Customer Reviews

Ishi: Last of His Tribe

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4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I've read this historical novel aloud to both "regular" fifth graders and to Special Education children. All of them have become entranced with Kroeber's wonderful descriptions of day-to-day Yahi life, and with Ishi's tragic story. The fact that Ishi was a real person made it even more tangible to them. This story is undoubtedly romanticized, but it describes life as it probably really was for a small surviving group of California Indians during the encroachment of the "Saldu" (foreigners). They try valiantly to retain the vestiges of their very complex culture, but tragedy inevitibly ensues. The majority of the book describes Ishi's life before he personally came in contact with the White people he has feared and from whom he has hidden during most of his life. It's difficult to find books that accurately describe Native American life pre-contact, in a way that is understandable to young children. I highly recommend this book, especially if you can tie in some of the recent controversy about Ishi's brain, which was removed from his body for study after his death (against his explicit wishes) and was only recently repatriated to Native California people. It's a great lead-in for a discussion about Native People's rights in modern America.
Karen Garcia

I first decided to read this book because I was named after Ishi, and I wanted to find out why. When I finally read Kroeber's novel, I was struck with a mixed sense of pride at being able to identify with such an honest, spiritual, and kind-hearted man; disgust at how ignorantly and inexcusably the white man in power treated Ishi's people, and hence has continued to treat Native Americans throughout this country; and awe at the beauty and grace with which Kroeber writes. I am also a high school English teacher in a rural New England town. I teach this novel, and am continually struck by its ability to speak to teenagers who, for the most part, are not aware of this component of American history. Though the novel is partly fictional, as we cannot truly know, for instance, the conversations that Ishi had in the "watgurwa" with his elders as a teenage boy, Kroeber reveals to us a story based on very real, and very human, events. We read about the unwavering respect for the natural world that is so inherent in Yahi culture, and so lacking in modern American culture. We see Ishi's growth from a boy to a man as he takes on the important reponsibilities of feeding and protecting his family. We also watch as innocent Yahi are killed with the white man's "firesticks" so that their scalps can be cut off and exchanged for money. Every American citizen should know what happened to Ishi and his people; for it is American history at its best, and, unfortunately, at its worst.

Over the years, I have developed a fascination for history, and Author Theodora Kroeber's story of ISHI, LAST OF HIS TRIBE certainly did not disappointment me.
Although this story may be subject to a certain amount of romanticism on the part of the Author, I found this version of Ishi's life easy to read and very enlightening. Kroeber's story of Ishi is written with warmth and sympathy, which gives us a
deeper understanding of the harsh treatment of the peaceful Yahi Indians. It provides a glimpse of how Ishi must have thought and felt; about himself, about others, and about the world around him. The Author weaves Ishi's story in a way that makes you feel as though you are there; experiencing what he experienced, struggling as he struggled. Ishi's highly peaceful nature is apparent in his extraordinary capacity towards forgiveness, despite their harsh treatment by the Saldu (white man).
I have often wondered how the Indians, especially Indians in the Northern regions, managed to survive the winter. This story provides a great deal of information about their daily life, giving us insight into their extensive knowledge for survival.
Smoking and drying of fish and meat, and storing of the y'una (acorn) barely provided them with the sustenance they needed for the winter, yet they managed to survive.
The myth that California Indians were a simple and childlike race, living only on what they could dig up from the ground, was certainly discounted with this book. Conversely, the Indians showed great wisdom and deep respect for the land, as well as
the creatures who inhabited it, being careful to preserve the land while effectively living off it. Their knowledge was then handed down from generation to generation, ensuring their success for the future - at least, until the Saldu arrived.
In truth, the treatment of the Indians by the Saldu was appalling. Early settlers had little respect for the Indians, forcing them to change their way of life, otherwise die. Sadly, Ishi spent most of his life hiding from the white man - staying downwind, living discreetly and quietly, staying off main trails and covering his tracks - living in fear of discovery. When the rest of his tribe was gone, Ishi's loneliness must have been unbearable. But Ishi was a wise man and a survivor, and he had learned that not all men were evil. His time at the Museum became acceptable - a time of plentiful food, of making friends - but more importantly a time to ensure that the history of his people would not die with him.
After reading this book, it was disturbing to discover that Ishi's brain was retained by Berkeley and the Smithsonian Institute for study after his death. Although one might understand the scientific fascination with this last member of the Yahi, this action clearly violated Ishi's own cultural belief about keeping the body whole for cremation, and his personal beliefs should have been respected. It is not surprising that a debate over scientific rights and human rights resulted, and it was nearly 100 years before Ishi's brain was returned to the Indian people, affording him the final peace and dignity that he rightfully deserved.
I have been enriched by the story of Ishi. It is a story I hope
future generations will utilize for studying the life of the California Indian. Ishi's story provides not only his language and culture, but his insight, feelings and experiences. This unique chance to share such a special part of California's past might otherwise have been lost, and I am grateful to those who had the insight to preserve this important piece of history.
`aiku tsub - " it is good "

