Historic California Research Articles

Resisting the Settler Gaze: California Indigenous Feminisms

Abstract: The settler gaze has created the conditions in which Indigenous women and Two-Spirit people experience high levels of violence both historically and in current times. This essay analyzes California Indigenous feminist resistance to the violences in the mission impacted region of the Californias. Toypurina, Bárbara Gandiaga, and Yaquenonsat are discussed as examples of California Indigenous feminist resistance to settler colonial systems that contributed to the murdered and missing Indigenous women, girl, and Two-Spirit (MMIWG2S+) crisis during their time period. These historic California Indigenous women are then compared with current efforts to address the MMIWG2S+ crisis in California and beyond. Counter-colonial Indigenous intergenerational storytelling is used as a methodology to read these stories and the settler records in order to resist the settler gaze.

Historic drought influences outmigration dynamics of juvenile fall and spring-run Chinook Salmon

Riverine ecosystems around the world have undergone extensive anthropogenic alterations, often to the detriment of native aquatic biodiversity. Migratory fishes are particularly vulnerable to habitat fragmentation and degradation. For example, Chinook Salmon populations in the Sacramento River, CA have been declining for nearly a century. Its Mediterranean climate, position in a landscape dominated by urban and agricultural land use, and the presence of an inland delta that serves as the hub of California’s vast water conveyance system, makes this a particularly perilous region for migrating juvenile salmon. This study used acoustic telemetry to investigate survival and routing of juvenile fall and spring-run Chinook Salmon through their riverine and estuarine migratory phases during the historic California drought of 2012–2016. Survival to the ocean in this river system is already lower relative to Chinook Salmon populations in North American. Survival to the Pacific Ocean ranged from 0.0–9.1% over the course of this three-year study. Use of four migratory routes through the Delta was variable, both within and between years. We documented extensive use and relatively high survival in Steamboat Slough (up to 41.5% routing through and up to 39.8% survival), part of the Sacramento River’s distributary network. Migration through this pathway precludes juvenile salmon from encountering junctions leading to low survival routes. Results from this modeling effort provide valuable information and highlight opportunities for directing management actions to benefit these ecologically and economically valuable runs of Chinook Salmon.

Accurate surface exposure dating with lichens

AbstractLichenometry accurately dates exposure times of glacial moraines and landslides when measuring the longest axis of the largest crustose lichen on many blocks, as demonstrated by numerous examples. In Sweden, the sizes ofRhizocarponsubgenusRhizocarpondescribe five pulses of glacial moraine creation in 120 yr. Six historic California earthquakes, between AD 1800 and 1906, caused many landslides that constrain lichen growth as linear with a dating accuracy of±0.5 yr. Crustose lichen sizes date earthquake-created additions to Sierra Nevada talus with an accuracy of±5 yr. The oldest lichen ages are 400 yr forLecanora sierrae, 800 yr forLecidea atrobrunnea, and 1100 yr forAcarospora chlorophanaandRhizocarponsubgenusRhizocarpon. Lichen sizes also record differing spatial attenuation of ground shaking from the magnitude (Mw) ~7.9 San Andreas earthquake of AD 1857 and the more distant, smaller San Jacinto AD 1800 earthquake, which both caused Sierra Nevada rockfalls. AD 1800 seismic shaking was relatively stronger than that of AD 1857 farther north, perhaps expressing stronger Love and Rayleigh styles of surface waves from the north-trending AD 1800 surface rupture that were particularly efficient in causing rockfalls at greater distances.

Identifying Specialized 19th Century Fishing Camps on California's Northern Channel Islands: Applying AMS Radiocarbon Dating to Historical Sites

California’s Northern Channel Islands have long been an epicenter of specialized fishing economies dating from 13,000 yr ago to the mid-19th century. With thousands of well-preserved shell middens, some dominated by single shellfish species and little to no material culture, it can be difficult to distinguish between specialized prehistoric and historical deposits at some site types. Beginning at least in the Early Holocene and continuing into the Historic period, California mussels, turban snails, and abalone were targeted for specialized collection and processing by Native Americans and later Chinese and Euro-American fishers. Here, we demonstrate how selective accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dating of specialized abalone processing camps can help distinguish between prehistoric and historical sites. While unconventional, our case study demonstrates the utility of 14 C dating at sites less than 300 yr old. DOI: 10.2458/azu_rc.57.18397

