Master’s Thesis Anthropology: Gustavo Adolfo Flores Santis (completed Fall 2014)

Faculty Committee Members: Dr. Charlotte Sunseri (Chair), Dr. Roberto Gonzalez, Dr. Damien Bacich and Mr. Alan Leventhal

Background/Abstract: Gustavo’s study focused on how secular, governmental, and ecclesiastical Hispanic Empire institutions influenced the response and resistance of San Francisco Native American groups from 1769 to 1846. This project draws on late 18th and early 19th century primary Spanish documents and secondary sources to help understand the context of indigenous people’s adaptive and response behaviors during this period as well as the nuances of their perspective and experience. Using both electronic and physical documents from a number of archival databases, primary Spanish documents were translated and correlated with baptismal and death mission records. This allowed for formulating alternative perspectives and putting indigenous response and resistance into context. The results of this study indicated that when acts of resistance to the colonial mission system led by charismatic Native American leaders are placed into chronological order, it appears these responses did not consist of isolated incidents. Rather, they appear to be connected through complex networks of communication and organization, and formal Native American armed resistance grew more intensive over time.

Part of Gustavo’s study presented background information and ramifications of three significant Native American resistance leaders and their revolts spanning from 1821 to 1839: Pomponio an alcalde from Mission Dolores in San Francisco, Estanislao the alcalde from Mission San José and Yozcolo an alcalde from Mission Santa Clara.

Recent Accomplishments and Projects: Gustavo has worked on various lithic (stone tool) collections at SJSU. In 2013 presented a summary of his study at the Southwestern Anthropological Association (SWAA) conference in Orange County. He has also worked on the Roberto/Suñol Adobe project with Judge Paul Bernal. More recently he has been hired as an archaeological field technician with Holman and Associates and has been excavating at CA-SMA-78 in the City of Hillsborough. He is currently involved with researching and translating 19th Century Spanish primary documents for the Bay Area Cultural Landscape Research Group (BACLRG), a collaboration between Foothill College, Stanford University, and Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space District. Gustavo is also working in collaboration with Native American archaeologist Dr. Michael Wilcox from Stanford. Recently (Fall 2014) Gustavo has been hired to teach Introduction to Cultural Anthropology at Evergreen Valley College. He was hired by another SJSU Anthropology Alum Arturo Villarreal who has been teaching fulltime at EVC for many years.