Historical Figure. The last known Yahi Indian, Ishi was also claimed to be the last "wild" Native American. A survivor of the 1866 Three Knolls Massacre, he was found alone near Oroville, California in 1911 on the verge of death. In August of that year, Ishi was placed under supervision of anthropologists Alfred Kroeber and Thomas Waterman and was taken to the Museum of Anthropology at the University of California, San Francisco. Since he had never revealed his true name due to custom, Kroeber named the Native American Ishi, which is the Yahi term for man. For the next few years, Ishi would guide Kroeber and Waterman in a study on the Yahi culture and explain many details of Yahi life. Also, during this time, Ishi met Dr. Saxton Pope, who became interested in Ishi's archery skills. The two soon became close friends and learning from Ishi, Dr. Pope went on to become one of the early pioneers of modern archery. After having suffered from chronic medical illnesses throughout his lifetime in San Francisco, Ishi developed tuberculosis in 1915 and succumbed to the illness a year later. His body was cremated and originally interred in Colma while his brain was removed and sent to the Smithsonian Institute. In 2000, Ishi's brain and ashes were reunited and re-interred in an un-named location.
Historical Figure. The last known Yahi Indian, Ishi was also claimed to be the last "wild" Native American. A survivor of the 1866 Three Knolls Massacre, he was found alone near Oroville, California in 1911 on the verge of death. In August of that year, Ishi was placed under supervision of anthropologists Alfred Kroeber and Thomas Waterman and was taken to the Museum of Anthropology at the University of California, San Francisco. Since he had never revealed his true name due to custom, Kroeber named the Native American Ishi, which is the Yahi term for man. For the next few years, Ishi would guide Kroeber and Waterman in a study on the Yahi culture and explain many details of Yahi life. Also, during this time, Ishi met Dr. Saxton Pope, who became interested in Ishi's archery skills. The two soon became close friends and learning from Ishi, Dr. Pope went on to become one of the early pioneers of modern archery. After having suffered from chronic medical illnesses throughout his lifetime in San Francisco, Ishi developed tuberculosis in 1915 and succumbed to the illness a year later. His body was cremated and originally interred in Colma while his brain was removed and sent to the Smithsonian Institute. In 2000, Ishi's brain and ashes were reunited and re-interred in an un-named location.
Bio by: G.Photographer
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