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Georgia

Dec 10, 2007, 7:59 AM

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"1491" .. a great read, with valuable insights

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I am presently reading a book entitled, "1491" ... and, no, that's not a typo. It was written by Charles C. Mann and goes a long way to explain why Mexicans do not celebrate Columbus Day.

Among the other fascinating pieces of interest about life in the Americas before the arrival of Columbus, there is a great deal of information on the way the Spanish missionaries sort of "added on" or "gilded" the indigenous religions with the trappings, but not the intrinsic dogma, of Roman Catholicism here. Years ago, when I was in graduate school, I did a paper on the similarities between the pre-Columbian religions and catholicism. So, I see now why it was so easy for the indigenous people to simply add on another layer to their pre-existing religious practices and beliefs. One has only to look at the names of towns to see how the missionaries accomplished this transformation in part: for example, if a town's feast day were near to the date a saint's day was celebrated, they would simply add the saint's name to the indian name, a celebration would be held on or near the original feast day and ... voila: part of the religious melding had occurred. Think: San Juan Cosala, San Pedro Tlaquepaque, San Antonio Tlayacapan, etc. etc.

As a somewhat strayed catholic, when I do attend mass here I feel disquieted. This is not the church of my youth in Europe and the US. This is different. Not better, not worse. Different.

I wonder if any of you practicing Catholics here in Mexico note the differenaces as the religion is practiced by the Mexicans, not by immigrants such as ourselves?

NEOhio1

Dec 10, 2007, 4:50 PM

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Re: [Georgia] "1491" .. a great read, with valuable insights

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This is a hearty "second" for the book and it is a fascinating read. Of particular interest to me was the socio-geographic organization from Central America up into the New England US.

Its just one of those books that has you saying, "Wow, wow, wow" on every page. New and thought provoking information about everything....what they didn't want you to know.

Rolly

Dec 10, 2007, 4:55 PM

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Re: [Georgia] "1491" .. a great read, with valuable insights

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Thanks for the info. I just ordered it.

Rolly Pirate

GueroPaz

Dec 10, 2007, 8:35 PM

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Re: [Rolly] "1491" .. a great read, with valuable insights

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I'm not a good reader (adult attention deficit), and I don't know how to mail-order books to Thailand, so I'll have to continue without reading the book, thanks.

I worshiped with Catholic mestizos in San Cristobal, and with Catholic indigenas in rural Chiapas. However, not having been to mass much (I'm Protestant/evangelico), it's hard to compare it to the Chicago area in the 1950's, when my stepmother dragged us to mass. Nor have the Catholic masses in English, here in Thailand, moved me much. Nothing, however, has moved my soul/spirit more than the memorial mass at Acteal when Padres Diego y Pablo spoke at the massacre site, holding up the bread and wine, saying "This is my body, broken here; this is my blood, spilled on this holy ground." By far, the Catholic event of my life, in the open air, dirt floor, bare-benches, incense all around, Mayas in tunics and long blue skirts.....if that's Mexican Catholic, I'll take it.

Oscar2

Dec 10, 2007, 9:00 PM

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Re: [Georgia] "1491" .. a great read, with valuable insights

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During and before the period addressed in this fascinating book, Mann concludes that approximated 100 million worked/farmed the land of the Americas. Of which 95% of the pre-Columbian population was decimated by European diseases.

Their 200 years absence restored the unfarmed land to what they referred to later as a new land not only teaming with wild life but also rich with untouched pristine forests. It’s an amazing read still sold at Costco NoB.

I’m not sure if online Costco delivers to Mexico?

(This post was edited by Oscar2 on Dec 10, 2007, 9:10 PM)