cushing @ zuni, ca. 1881-82., john k. hillers
cushing invited powell join james stevenson anthropological expedition new mexico. group traveled rail end of line @ las vegas, new mexico, on zuni pueblo. fascinated culture, cushing gained permission stay @ pueblo. went native , living zuni 1879 1884, , becoming anthropology s first participant observer. (this credit assigned bronisław malinowski, work trobriand islanders did not take place until more 30 years following cushing s stay @ zuni.)
after initial difficulties (the zuni considered killing him after sacred secrets), cushing accepted community. adopted governor of pueblo , participated in zuni activities. in 1881 cushing initiated warrior society, priesthood of bow. received zuni name tenatsali, meaning medicine flower.
he told zuni folk tales , legends own culture. in addition, in 1882 took zuni father , fellow bow members on tour eastern united states show them culture. journey attracted considerable press attention, there great interest in american indians of west. cushing considered tour part of called reciprocal method , introduce anthropological subjects own culture, had introduced him theirs (green 1990:166). century ahead of other practitioners of process, called reflexive anthropology .
during tour cushing married emily tennison of washington, d.c. wife , sister returned him , party zuni.
cushing became embroiled in political intrigue. in 1877, president rutherford b. hayes had signed bill designating boundaries of new zuni reservation. 1 800-acre (3.2 km) section of zuni territory, called nutria valley, had been left out. 3 land speculators, including major w. f. tucker, arrived in zuni in late 1882 claim parcel cattle ranching operation. angered zunis appealed cushing help, , wrote letters newspapers in chicago , boston in defense. major tucker s father-in-law senator john a. logan illinois, influential in republican party , become vice presidential candidate in 1884. though administration of president chester a. arthur redefined zuni boundaries in 1883 correct nutria valley omission, damage cushing s position had been done.
senator logan resented reputation being tarnished in land grab imbroglio. u.s. senator, threatened director john wesley powell of bureau of american ethnology funding cuts if cushing s stay in zuni not terminated. cushing forced return washington, ending landmark efforts among new mexico natives.
cushing returned zuni briefly in 1886 personal , health problems ruined stay. succeeded leader of hemenway southwestern archaeological expedition archaeologist , ethnologist j. walter fewkes.
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