From an anthropological point of view, the social relationships and behaviors of populations, especially extinct cultures or those with very few representatives, have always attracted scientists’ attention. The context of US history implies a particular interest for anthropologists since the life of Native Americans on the lands of the country after the Civil War was drastically changed. The tribal culture of Native Americans has become an exception, a rare exhibit of uncivilized, so-called primitive life. The film entitled “Ishi: The Last Yahi” presents a documentary overview of the events of the beginning of the 20th century when a renowned anthropologist Kroeber used the last representative of a native Yahi tribe to study its culture and language (DocSpot, 2018).The film provides a vivid historical interpretation of the events and, at the same time, provokes deeper thoughts about the ethics of anthropological science and human existence across cultural domains. In this paper, I will reflect on the film and discuss my perception and views in relation to the issues brought up by the authors of the video.
When watching the film, I was experiencing ambiguous feelings of criticizing and understanding of the actions of the anthropologist. On the one hand, his keen interest in Ishi is validated by his scientific goals of preserving the information about the rare representative of an extinct culture. Kroeber did not abuse or force Ishi to do anything against his will and merely performed his duties as a scientist whose priority was to collect as much information as possible. Despite the difficulties of communication, the anthropologist managed to establish contact with Ishi and progressed significantly in his study.
On the other hand, the very fact that Ishi was placed in a cultural setting that was foreign to him seemed to be unethical and inhumane. I think that such an angle of my perception was influenced by the history of the white population’s destruction of Native Americans by occupying their lands in the early centuries of US history. Indeed, the state in which Ishi was found, being the last person representing his nation, community, and family, is heartbreaking. It seems particularly unfair when the person whose ancestors have lived on the territory of America for thousands of years is seen as an alien among the dominating white population. In such a context, the actions of Kroeber, who encouraged Ishi to participate in exhibitions and photo-shoots, trigger my critical attitude.
Nonetheless, Kroeber’s final demand not to let Ishi’s autopsy happen since it contradicted Yahi’s beliefs reassured me of the responsibility the anthropologist took for the Native American. Indeed, the extraction of the brain, which was a common practice in America of the time, was unacceptable to the Yahi culture. These people believed that the body and the spirit should remain in unity. The fact that Kroeber knew and respected this belief demonstrates his devotion to the cultural particularities he studied. Moreover, if Kroeber’s demand had been followed, it would have been a minor tribute played to the rich culture of Native Americans who disappeared because of the white population. Thus, the film is enlightening and compelling; it educates viewers about the differences between cultures and the role of beliefs and heritage in their preservation.
Reference
DocSpot. (2018). Ishi: The last Yahi (Documentary) [Video]. YouTube. Web.