Recognizing Indian Folk History as Real History: A Fort Ross Example

Abstract

TOO OFTEN DO WE FIND Native American folk history patronized as legend or some form of just-so stories without basis in fact, when in reality they often form valid oral history, simply told from a different viewpoint and background. Two such stories from Kashaya Pomo living near Fort are compared with Russian and English historical accounts to give us a remarkable picture of a Hudson's Bay expedition in California in 1833. Thanks to diligent work of linguist Robert Oswalt in recording stories of Kashaya Pomo (1964), we have two fascinating accounts of a mysterious expedition passing by Fort Ross. first one, entitled The Ayash Expedition (No. 54) was told by Essie Parrish to Oswalt in September 1958. She heard it from her father. second, The Big Expedition (No. 57) was told by Herman James, also in September 1958. He learned his stories from his maternal grandmother, Lukaria, who had lived her entire life in vicinity of Metini [Kashya name for Fort area] and was about eight years old when Fort was founded there (Oswalt 1964: 9). A wonderful thing about these writings is that they are presented in dual language, with Kashaya and English side-by-side. In his introduction to stories (which are properly included under Folk History) Oswalt suggests an element of ambiguity about timing of event since Essie Parrish states that it occurred long, long ago men arrived (Oswalt 1964: 247), whereas James says that it was at a time when the landed there (1964: 251). This term, Undersea People has been interpreted to mean Russians as well as Aleuts, Creoles, Tana'ina Indians and other native peoples Russians brought with them. These latter made up 80-90 percent of Fort settlement (Cf. Fedorova 1975: 12). It is important to understand difference between references to undersea people (/0ahqha yow bakhe yachma/) versus white people (/phala cayN/) as shown in story Tales of Fort Ross (Oswalt 1964: 277), in which term white people refers to post-Russian period, American settlers such as William Benitz. Thus, for Essie Parrish to say before men came, really means Americans came (i.e., prior to 1842).