Viola Martinez, California Paiute: Living in Two Worlds

213 Pages·2003·3.28 MB·English

by  Diana Meyers Bahr

Viola Martinez, California Paiute
Viola Martinez, California Paiute
Living in Two Worlds
Diana Meyers Bahr
University of Oklahoma Press • Norman
Also by Diana Meyers Bahr
From Mission to Metropolis: Cupeño Indian Women
in Los Angeles (Norman, 1993)
This book is published with the generous assistance of
Edith Kinney Gaylord.
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA
Bahr, Diana Meyers, 1930–
Viola Martinez, California Paiute: living in two worlds /
Diana Meyers Bahr.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
isbn 0-8061-3514-x (alk. paper)
1. Martinez, Viola M. (Viola Meroney). 2. Paiute Indians—
Biography. 3. Indian women—United States. I. Title.
e99.p2 m383 2003
979.4004’9745—dc21
[B] 2002074040
The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and
durability of the Committee on Production Guidelines for Book
Longevity of the Council on Library Resources, Inc. ∞
Copyright © 2003 by the University of Oklahoma Press, Norman,
Publishing Division of the University.
All rights reserved. Manufactured in the U.S.A.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Contents
List of Illustrations vii
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction: The Marginal Person 3
Chapter 1 Facing the Sunrise: Owens Valley 17
Chapter 2 “A Mess of Uncles”: Viola’s Early Years 29
Chapter 3 Far from Home: Sherman Institute
Boarding School 51
Chapter 4 The Creative Margin 67
Chapter 5 Return to Owens Valley 83
Chapter 6 Converging Paths: Native Americans,
Euro-Americans, and Japanese Americans
at Manzanar 93
Chapter 7 Expanded Margins: Urban Opportunities 105
Chapter 8 Education Advocate: Eighteen Years in
the Los Angeles Unified School District 123
Chapter 9 The Trip Home 133
Conclusion: Culturally Enlarged Elder 155
Literature Review 159
Afterword 171
Notes 173
Bibliography 185
Index 195
v
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Illustrations
Map
California, with Owens Valley area indicated 19
Photographs
The Benton ranch 20
Hot springs at Benton 23
Paiute village at Benton 24
Viola’s uncles, all brothers 28
Viola’s aunt Mary Ann Brazzanovich 31
Bob Somerville, Viola’s uncle 33
Paiute women washing clothes in the Benton hot springs 37
Benton trading post 38
Steel doors at Benton trading post 39
Sheep at Benton ranch 40
Collection of Paiute baskets 41
Paiute woman winnowing pine nuts 45
Minnie Williams winnowing pine nuts 46
Schoolhouse in Benton 48
Sherman Institute Federal Indian Boarding School 59
Viola’s graduation picture 77
vii
Viola at Mary Ann’s house 85
Winona’s house 88
Caucasian staff living quarters, Manzanar 96
Viola at former WRA camp at Manzanar 104
Wedding of Vianne and Kirk Wentzell 117
Viola during her teaching career 126
Viola receiving an award for her work 129
Viola and Barbara Arvi on the trip home 134
Viola’s mother, Ivy Lent Meroney, with baby 136
Ivy Lent Meroney, with baby 138
Viola’s sister Edna Tom, with baby 141
Viola with her cousin Harry Keller and his wife, Grace 143
Highly valued beadwork by Mabel Keller 144
Benton hot springs in  146
Viola in old Paiute village in Benton 148
Paiute casino in Bishop 149
Winona Roach and Viola 150
Eleanor Bethel and Viola 153
viii ILLUSTRATIONS
Acknowledgments
My grateful appreciation is extended to Linda Stowe
for her remarkable transcribing and her personal interest in Vi’s
story. I wish to thank Kenneth Wade, Librarian, UCLA Amer-
ican Indian Studies Center, for his diligence in researching
answers to my abstruse questions regarding Indian affairs in
general and Owens Valley Paiutes, specifically. The responses
regarding demographics of American Indians in Los Angeles by
Michael McLaughlin, Librarian, American Indian Resource
Center, Huntington Park, California, were impressively prompt
and exact. Professor Carole Goldberg, UCLA School of Law,
provided concise and invaluable information regarding invol-
untary termination of parental rights of Indian people. I extend
my appreciation to Jeannine Gendar for swiftly and graciously
granting permission to include in this book the portion of
chapter 8 that had previously been published in News from
Native California. To Barbara Siegemund-Broka I say here what
I have said to many others about her: I am fortunate indeed
to have had an editor who is so conscientious and discerning.
I have relied with complete confidence on Sue Kunitomi
Embrey, chairperson of the Manzanar Committee, to keep me
current on the Manzanar Historic Site, particularly on the
contested wording of the commemorative plaques.
When I have needed a sympathetic listener I have turned
to my husband Ehrhard (Ted) Bahr. Without fail, he has
responded with sensitive and perceptive insights. My deepest
appreciation goes to Viola Meroney Martinez and her extended
family for sharing with me recollections gleaned not only from
their memories but also from their hearts.
ix