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Viola Martinez, California Paiute: Living in Two Worlds PDF

213 Pages·2003·3.28 MB·English
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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 This page intentionally left blank 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

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