A person surviving after repeated massacres did not have the luxury of maintaining the anthropologist’s ideal category.

This is a broader lesson in reading Ishi’s story.

Whenever the historical record produces a complicated fact, the old myth tries to simplify it.

If he adapted to San Francisco, the myth says he became “civilized.”

If he used traditional tools, the myth says he remained “primitive.”

If his technique resembles a neighboring group, the myth questions whether he was “really” Yahi.

These categories reveal more about the observers than the man.

Ishi’s life crossed boundaries because history forced him to.

The University Preserved His Culture While Helping Build The Myth Around Him

The University of California’s role in Ishi’s life remains one of the most difficult parts of the story to evaluate.