Francisco Johnson Oral History
Collection
Identifier: MSS-1073-SC
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of four interviews conducted with Francisco Johnson of the Tohono O’odham nation, a native speaker of the Ko:lodi Tohono O’odham language variant and a scu-wu:sotatkam (healing singer). Mr. Johnson was approximately 75 years old at the time of the interviews, which were conducted circa 1968 by an unidentified linguistics student. The interviewer asks questions in English with Tohono O’odham speaker Laura Kermin translating. In the interviews, Mr. Johnson discusses topics such as his early life, including where his family lived in different seasons; working with horses and the Civilian Conservation Corps; O’odham medicinal practices, including relation to American doctors; singing curing songs for healing, including the use of effigies; and the origins and causes of O’odham illnesses and why they don’t affect Americans. Mr. Johnson also names and sings a number of songs and explains how he learned them. The collection includes summary and commentary for each interview created in 2020 by Robert Cruz of the Tohono O’odham nation.
Dates
- 1968
Language of Materials
The majority of the content of the interviews is in the Tohono O'odham language.
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Copy Restrictions
Limited duplication of CSWR material is allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for compliance with all copyright, privacy, and libel laws. Permission is required for publications or distribution.
Biographical / Historical
Francisco Johnson was a native speaker of the Ko:lodi Tohono O’odham language variant and a scu-wu:sotatkam, a "healing singer (always singing)”, who sings curing songs for healing. He was born about 1896 at Gi:k Wo’o, “Plow Laying” or “Plow Pond”, on the Tohono O’odham Nation Reservation and lived there until he was about seventeen years old. His family moved to Kuk (Tecolote), Arizona on the Reservation during the winter and in the summer the family lived at Gohi Ke:k (Mulberry Stand) near Baboquivari Mountain. As a young man, Johnson stayed with his grandmother and worked with horses to haul water. Johnson moved to Sells, Arizona when he began working with the Civilian Conservation Corps circa 1935.
Extent
1 Folder : Contains 4 CDs and 1 folder
Processing Information
The original four reel-to-reel tapes were converted to CDs for researcher use; the master reel-to-reel tapes are stored on B3.
Source
- Kerman, Laura (Translator, Person)
- Title
- Finding Aid of the
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the UNM Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections Repository
Contact:
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451