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Brian Jay Jones in his biography of George Lucas, George Lucas: A Life (2016), tells that in May 1975, while writing an early six-page synopsis of Star Wars, George Lucas read The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge, a work of anthropology and Sci-Fi by American author Carlos Castañeda.

Then, in August 1975, Lucas finished a third draft of Star Wars, the first to feature a character named General Ben Kenobi. About him, Lucas wrote..."Old man can do magic, read minds, talk to things like Don Juan".

In Castaneda's book, Don Juan is a Yaqui sorcerer and shaman.

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    "About him, Lucas wrote..."Old man can do magic, read minds, talk to things like Don Juan"." Doesn't this answer your question in the affirmative?
    – Wiggo the Wookie
    Mar 19 at 22:27
  • @WiggotheWookie - Probably, but I don't think one unique recent book, after almost 50 years, should suffice as an authoritative source to confirm Kenobi's origin. It could be other references out there about this topic.
    – Bingo Mehndra
    Mar 19 at 22:34
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    Obi-Juan Kenobi? Twist!
    – Paul D. Waite
    Mar 20 at 1:27
  • You appear to have Jones's book, so was there a footnote referencing his source for this?
    – Spencer
    Mar 20 at 16:21
  • @Spencer - I don't have the book. It is mentioned in a reissue of a special 2021 edition of Life magazine "George Lucas and the Making of Star Wars" 45th Anniversary.
    – Bingo Mehndra
    Mar 21 at 1:51

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