Juan Dolores facts for kids

Juan Dolores (June 24, 1880 – July 19, 1948) was an important Tohono O'odham Native American man. He was one of the first linguists to study the O'odham language. He was also the first person to write down traditional Tohono O'odham fables and myths.

Juan Dolores worked with Alfred L. Kroeber to create the first studies of O'odham grammar. This work was later published in a book called The Language of the Papago of Arizona. He also wrote his own notes for the University of California.

Juan Dolores's Early Life

Juan Dolores was born on June 24, 1880. He was born in the Arizona Territory, close to the Mexican-American border. When he was young, his father, José Dolores, moved the family. They moved to the Papago Reservation near Tucson, Arizona.

This move allowed Juan to go to a government school. He grew up speaking the Koló:di dialect of the O'odham language. He also learned Spanish from his mother and English at school. After his schooling, Dolores moved to New Mexico and then to Lawrence, Kansas.

College Years

For college, Juan Dolores went to the Hampton Institute in Hampton, Virginia. He started there in October 1898 when he was 18. He graduated on December 9, 1901, at age 21. His studies included summer farm work. This work sent students to New England and other nearby states. Dolores stayed at the Institute for an extra year. He took a post-graduate business course in 1902.

After finishing college, Dolores moved back west. He worked as a construction worker across the Western United States.

Working with Linguists

Juan Dolores first met A. L. Kroeber around 1909. They met in San Francisco, California. Kroeber asked Dolores to help him learn about the O'odham language. Kroeber said Dolores "agreed cheerfully" and became very interested.

Kroeber spent about a month studying the language. Then, he taught Dolores how to write O'odham himself. After learning, Dolores wrote many studies about the O'odham language. He also worked as a guard at the Museum of Anthropology at the University of California, Berkeley.

Research and Collaboration

Later, from 1918 to 1919, Dolores became a "Research Fellow" for the university. He continued his documentation work. In 1919, a linguist named John Alden Mason met Dolores. Mason was working on a project called The Language of the Papago of Arizona. Dolores helped Mason a lot with this important project.

Juan Dolores often balanced his university work with other jobs. This was because of pay. In 1936, he went to Chicago, Illinois. He participated in a study about Mexican labor. In 1937, he spent time in Arizona with his family. Later that year, he returned to Berkeley permanently. He worked at the Museum of Anthropology until he retired.

Later Life and Passing

Juan Dolores continued working at the Museum of Anthropology. He retired on June 30, 1948, because of his age. He returned to Tucson, Arizona, to live with his grandnieces. He passed away on July 19, 1948. He was buried in Vamori, Arizona.

Juan Dolores's Written Works

Juan Dolores's main work was writing down the O'odham language. He wrote several important papers. These included Papago Verb Stems, Papago Noun Stems, Papago Nicknames, and Notes on Papago Color Designations. He also helped John Alden Mason with The Language of the Papago of Arizona.

Besides language, Dolores also documented other parts of O'odham culture. He rewrote old fables. These included stories like the Creation myth, the Ho'ok Story, and The Coyote and the Skunk. He also wrote down many oral stories directly. These included different versions of the Creation myth, traditional songs, speeches, and even his own life story.