The Pima and Papago Indians
Escuela, Arizona: 1936-37. Quarto, 11.5 x 8.5", stitched, hand titled and illustrated wrappers, [26] pp. A homemade book mimeographed from handwritten text, completed in original watercolor, prepared by Fourth Grade students at the Tucson Indian Training School, a Presbyterian run boarding school in Arizona. During this era, students at the school published several books "to promote pride in their culture and ethnic heritage" ("The Tohono O'odham and Pimeria Alta", 102), however this volume appears to be entirely unpublished.
The book begins with a title page, followed by an introduction, by teacher Angeline Badger, who states that "In writing this history of the Pima and Papago Indians, every child had a part. Each child made his own history and illustrated it. The best paper, or parts of several papers were used for the different chapters of this book. Each child drew an illustration for each chapter. The class chose the picture that was to be used in this book. Different children did the manuscript writing in the original book...Our authority for many facts was the Twenty Sixth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology...Much of the information came from the children themselves, especially the chapters on the 'Foods of the Desert' and 'Basket Making'." Chapters include "The Early Pimas and Papagos," "Contact With the White Man," "The Pima Calendar", "The Pima Round House," "Foods of the Desert" (discussing the Pima and Papago diet), "Making Pottery", "Making Baskets", "Pima and Papago Homes of Today", "The Pimas and Papagos at Work" (discussing the agricultural work by the men), "The Pimas and Papagos at Play", and "How the Sahuaro and Paloverde Came to Be."
The booklet contains 21 original illustrations, all but one in color, and each initialed by the student artist. These show early pueblos, white missionaries Christianizing the early Natives, the Pima Round House, "gathering cactus fruit," making pottery and baskets, grinding corn, a Native American playing "the ball game", desert scenes, and more. The text acknowledges that "The Indians had a bad time...The worst sort of white people came to the Indians and sold them whiskey and taught them bad things." At the same time, it goes on to recognize missionary Charles H. Cook, the founder of the Tucson school, as a savior: "At that time they had no teacher. In 1871 Charles H. Cook came out to the Pimas. He was sorry for the Pimas and Papagos. He helped the sick babies and made them well he built a little adobe house near Sacaton. That was the first school for these Indians." Nothing by this title in OCLC. Inscribed "Miss Holt" to upper edge of front wrapper, lacking lower binding string, mild wear and soiling to wrappers, slight waviness to pages, mild damp staining to last few pages, in quite presentable condition overall. Item #15319
Price: $3,500.00