Emma Henkhaus, Cassandra Rice and Shena Munden “Who Killed Philip Stedman Sparkman?”
Mentor: Anne Pycha, Linguistics, Letters & Science (College of)
Poster #184
Philip Sparkman was an Englishman who moved to America at 19 years old, eventually opening a grocery store in the Luiseño Rincon reservation in southern California. He was also an amateur linguist, studying the Luiseño language. So why, on a Sunday night in 1907, did someone shoot Sparkman dead outside of his store? This research aims to dig deeper into the story of Phillip Sparkman and gain new insights into the circumstances surrounding his murder. This is primarily done using archival documents such as newspapers and correspondence with the hope of uncovering new information and producing a conjecture on the Sparkman case. Additionally, an elaboration of the Luiseño language will accompany this narrative, with the purpose of introducing the readers to the grammar of the language and exploring language change over time. The phenomenon of language change will be detailed using both Sparkman’s detailed grammar of Luiseño and later recordings of the language. This contrast provides evidence that Indigenous languages are not historical entities, combating commonly held beliefs that Indigenous cultures are ancient instead of surviving traditions. Complete grammars of languages like Sparkman’s also provide adequate sources to help language learners and aid in language reawakening efforts. As language loss frequently affects Indigenous communities due to colonization and globalization, the preservation of Luiseño can also be seen through the lens of social justice as a way to keep cultures alive.