Reading Notes W4: "Yellow Bird", Part A

The author John Rollin Ridge is considered to be one of the first Native Americans to write a story. This story is called The Life and Adventures of Joaquin Murieta, the Celebrated California Bandit. Ridge often signs his stories as "Yellow Bird," the English version of his tribal name. Ridge was born to a Cherokee father and a white mother and attended school in New England. By the 1850's, Ridge found his way to California, and during the Gold Rush he began to write for periodicals. Ridge became fascinated with a Mexican bandit named Joaquin Murieta led him to writing this novel. It is debated whether or not everything Ridge says in his novel is true about Joaquin Murieta, but he still managed to write a gripping story nonetheless

Joaquin Murieta is of Mexican Descent and was born in Sonora, Mexico. Murieta was born to respected parent but his parents did not like the status of Mexico during this time period. Murieta was fascinated with american culture, and decided at eighteen years old that he wanted to move to California to give the now booming industry known as the gold rush. Murietas fascination with America quickly changed once he actually arrived to America. Murieta had a lot of luck with mining when he arrived in California, and the natives did not like this at all. Murieta experienced countless racism and hatred from the white people. This ridicule escalated so badly that Murieta was eventually tied up and beaten while his wife was brutally raped in front of him. Next, Murieta recieved a gift of a horse from his half-brother. Again, the white people hated Murieta and accused him of stealing the hose. Murieta claimed his innocence but to no avail, and the mob of white people tied him to a tree, whipped him, and then his half-brother was hanged for the crime of theft. It was at this point that Murieta's hatred of Americans and their ways went beyond his breaking point and Murieta wanted his revenge. Murieta rounded up a gang of other Mexican born men and created a gang of banditos. Murieta and his gang including Mannuel Garcia, Pedro Gonzales, and a few other people began stealing horses and murdering people to get what they wanted. Those who wronged Murieta started turning up dead and news of these bandits began to spread quickly, frightening the men who ever crossed paths with Murieta. It was at this point that Murieta turned the tides on the racist men that held him down, and made a name for himself as a bandit out for blood.