Cliff Trafzer’s new book uses oral tradition to offer an alternate interpretation of ‘The Last Western Manhunt’
More than a century ago, a Romeo and Juliet-esque tragedy unfolded in the desert southwest. The antagonist, Willie Boy, shot and killed the shaman, William Mike, and eloped with William Mike’s daughter, Carlota, who met her demise at the hands of the pursuing posse.
The story has been framed and reframed for generations from the settler perspective, including the Harry Lawton book “Willie Boy” and a 1969 Hollywood movie starring Robert Redford and Robert Blake. The resulting narrative has endured in large part because cultural law has prevented the Chemehuevi community from speaking of the dead.
Clifford E. Trafzer, distinguished professor of history and Costo Chair in American Indian Affairs at UC Riverside, explores this fateful saga from the perspective of the Native community in his book, “Willie Boy & The Last Western Manhunt.”
Boy meets girl
Willie Boy was born into a Nuwuvi family in the Chemehuevi Valley in 1882. He entered the world at a contentious time as more white settlers pressed into the area in search of gold, land, and opportunities. Willie Boy learned the values of his culture as he walked the path of his ancestors. He also adapted to the white culture, learning English and working alongside white ranchers. As he grew, the cultural tug-of-war led to the misstep that set tragedy in motion.
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