Identifying Specialized 19th Century Fishing Camps on California's Northern Channel Islands: Applying AMS Radiocarbon Dating to Historical Sites

California's Northern Channel Islands have long been an epicenter of specialized fishing economies dating from 13,000 yr ago to the mid-19th century. With thousands of well-preserved shell middens, some dominated by single shellfish species and little to no material culture, it can be difficult to distinguish between specialized prehistoric and historical deposits at some site types. Beginning at least in the Early Holocene and continuing into the Historic period, California mussels, turban snails, and abalone were targeted for specialized collection and processing by Native Americans and later Chinese and Euro-American fishers. Here, we demonstrate how selective accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dating of specialized abalone processing camps can help distinguish between prehistoric and historical sites. While unconventional, our case study demonstrates the utility of14C dating at sites less than 300 yr old.

Will the Revolution be Funded? Resource Mobilization and the California Farm Worker Movement

Based on archival and qualitative field research, this paper describes how the philanthropic investments of the Max L. Rosenberg Foundation contributed to the emergence of the historic California Farm Worker Movement. The author argues that foundations do not always have articulated or clear-cut political agendas to dilute organizing campaigns; instead moments of agreement (and antagonism) emerge and are fluidly negotiated as points of convergence appear and disappear. This paper reveals the three critical periods in which the Max L. Rosenberg Foundation invested in farmworker organizations in California's Central Valley: the dustbowl migrant education period of the 1930–1940s, the self-help housing projects of the 1950s, and the early leadership training campaigns of the Farm Worker Movement of the 1960s. This paper makes a significant contribution to resource mobilization theory by showing how private funding of a particular social movement (and therefore perhaps others if examined) was most aligned with the goals of the movement at the open-ended idealist beginnings. This alignment ruptured during the heat of the late 1960s when demands were made on picket lines and through international boycotts and became most problematic in the wake of significant defeats when movement organizations reshaped and professionalized themselves around foundation grants and ceased to represent their original constituents.

PATTERNS OF MORTALITY IN FREE-RANGING CALIFORNIA CONDORS (GYMNOGYPS CALIFORNIANUS)

We document causes of death in free-ranging California Condors (Gymnogyps californianus) from the inception of the reintroduction program in 1992 through December 2009 to identify current and historic mortality factors that might interfere with establishment of self-sustaining populations in the wild. A total of 135 deaths occurred from October 1992 (the first post-release death) through December 2009, from a maximum population-at-risk of 352 birds, for a cumulative crude mortality rate of 38%. A definitive cause of death was determined for 76 of the 98 submitted cases, 70% (53/76) of which were attributed to anthropogenic causes. Trash ingestion was the most important mortality factor in nestlings (proportional mortality rate [PMR] 73%; 8/11), while lead toxicosis was the most important factor in juveniles (PMR 26%; 13/50) and adults (PMR 67%; 10/15). These results demonstrate that the leading causes of death at all California Condor release sites are anthropogenic. The mortality factors thought to be important in the decline of the historic California Condor population, particularly lead poisoning, remain the most important documented mortality factors today. Without effective mitigation, these factors can be expected to have the same effects on the sustainability of the wild populations as they have in the past.

Restoring provenance to a Native American feather blanket

A technical examination of an unprovenanced feather blanket in the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum in California found turkey feathers, yucca fiber cordage, human hair, associated botanicals, and a documented twining technique indicating that the blanket likely derives from the prehistoric Southwest, possibly Basketmaker III–Pueblo I (ca. 700–950 AD), rather than from eighteenth to nineteenth century California as originally believed. Sources on excavated Southwest prehistoric fur and feather blankets, revival practices by contemporary Pueblo weavers, and physical examination of two historic California feather blankets indicate similarities and differences in materials and construction methods, and vastly different contemporary attitudes toward feather blankets in museums. This case study is an example of how conservation methods can be used in support of post-Colonial museum goals, benefiting traditional owners and indigenous communities. Reattribution from historic California to a Pueblo child burial in northern Arizona changes not only conservation treatment and display, but also the disposition of this object in the museum's collection.

