A long, long time ago, right around the dawn of the 20th century—a millisecond as far as time goes—there was a man, a red man of indigenous descent, whose name was Ishi. He lived in California’s Sierra Nevada foothills in the small mountain range called “The Buttes,” near Lake Orville. Born in 1861, here were many more of his people, including his mother and sister, who walked those same lands.
His people were called Yahi Indians, but with great sadness it pains me beyond words to tell you that by the time Ishi left this world, in the year of our Creator, 1916, he was the last of his tribe—a people that had roamed their lands for many thousands of years or since the dawn of time.
They roamed their lands long before even Moses led his people away from Pharaoh and bondage, and long before Queen Isabella asked Christopher Columbus, with her money, to navigate the seven seas.
Ishi’s tribe, the Yahi, lived a wild and free nomadic life that was precious to them. For four and a quarter centuries, they lived, which may seem like an eternity. In reality, however, 424 years is not long at all when considered in terms of when the earth, supposedly, went “big bang boom.”
Yet, that same 424 years was all it took for Ishi’s people to become extinct. What saddens me even more, right to my very core, is that the Yahi tribe was not the only tribe that left this world. Becoming extinct in the name of Christianity, European expansion, manifest destiny, and events like a great land rush on this North American continent, many others suffered the same fate, other tribes like the Anasazi and the Makah are also gone.
These were people who tried to help and guide wayward travelers, yet they were all dealt the ultimate blow of injustice and indignity amongst all the nations of the world. That is what happened, not only to the red, indigenous, American Indian called Ishi, but to many others. This man and his tribe must never be forgotten, not just for who they were, but so we can recognize the sea of darkness they encountered that caused their demise
We appreciate your comment. With due respect, perhaps you misread John’s article (who is also a Native American, by the way). He mourns Ishi’s loss as tragic and recognizes the damage inflicted by some white settlers. But he also recognizes that just as not all Native Americans are “all good” all the time, no not are all bad. And the same thing applies to European settlers; some were trying to “do good.” And again, John’s opinion is that of a Native American; one who seeks to speak with words intended to heal. We suggest you try that approach sometime.
I can’t stand, especially as a Native American myself, who’s tribe was a victim of Christian indoctrination, which is what the trail of tears was all about… how dare you load this article with so much religious bullshit. If you have to put god into everything you do, don’t speak about Native Americans. Unless you do some research and educate yourself on how Christianity targeted and harmed Native Americans, and apologize for what your religion has done to my people.