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Lone Woman from the Island of the Blue Dolphins

Lone Woman from the Island

Island of the Blue Dolphins. A girl’s incredible adventure on a lost island

Lone Woman from the Island of the Blue Dolphins
Juana Maria was Nicoleno Indian woman (born before 1811), who survived on the San Nicolas Island for more than 18 years. Abandoned and alone, in the 19th century, she became the inspiration for Scott O’Dell to pen the 1960 novel that won the Newbery Medal and became required reading in many California schools. Island of the Blue Dolphins was adapted into a film of the same name in 1964. «The incredible true life adventure of a young girl, who survived the dangers of a lost island!». In 2012 a Naval archeologist Steve Schwartz has found that cave, which he had been searching for more than 20 years.

Rene Vellanoweth, of Cal State-Los Angeles, shows a cave he has identified on San Nicolas Island where he believes Juana Maria, the Lone Woman of San Nicolas famous from Island of the Blue Dolphins, lived for 18 years

Rene Vellanoweth

Rene Vellanoweth, of Cal State-Los Angeles, shows a cave he has identified on San Nicolas Island where he believes Juana Maria, the Lone Woman of San Nicolas famous from Island of the Blue Dolphins, lived for 18 years.
Rene Vellanoweth, of Cal State-Los Angeles, shows a cave he has identified on San Nicolas Island where he believes Juana Maria, the Lone Woman of San Nicolas famous from Island of the Blue Dolphins, lived for 18 years.

The tribe was decimated in 1814 by sea otter hunters from Russian Alaska. By 1835, less than a dozen Nicolenos lived on the island. At that time, the Santa Barbara Mission arranged a rescue operation which brought to the mainland all Nicolenos but the Lone Woman.

A time or two, fishermen reported seeing a fleeting figure on the deserted island. In 1850, a padre at the Santa Barbara Mission commissioned a sea captain to find her.

The captain sailed to the island but found nothing to indicate the woman was still alive. However, his account of the plentiful seals and sea otters piqued the interest of George Nidever, a Santa Barbara rancher and fur trader. In 1852, Nidever found footprints on the beach. The next year, he found the Lone Woman.

The woman, who was skinning a seal when she was found, shared some roasted roots with Nidever and his men. She was staying above rolling dunes, in a hut she’d built from whale bones and brush.

After a month on the island with Nidever and his crew, the Lone Woman left her home for Nidever’s in Santa Barbara. Native Americans and priests who spoke various Indian tongues couldn’t understand the songs she sang or the four words she used repeatedly.

But she was adept in signs. She indicated that wild dogs had devoured the baby she’d gone back to retrieve. But her grief was long past, and in Santa Barbara she seemed curious and happy. Nidever turned down offers to display her in San Francisco.

After seven weeks, she died of dysentery. “The food of civilization, of which she partook in excess, did not agree with her,” said the Times in 1899.

Lone Woman from the Island of the Blue Dolphins

Cave on San Nicolas Island

Cave on San Nicolas Island

Juana Maria

Juana Maria

Mission Santa Barbara by Carelton Watkins, 1876

Mission Santa Barbara by Carelton Watkins, 1876

the Island of the Blue Dolphins

the Island of the Blue Dolphins

the Island of the Blue Dolphins

The view of the Island of the Blue Dolphins

Old Photo, Juana Maria

Old Photo, Juana Maria

Lone Woman from the Island of the Blue Dolphins

Lone Woman from the Island of the Blue Dolphins

Lone Woman from the Island of the Blue Dolphins

Poster. Lone Woman from the Island of the Blue Dolphins

Juana Maria

Aged Juana Maria

San Nicolas Island

San Nicolas Island

On her deathbed, the Lone Woman was baptized and named Juana Maria. Juana Maria is buried at the Santa Barbara Mission

On her deathbed, the Lone Woman was baptized and named Juana Maria. Juana Maria is buried at the Santa Barbara Mission

Zia. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell. It was published in 1976, sixteen years after the publication of the first novel

Zia. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell. It was published in 1976, sixteen years after the publication of the first novel

Movie poster. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

Movie poster. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell

Movie poster. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

One of the posters. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell

1964 film Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

1964 film Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell

Island of the Blue Dolphins

Based on Scott O’Dell Island of the Blue Dolphins film, poster

Sculptural composition depicting a girl and a dog

Sculptural composition depicting a girl and a dog

sources
kinopoisk.ru
wikipedia.org/wiki/Juana_Maria