The decline and recovery of four predatory fishes from the Southern California Bight

What to do about Wsheries collapse and the decline of large Wshes in marine ecosystems is a critical debate on a global scale. To address one aspect of this debate, a major Wsheries management action, the removal of gill nets in 1994 from the nearshore arena in the Southern California Bight (34°2630N, 120°2709W to 33°3203N, 117°0728W) was analyzed. First, the impe- tus for the gill net ban was the crash of the commercial Wsh- ery for white seabass (Atractoscion nobilis; Sciaenidae) in the early 1980s. From 1982 to 1997 catch remained at a his- torically low level (47.8 § 3.0 mt) when compared to land- ings from 1936-1981, but increased signiWcantly from 1995-2004 (r = 0.89, P < 0.01) to within the 95% conW- dence limit of the historic California landings. After the white seabass Wshery crashed in the early 1980s, landings of soupWn (Galeorhinus galeus; Triakidae) and leopard shark (Triakis semifasciata; Triakidae) also signiWcantly declined (r =0 .95, P < 0.01 and r =0 .91, P < 0.01, respec- tively) until the gill net closure. After the closure both soupWn and leopard shark signiWcantly increased in CPUE (r =0 .72, P = 0.02 and r =0 .87, P < 0.01, respectively). Finally, giant sea bass (Stereolepis gigas; Polyprionidae) the apex predatory Wsh in this ecosystem, which was pro- tected from commercial and recreational Wshing in 1981, were not observed in a quarterly scientiWc SCUBA moni- toring program from 1974 to 2001 but reappeared in 2002- 2004. In addition, CPUE of giant seabass increased signiW- cantly from 1995 to 2004 (r = 0.82, P < 0.01) in the gill net monitoring program. The trends in abundance of these Wshes return were not correlated with sea surface tempera- ture (SST), the PaciWc Decadal Oscillation (PDO) or the El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO). All four species increased signiWcantly in either commercial catch, CPUE, or in the SCUBA monitoring program after the 1994 gill net closure, whereas they had declined signiWcantly, crashed, or were absent prior to this action. This suggests that removing gill nets from coastal ecosystems has a posi- tive impact on large marine Wshes.

Mass stranding of Baird's beaked whales at San Jose Island, Gulf of California, Mexico

The Baird's or giant beaked whale ( Berardius bairdii ) is endemic to the North Pacific Ocean. In the eastern North Pacific, seasonal movements are poorly understood. Historic California catches suggest two peaks of abundance, in July and October. Mass strandings of Baird's beaked whales are rare. Prior to this report only two records were known, in the Bay of La Paz, Mexico in 1986 and Sagami Bay, Japan, in 1987; both mass strandings included male and females. Here we report a mass stranding of 10 Baird's beaked whales at San Jose lsland in the Gulf of California on 31 July 2006. The group was composed only by males ranging from 9.97m to 11.05m. The estimated age, based on the dental group layers, ranged from 9 to 42 years. The cause of this stranding is unknown, although with the large number of squid also found dead in the area, it is possible that the whales could have been following the squid, one of their main prey. The mass stranding of 10 mature males reported here supports the idea of a seasonal presence, during summer, of this species in the waters of the southwest Gulf of California. The group composition supports a reproductive strategy where the old males have a major role in the guidance and protection of inexperienced weaned and young males, unlike sperm whale bachelor groups, where all males are typically the same age.

The Stone Tool Technology of Ishi and the Yana of North Central California: Inferences for Hunter‐Gatherer Cultural Identity in Historic California

Recent developments in the Ishi “saga” have generated tremendous media attention, as well as opinions offered by a number of academics. Few of these opinion pieces have been based on much empirical data or historical evidence. An examination of Ishi's stone tool technology, particularly projectile point production, his physical morphology, and regional ethnohistoric oral history suggest a very different persona and cultural history for Ishi than previously reported. Rarely in archaeological or ethnographic contexts do we have an observable relationship between ethnicity, acculturation, and prehistoric technology. In the case of Ishi's short five‐year stay at the Museum of Anthropology, University of California, all of these important elements converge. The data analysis here and resulting inferences have definite ramifications for the current debate surrounding projectile point style and cultural identity, as well as the long term effects of marginalization by invading and hostile non‐Yana societies. [Ishi, projectile point technology, style and information, Native California, cultural identity]