The book, Ishi: Last of His Tribe, by Theodora Kroebar is a well written book, which deeply describes the life of a Yana Indian. The Yana are one of the last Native America Indian Tribes left in America. She uses great adjectives and indian words to help the readers understand. People who are intrigued by Native Americans, wars, teenage lives, and the true cruelty of human beings will be interested in reading Ishi. Ishi is a young Yana indian boy, on the verge of manhood, getting ready for the responsibilities of having to feed and fend for his family who have supported Ishi his whole life, and have a family of his own. A group of white poeple come to the lands of the Yana and try to capture the land that has belonged to Yana tribes for centuries. The white poeple slaughter the Yana tribes unmercifully, and take the land for themselves. Ishi has to watch the people he has grown up with his whole existance and the ways of his people be demolished, and he is left alone in the world. Ishi teaches people who read it a part of American history which is normally not talked about or read about. The book uses the non-fiction happenings of the Yana and adds fictional situations and turns Ishi into a beautiful story of hate and overcoming obstacles. As I read the book, I felt mixed emotions. I felt proud at being able to identify with Ishi. Ishi was the last of his people, he really did not have much to life for, and no one was left that he could relate to. Everyone feels alone and outcast at some point in their lives, and this book helps people understand and relate to Ishi and how he feels. He was a truthful, deep, spititual person and he was plucked from his life and tossed into a world which was strange and new to him. If any of the readers have ever had to move from one town to another, they know what Ishi is feeling. I also felt hatered towards how the white men ignorantly destroyed this peaceful tribe's way of life without even feeling remorse for their actions. It is horrible how the just slaughtered the tribe, with 'fire sticks' and scalped the Yana for money. It is repulsing how the white men treated the Yana and all the Native Americans, who were on this continent before us and had been living respectably and peacefully, and had such a deep understanding of the land and how to treat it and use it wisely. Ishi was easy to comprehend, with the wordings of Theodora Kroeber. Everyone in America should know about what happened to the innocent Yana tribes and the innocent Yana people, such as Ishi, and see American history for what it really is, and what it really was and what the invading, torturous, white man and his government did to begin the longest war in history (500 years) against the peaceful, loving, spiritual NATIVE AMERICAN INDIAN.

This is a great short classic on the fate of a native american in the early 20th century.By 1911,Ishi was the sole survivor of the California gens tribe called 'Yahi'.And now,Ishi was slowly starving to death.His tribe's indian hemp and indian tobacco(nicotiana bigelovii) were renowned among the confederate tribes,on the West coast from SoCal to Oregan.Yet,they were gatherers and hunters,and not masters at farming crops.He was captured by a rancher and a sheriff while trying to eat and hide among some penned cattle.Ishi was jailed and interviewed by a college professor,who specialized in Indian languages and cultures.Ishi was then transferred to a NorCal museum where his stories were recorded.Ishi's people could not accept the kerygmatic beliefs of the European settlers and were bound by the calling of the Great Spirits of Nature.And warned of the natural destruction of the concrete cities that trapped the soul and spirit of the white people.Western christians believe that they are the masters of the ways of Nature and therefore masters of their fate.Yes,the large wood planks protect us from the outside weather elements.Yet,all people must leave this earthly life and return outside to be with Dame Nature.If one does not accept communion with the cycles of Nature,then one is already walking dead. Ishi spent his remaining years at the museum,chipping arrowheads for the public.Was he like a captive 'Elephant-Man' or was he a willing teacher helping people learn about his ethnic shaman traditions.No one knows.This book is short in length,yet immense on Indianism knowledge.Highly recommended.

I liked this book, because firstly this book is a true story, and I was very suprised that a true story would be so good. This book has a lot of details, and the author tries to tell you the sounds that animals and nature makes. He also uses the Yahi tribe words telling you the names of things. The author also drew some pictures when the part of the book was very complicated. The author also uses a lot of words describing the environment so clearly that it seems as if you were there yourself walking beside Ishi and his tribe.

I was disappointed to find that I had bought the wrong book. "Ishi: Last of His Tribe" is not a variant title for "Ishi: Between Two Worlds". This is a novelisation of Ishi's story aimed at younger readers, and one where Yahi culture is rather heavily idealised. I was looking for some solid anthropology, which, I suppose, is to be found in the other book.

I was required to read this book when I took a freshman Anthropology Class many years ago. It is an eye-opening story about human struggle and love of life. Any student planning to attend college should read this book and understand what real difficulty has already been faced.

I am ten years old. I had to do a book report on a book about California history. This was the perfect book. I like how every once in a while the author would put in a Yahi word and translate it in the back. I recommend this book to everyone.

Ishi came out of the foothills out of loneliness and desperation. He expected certain death, but to his surprise, was embraced by those who knew him. He worked at a meager janitorial job at the University of Berkeley, but he didn't mind. He liked his friends, and enjoyed their company. In exchange of finding him a new 'home', Ishi shared with the museum staff and professors the secrets of his people - he showed them how to knap projectile points, and how his people survived - and best of all, a tantalizing glimpse into his language. He only lived for 5 years after coming out of the wilderness, but we can be thankful he did. He is a lasting symbol of how non-native humans changed the landscape, and drove others to extinction. It's a sad story, but one that needs to be read and cherished.