871, was the great massacre of the Indians, and from there the surviving Indians had a horrible way of living. Growing-up Ishi had to survive off of canned goods, bags of barley, and tins of biscuit, in which he had to steal from near by cabins. They would also find food by catching fish in near-by creeks, boiled acorns, and many other food types. Although they had to find a way to survive, they still kept their Native American way of life, in which was sewed blankets from coyote fur, wild cats, and raccoons. Since Ishi was an Indian, he was also brought up learning the culture behind his people. The elders would teach the children songs and myths of his people as well. After the massacre of the Indians, basically only 4 remained, in which with only time Ishi became the last living Yahi Indian.
Ishi had been hiding out for decades in northern California; a man named Alfred Kroeber had found Ishi naked and hungry. Alfred Kroaber had then invited Ishi in him home to live in his museum, which was above San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. People from everywhere had come to see Ishi demonstrate how to clip stone arrowheads, or even build little Indian houses with branches and bark. Ishi had taught thousands of people his way of life, and in return he had been taught a more civilized way of life. Eventually, Ishi had learned how to speak and communicate in English.
During the winter of 1915, Ishi had become ill. Many people who tried to diagnose Ishi thought it was tuberculosis, yet Ishi had always tested negative for the disease. Tuberculosis is a common and often deadly infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacterium, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis in humans. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body. It is spread through the air when people who have the disease cough, sneeze, or spit. One week before Ishi had passed away, he was admitted into the Hospital for one last diagnostic.
On March 25, 1916, Ishi’s body had been on an autopsy table in San Francisco. This may seem normal to Americans, yet for the Indians this caused problems. Indian tribes believed that corps should be buried right away with the corps all in tact. The Indians believed this, due to an urban myth of their bodies making their way to the upper world. After the death of Ishi, many people soon forgot about the last surviving Indian. The wife to Alfred Kroeber, Theodora, had decided to change the fading of the Ishi, and decided to write a book about him, which turned out to be her best seller, called Ishi in two worlds; A biography of the Last Wild Indian in North America. After Theodora Kroeber wrote her book, it seems like the new generation Americans were more aware of Ishi then what he was before. Soon after that, television shows and movies were being made about Ishi’s life.
The news about the discovery of Ishi’s brain and spread rapidly. It was difficult to determine whether or not that was the real brain to Ishi. There was only one way to find out, and that was through a DNA test. They took some hair and eyebrows that were encrusted in Ishi’s death mask. Although the DNA for the brain was a different matter, and the only way would be to cut off a piece of brain tissue. The piece of brain tissue that they needed was about the size of a cherry pit; this would be needed to be removed and destroyed in chemical test performed in laboratory. The main idea was to take Ishi’s brain and give it to the Indians, but the museum had refused. To Native Americans, their custom for burial was to be once a person died to burry them immediately, so that their spirit may rise.
Eventually the Indians had become abolished. In the 21st century, Indians were given priority and options in life. The ways had changed for Native American, as for they were given the California Nations Indian Gaming Association, which had immediately profited them 10 million dollars. The Governor of California said “For too long Indians have been denied the respect they deserve”. Today, that is way we have so many Indian casinos in California and Arizona. Native Indians have really had a terrible long-beaten path, which America is trying to fix now. There’s only one problem, there hardly any Indians even left. Ishi is only one example of many Indians, which showed Americans what detrimental massacre we have created. When Ishi passed away, the Yahi passed away too.