Distributed Generation and Competitive Retail Electricity Markets

Thi s article discusses what it will take to finally make retail accessand cons umer choice happen. Many of the components are in place orar e in the process of being addressed . These include FERC's Jurisdictionover wh olesale rates and transmission tariffs; and the historic December1998 California Public Utilities Commission's decision, at the urging ofthe California Alliance for Distributed Energy Resources (CADER), tobegin a rulemaking on Distributed Generation.With the federal role being solidified and definitive and progres-siv e rules expected from the initiative in California and other states, thefocu s now shifts to the practical side of retail competition. In a nutshell,th e mak e-or-br eak of fully competitive retail markets rests in Internetappliances and the start-up firms that are developing them .

Ishi's Brain

Next article No AccessCommentaryIshi's Brainby Nancy Rockafellar and Orin Starnby Nancy Rockafellar Search for more articles by this author and Orin Starn1Campus Oral History Project, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, Calif. 94143/Department of Cultural Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, N.C. 27708, U.S.A. Among others, we thank for their help Arthur Angle, Dorothy Bainton, Richard Burrill, Walter Finkbeiner, Robert Fishman, Thomas Killion, Lauren Lassleben, Karen Mudar, Frank Norick, Jed Riffe, Stuart Speaker, George Stocking, and Gerald Vizenor. Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Current Anthropology Volume 40, Number 4August/October 1999 Sponsored by the Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/200038 Views: 178Total views on this site Citations: 2Citations are reported from Crossref © 1999 by The Wenner‐Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research. All rights reservedPDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:María Luz Endere Cacique Inakayal. La primera restitución de restos humanos ordenada por ley, Corpus , no.Vol 1, No 1Vol 1, No 1 (Jun 2011).https://doi.org/10.4000/corpusarchivos.937M. Steven Shackley The Stone Tool Technology of Ishi and the Yana of North Central California: Inferences for Hunter-Gatherer Cultural Identity in Historic California, American Anthropologist 102, no.44 (Dec 2000): 693–712.https://doi.org/10.1525/aa.2000.102.4.693

Ishi's Brain

Next article No AccessCommentaryIshi's Brainby Nancy Rockafellar and Orin Starnby Nancy Rockafellar Search for more articles by this author and Orin Starn1Campus Oral History Project, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, Calif. 94143/Department of Cultural Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, N.C. 27708, U.S.A. Among others, we thank for their help Arthur Angle, Dorothy Bainton, Richard Burrill, Walter Finkbeiner, Robert Fishman, Thomas Killion, Lauren Lassleben, Karen Mudar, Frank Norick, Jed Riffe, Stuart Speaker, George Stocking, and Gerald Vizenor. Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Current Anthropology Volume 40, Number 4August/October 1999 Sponsored by the Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/200038 Views: 178Total views on this site Citations: 2Citations are reported from Crossref © 1999 by The Wenner‐Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research. All rights reservedPDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:María Luz Endere Cacique Inakayal. La primera restitución de restos humanos ordenada por ley, Corpus , no.Vol 1, No 1Vol 1, No 1 (Jun 2011).https://doi.org/10.4000/corpusarchivos.937M. Steven Shackley The Stone Tool Technology of Ishi and the Yana of North Central California: Inferences for Hunter-Gatherer Cultural Identity in Historic California, American Anthropologist 102, no.44 (Dec 2000): 693–712.https://doi.org/10.1525/aa.2000.102.4.693

Earthquake Hazard After a Mainshock in California

After a strong earthquake, the possibility of the occurrence of either significant aftershocks or an even stronger mainshock is a continuing hazard that threatens the resumption of critical services and reoccupation of essential but partially damaged structures. A stochastic parametric model allows determination of probabilities for aftershocks and larger mainshocks during intervals following the mainshock. The probabilities depend strongly on the model parameters, which are estimated with Bayesian statistics from both the ongoing aftershock sequence and from a suite of historic California aftershock sequences. Probabilities for damaging aftershocks and greater mainshocks are typically well-constrained after the first day of the sequence, with accuracy increasing with time.

Remain to Be Seen: Historic California Houses Open to the Public

Remain to Be Seen: Historic California Houses Open to the Public