Juana Maria, also known as the Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island, was a Native American woman from the Nicoleño tribe who lived alone on San Nicolas Island, off the coast of Southern California, for 18 years during the 19th century.
As the Indigenous inhabitants, the Nicoleño lived in relative isolation for centuries and developed a unique culture and way of life that adapted to the island’s remote environment. They built canoes, were skilled fishers and likely interacted with other indigenous groups in Southern California through trade.
But like many Indigenous communities throughout the Americas, the Nicoleño population was vulnerable to diseases introduced by Europeans, to which they had no immunity. Unsurprisingly the population experienced a dramatic decline and by the 1830s, Spanish and Mexican authorities began relocating them to the mainland, where they could be more easily controlled.
As the story goes, during an evacuation, Juana Maria was accidentally left behind. Another rumour was that she jumped off a vessel because she thought her younger brother had been left behind on the island. Given that few people could speak her language when she was eventually found, it’s difficult to ascertain her motives.
She spent 18 years alone on San Nicolas Island, and much of her time during that period is a mix of mystery and educated guesses based on archaeology and the island’s environment. Historical accounts suggest Juana Maria built shelters from materials such as whale bones and seal hides, and archaeologists found a cave on the island that might have served as one of her homes. She also made clothing from animal skins and bird feathers.
For almost 2 decades, Juana Maria relied on the island’s resources to sustain herself, hunting sea mammals and gathering shellfish. But did she ever try to leave? No documented evidence suggests she made attempts to construct a raft or boat, but this could’ve been down to not having the know-how. Perhaps she assumed that someone would eventually return for her, and kept up this assumption as the years went on. And ultimately there may have been a risk analysis coming in to play. Juana Maria was well-adapted to the island’s environment and may have felt that her survival prospects were better at home (even if she was alone) than facing the uncertainty of the sea. So rather than trying to leave, it seems her focus was to survive and adapt to her circumstances.
Based on sightings and rumours, stories about a ‘lone woman’ living on San Nicolas Island has been talked about among sailors and traders over the years. Captain George Nidever, a fur trader and rancher, decided to investigate, and on one of their visits they found footsteps and drying pieces of seal blubber; a sign of human activity.
Then in the autumn of 1853, Nidever and his crew finally encountered Juana Maria. Reports differ about how she reacted. Some accounts suggest she was wary and apprehensive, while other suggest she was warm and welcoming. But after acclimatising to the group’s presence, she led them to her camp, which was well-made with shelters constructed from whale bones and driftwood.
Juana Maria agreed to return to the mainland with Nidever’s crew. she was taken to Santa Barbara, California, where she lived with Nidever’s family. Communication was difficult because very few people could understand her language but she was reportedly fascinated by the people, animals, and technologies she encountered, all of which were new to her after her prolonged isolation. Horses were a particular fascination, along with European clothing and food. She was frequently seen smiling.
Unfortunately, Juana Maria’s health quickly deteriorated after her arrival. Having lived in isolation, she had developed no immunity to the diseases common on the mainland. Within seven weeks of her arrival, she contracted an illness, possibly dysentery or tuberculosis, and died on October 19, 1853.
