Overview
Understanding Cultural Erasure through the Case of Ishi
Author(s) : California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center
Grade(s) : Grade 4
Suggested Amount of Time : 60 minutes
Curriculum Themes:
- History
- Cultural Strengths
- Law/Government
- Relationship to Place
- Cross Curricular Integration
Learning Goals
To introduce the concept of cultural erasure and repatriation.
To support students to learn and reflect on historical and cultural education about Ishi and the Yahi people.
To provide students with a deeper appreciation for the life and legacy of Ishi and the broader experiences of Native Californians.
Lesson Overview
Students will learn about cultural erasure. Students will reflect on Ishi’s legacy and how it influences modern understanding of cultural respect and human rights. This lesson plan helps students critically analyze historical narratives, develop empathy, and practice respectful communication in their writing. This lesson covers the life and history of Ishi, the last Yahi, and how his story reflects the broader experience of Native American communities in California. It explores how cultural erasure has impacted these communities and emphasizes the importance of honoring their narratives. The lesson explores the settler colonization of California and the dehumanization and cultural erasure of Native peoples. Ishi’s story provides a specific case study for understanding these larger historical patterns. This standard is addressed through the exploration of how settlers perceived and portrayed Native cultures, including Ishi's experience with Western anthropologists and journalists. It provides a context for discussing cultural differences and misunderstandings.
Teacher Background
Essential Understandings of California Indian History and Culture
Essential Understanding 2: Diversity Among Identity (EU2 Video) https://bit.ly/NASMC_EU2
Essential Understanding 3: Native Traditional Beliefs (EU3 Video) https://bit.ly/NASMC_EU3
Essential Understanding 4: Policies that Affected Tribes (EU4 Video) https://bit.ly/NASMC_EU4
Essential Understanding 5: Reservations (EU5 Video) https://bit.ly/NASMC_EU5
Essential Understanding 6: History from a California Indian Perspective (EU6 Video) https://bit.ly/NASMC_EU6
Unit Background
This unit explores the life and legacy of Ishi, the last known member of the Yahi people, as a gateway to understanding Indigenous history, culture, and resilience. Through his story, students investigate the cultural values, survival strategies, and spiritual practices of the Yahi, while critically examining how Ishi has been represented and sometimes misrepresented in history and media. The unit also addresses broader themes of cultural erasure, Indigenous leadership, and the ethical considerations surrounding Ishi’s experiences both in life and after death. By engaging with these topics, students develop empathy and a nuanced appreciation of Indigenous identities, the impact of colonization, and the ongoing efforts toward cultural preservation, repatriation, and justice.
Core Themes:
History and sovereignty
Cultural strengths and Indigenous knowledge systems
Culturally Relevant Terminology
Tribal Nations and Political Identity
Students Will:
Explore the life of Ishi to understand Yahi cultural values, history, and survival practices.
Analyze how geography and environment shaped the Yahi way of life.
Identify and critique common stereotypes and misrepresentations of Ishi in media and historical accounts.
Examine Yahi cultural practices, including language, toolmaking, and ceremonial traditions, with an emphasis on reciprocity.
Reflect on the legacy of Ishi, including ethical issues surrounding repatriation and cultural preservation.
Understand the concept of cultural erasure and its impact on Indigenous communities using Ishi’s story as a case study.
Investigate the forms of Indigenous leadership demonstrated by Ishi and others.
Assess the challenges Ishi faced living in San Francisco and the broader implications of Indigenous survival in settler societies.
Evaluate the treatment of Ishi after death, discussing the balance between scientific inquiry and cultural respect.