Stephen Powers (1840–1904) was an American journalist, ethnographer, and historian of Native American tribes in California. He traveled extensively to study and learn about their cultures, and wrote notable accounts of them. His articles were first published over a series of years in the ''

Overland Monthly The ''Overland Monthly'' was a monthly literary and cultural magazine, based in California, United States. It was founded in 1868 and published between the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. History The '' ...

'' journal, but collected in ''The Tribes of California'' (1877) published by the US Geological Survey.

Early years

Stephen Powers was born in

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. He attended and graduated from the University of Michigan in 1863. During the American Civil War years, Powers served as a Union Army correspondent for the ''Cincinnati Commercial'' newspaper. In 1869 Powers left Ohio for the West. He walked across the

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and Western United States to his destination of San Francisco, California. After arriving, Powers wrote about his experiences and observations, and had his book published in 1871.

California Native Americans

Between 1871 and 1876, Stephen Powers traveled thousands of miles on foot and horseback through the

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, Central Coast, and great Central Valley regions of California. Powers become very familiar with the various distinctive Native Californian Indian population groups and tribes. He studied their lives and crafts including: spiritual and religious beliefs and ceremonies; indigenous languages,

narratives A narrative, story, or tale is any account of a series of related events or experiences, whether nonfictional (memoir, biography, news report, documentary, travelogue, etc.) or fictional (fairy tale, fable, legend, thriller, novel, etc.). Narra ...

and mythology; art forms of

basketry Basket weaving (also basketry or basket making) is the process of weaving or sewing pliable materials into three-dimensional artifacts, such as baskets, mats, mesh bags or even furniture. Craftspeople and artists specialized in making baskets ...

rock art In archaeology, rock art is human-made markings placed on natural surfaces, typically vertical stone surfaces. A high proportion of surviving historic and prehistoric rock art is found in caves or partly enclosed rock shelters; this type also ...

, carvings, pottery and weaving; dwellings and belongings. He also studied their ways of interacting with plants and animals for food, clothing, medicines, and tools. Powers observed and documented their adaptations to circumstances from a hundred years of homeland invasions by Spanish, Mexican, and European-American immigrants settling on their land, and the resulting consequences. Stephen Powers published his diverse ethnographic studies in a series of articles, which appeared primarily in the ''

'' journal from 1872-1877.

''Tribes of California''

Stephen Powers subsequently reworked his ''Tribes of California'' articles, notes and other material for a book's publication. It was published in 1877 as part of the federally sponsored ''Geographical and Geological Survey of the Rocky Mountain Region'' series edited by the renowned western geologist John Wesley Powell, then Director of the Geological Survey of the Department of Interior, as well as the Bureau of Ethnological Studies at the Smithsonian Institution. Alfred L. Kroeber, an

anthropologist An anthropologist is a person engaged in the practice of anthropology. Anthropology is the study of aspects of humans within past and present societies. Social anthropology, cultural anthropology and philosophical anthropology study the norms and ...

, director of the University of California, Berkeley's Museum of Anthropology and the dean of Native Californian ethnologists, said Stephen Powers' book ''Tribes of California'': "..., it will always remain the best introduction to the subject."

Legacy

His book and articles are held by his alma mater, the University of Michigan, which has put them online as part of the ''Making of America'' collaboration among major universities.

References

External links

* ;Stephen Powers' "Overland Monthly" articles Available on-line for the following cultural groups: * Karuk -�
"Overland-Karuk (1)""Overland-Karuk (2)"
* Yurok —�
"Overland-Yurok"
*

Hupa Hupa (Yurok language term: Huep'oola' / Huep'oolaa = "Hupa people") are a Native American people of the Athabaskan-speaking ethnolinguistic group in northwestern California. Their endonym is Natinixwe, also spelled Natinook-wa, meaning "Peopl ...

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"Overland-Hupa"
* Yuki —�
"Overland-Yuki"
* Pomo —�
"Overland-Pomo"
* Miwok —�
"Overland-Miwok"
*

Modoc Modoc may refer to: Ethnic groups *Modoc people, a Native American/First Nations people ** Modoc language **Modoc Tribe of Oklahoma, a federally recognized tribe of Modoc *Modoc War, the last armed resistance of the Modoc people in 1873 *The "Mo ...

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"Overland-Modoc"
* Yokuts —�
"Overland-Yokuts"
* Maidu —�
"Overland-Nisenan (Maiduan)"
*

Achumawi Achomawi (also Achumawi, Ajumawi and Ahjumawi), are the northerly nine (out of eleven) bands of the Pit River tribe of Palaihnihan Native Americans who live in what is now northeastern California in the United States. These 5 autonomous bands ...

, Achomawi, Yana people —�
"Overland-various groups"
*

Wintu The Wintu (also Northern Wintun) are Native Americans who live in what is now Northern California. They are part of a loose association of peoples known collectively as the Wintun (or Wintuan). Others are the Nomlaki and the Patwin. The Wintu ...

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"Overland-Wintu"
*

Patwin The Patwin (also Patween, Southern Wintu) are a band of Wintun people native to the area of Northern California. The Patwin comprise the southern branch of the Wintun group, native inhabitants of California since approximately 500 AD. The Patwi ...

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"Overland-Patwin"
*Cultures —�
"Overland-General characteristics of the California Indians"

(after A.L. Kroeber 1925). Adapted from Heizer (1966: Map 4), California Prehistory Website. {{DEFAULTSORT:Powers, Stephen American anthropologists American ethnologists Historians of Native Americans Native American history of California 1840 births 1904 deaths University of Michigan alumni Journalists from Ohio People from Waterford, Ohio Historians from Ohio 19th-century American historians 19th-century American anthropologists