Paul Apodaca facts for kids
Paul Apodaca was born in Los Angeles, California. He is a retired professor of Anthropology (the study of human societies and cultures) and American Studies at Chapman University. This means he used to teach there and still holds a special title. He is known for his work helping people understand Native American cultures.
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Paul Apodaca's Early Life and Education
Apodaca was born in Los Angeles and grew up in Tustin, California. His father's family came from the eastern part of the Navajo Reservation. They belonged to the Ma'ii deeshgiishinii Clan, also known as the Jemez Clan. His mother's family are Mixton.
Paul Apodaca studied at the University of California, Los Angeles. He earned two advanced degrees there. He received a master's degree in American Indian studies. He also got a doctorate degree in Folklore and Mythology. In 1996, he was recognized as the Outstanding Graduate Student. Today, Apodaca lives in Orange, California.
Paul Apodaca's Professional Work
Paul Apodaca has had an interesting career. He has worked as a professor, a museum expert, and an advisor on Native American culture.
Teaching and Advising
Apodaca is a retired professor of Anthropology and American Studies at Chapman University. He also teaches as a visiting professor at UCLA. He has worked as an advisor for the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Indian. He represented the California, Nevada, and Utah regions.
For 17 years, Apodaca was a curator at the Bowers Museum in Orange County. A curator is someone who manages and organizes museum collections.
In 2008, Apodaca was a special lecturer at the Southwest Museum of the American Indian. This museum is part of the Autry National Center. He gave talks on topics like "The Mayan end of the World?" and "Unravelling the mystery of cogged stones used in early California." He also spoke about "Imagery and reality: the role of American Indians in film and television."
Also in 2008, Apodaca was a main speaker at a conference for Native American professionals at the University of California.
Apodaca helped find and restore old recordings of traditional bird songs. These songs were from the Agua Caliente tribal leaders, Joe Patencio and Alvino Siva. These songs are part of the Cahuilla oral literature. The recordings are now kept at the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum in Palm Springs.
Cultural Advisor for Entertainment
Apodaca has advised many organizations on Native American culture. He was a selector for the NMAI Native American Film and Video Festival. He was also a board member for the California Council for the Humanities. He has worked with the Arizona Commission on the Arts and the California Arts Council.
He was a consultant on Indian culture for places like Knott's Berry Farm and the Walt Disney Company. He also worked as a technical advisor for the TV mini-series, Lonesome Dove (1989).
Apodaca was a creative consultant for the Disney film, Planes: Fire and Rescue (2004). He helped create the character Windlifter. Windlifter is a heavy-lift helicopter shown as an American Indian. Apodaca helped with Windlifter's design. He also helped with a part of the script where Windlifter tells an American Indian folktale. This story was about how Coyote was renewed by fire.
Apodaca, along with Henry Koerper and Jon Erikson, helped pass a California state law. This law made an 8,000-year-old carving of a bear the official California State Prehistoric Artifact. This carving is now on the list of California state symbols.
Writing and Editing
Apodaca has also worked as an editor. He was a contributing editor for News from Native California. He edited the Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology. He has also advised publishers like Pearson Scott Foresman. Apodaca is on the editorial board of Malki Museum Press.
Performing Artist
Paul Apodaca has also shared his talents as a performer. He performed spoken word with The Dave Brubeck Quartet in 2009. This was part of a festival celebrating the 50th anniversary of Brubeck's famous album, Time Out.
Apodaca also appeared in a special feature on the DVD of the film, Knowing (2009). In this feature, he talked about the cultural meaning of apocalypse myths.
He performed music for the Academy Award-winning film, Broken Rainbow (1986). This documentary helped stop the forced movement of 12,000 Navajos in northern Arizona.
Awards and Honors
Paul Apodaca has received many awards for his work:
- Orange County Human Rights Award in 1971.
- Native American Journalists Association award in 1997. This was for his article California tongues: language revival as basis for cultural renaissance.
- Mary Smith Lockwood National Medal for Education in 1999. This award came from the Daughters of the American Revolution.
- Little Eagle Free Foundation Man of the Year in 2007. This award was sponsored by the family of Walter Knott.
- Honorary Host Committee member for UCLA's 40 Years of Ethnic Studies celebration.
- Smithsonian Institution Museum Professional Award.
