The fantasy says civilization rescued him.

The history says a museum gave him refuge while also turning him into a public exhibit and research subject.

The fantasy says scientists preserved everything that could be saved.

The history says they preserved priceless knowledge while also participating in systems that violated his autonomy.

The fantasy says his death marked the end.

The history says Native communities were still there, and decades later they forced institutions to return what had been taken.

Ishi’s face remains one of the most recognizable Native portraits from early twentieth-century California.

That recognition creates responsibility.

A viewer should not see a generic symbol of “the Indian.”

They should see a specific man from a specific history.