The Extirpation of Idolatry in Peru

Pablo Joseph de Arriaga's The Extirpation of Idolatry in Peru is a fascinating report on the widespread maintenance of precolonial religious traditions and spirituality among indigenous peoples in colonial Peru. A Jesuit priest who promoted "visits" by priests to identify huacas, "sorcerers" and practitioners or observers of the pre-Christian faith, in order to destroy relics, mummies, huacas, and force "sorcerers" and those who still consulted them to cease, Arriaga is an important source on the nature of Andean indigenous religion and spirituality. For instance, one chapter provides a wealth of detail about the sorcerers or witches who plagued a coastal community, gathering at night to kill their victims through supernatural means. Supposedly, this league of witches honored a "lion" deity. 

Much of the text also describes other aspects of Andean religion, particularly the veneration accorded to huacas, mummified ancestors, and household gods or clan-affiliated gods and myths of origin. This information was considered very important for the clergy operating in these areas so they could better refute the "errors" of the Indians in the communities they served. Of course, Arriaga also reserved criticism for the Spaniards and Church, which often failed to actually educate the Indians about the fundamentals of the Catholic faith and failing to provide a good example to inculcate proper Christian values and practice. Furthermore, far too few priests actually mastered indigenous languages like Quechua or Aymara to give effective sermons or provide a fuller education to Indians about the "true" religion that they had been exposed to since the Spanish Conquest. 

While modern readers today might find much to lament or be disgusted by in Arriaga's account, it nonetheless helps us identify some of the religious practices and traditions of precolonial Peru. Unfortunately, we do not have more texts like the Huarochiri Manuscript to shed fuller light on what must have been the very detailed and regionally specific traditions, legends, fables, and huacas of more areas in colonial Peru. Arriaga's account on how the visits should work and the state of Christianity among Indians in the early 1600s helps fill in the gaps. 

L’État haïtien et ses intellectuels: socio-histoire d’un engagement politique (1801-1860)

L’État haïtien et ses intellectuels: socio-histoire d’un engagement politique (1801-1860) by Délide Joseph is an intriguing and difficult historical study. A detailed analysis of the first two generations of Haiti's intellectuals, Joseph contextualizes their development, social position and their imbrication in the highly unequal socio-political structure of postcolonial Haiti. Focused on the period from 1801 to 1860 because of 1801 marking Toussaint Louverture's autonomist constitution and support for early education initiatives and 1860 establishing the role of the Catholic Church in Haiti's education, Joseph's study raises a number of provocative questions about class, color, education, and liberalism in 19th century Haiti. The especially disturbing episode of Darfour's execution in 1822 serves as an especially illustrative demonstration of how the type of Haitian state and its intellectuals sought to consolidate an exclusionary republic which maintained some of the socioracial aspects of Saint-Domingue.

Where we found a possible weakness in Joseph's study is the treatment of Haiti's Romantic men (and almost all were males) of letters, particularly the second generation which included prominent writers, historians, and poets like the Naus, Thomas Madiou, and others. While the 19th century Haitian intellectual undoubtedly viewed French and Occidental civilization as superior and most saw themselves as representing a more advantageous image of Haiti that would regenerate and rehabilitate the black race, there was undoubtedly more nuance in how the second generation of intellectuals perceived themselves in relation to the unlettered masses. By nuance, we mean the greater inclusion of themes, terminology, and folklore reflecting the Creole and African origins of Haitian culture, particularly as seen in the contes of writers like Ignace Nau. Emile Nau who wrote more extensively about Haiti's Amerindian or indigenous past, was also part of this current in Haitian Romanticism. Nonetheless, the appearance of short stories, histories, and traditions which reflected Haiti's African heritage do suggest that, perhaps, some rapprochement between Haiti's rural masses and the world of its intellectuals was not entirely inconceivable.

Cieza de Leon and the Incas

Completing The Incas, Harriet de Onis's translation of Pedro de Cieza de Leon was a time-consuming endeavor. Translating parts of different books of Cieza de Leon's history of Peru, the text is somewhat disjointed and a jarring. Nonetheless, it is a major source as one of the early chronicles on the Incas written by someone who traveled widely across South America. Moreover, he also had access to some of the early conquistadors and Spaniards who came to Peru with Pizarro or during the 1540s. This means that Cieza de Leon had access to some reliable informants, as well as indigenous informants or ruins he saw throughout his travels. Even more intriguing is the degree to which the author admired the achievements of Inca civilization in terms of its roads, architecture, administrative efficiency and economic organization. The Spaniards, particularly during the course of the civil wars after the conquest, were seen as the major ruin of the Indians, particularly in many coastal areas and valleys where the indigenous population was decimated by the Spaniards. 

As a major source on the Inca Empire, much of the text is spent describing the various provinces and regions under the control of Tawantinsuyu. The northernmost area of conquest, Pasto, was seen by the Incas sent there as a way of time. But Ecuador and much of the modern-day areas of Peru and Bolivia are described in great detail. Of course, some of Cieza de Leon's sources were muddled or confused, but he alluded to various provinces and under which Inca they were added to the empire. Some areas were remembered for the defeat of the Incas, such as Huayna Capac's failure to conquer the natives fo Bracamoros. According to Cieza de Leon, one Inca ruler, Yahuar Huacac Inca, was killed or assassinated by Cuntisuyu captains to prevent him from making further conquests. Inca Urco, the son of Viracocha Inca and thus a brother of Pachacuti, is described as a corrupt, ineffective ruler who was later replaced by Pachacuti. Strangely, however, the story of Pachacuti's victory against the Chancas did not feature stones turning into soldiers. Intriguingly, our chronicler also alluded to moments of revolts and coups by Cuzco elites, such as one crushed by Huayna Capac and another. One also finds a few more references to unrest in the provinces, such as a revolt by the Colla Indians against Pachacuti while the latter was in the East. 

Surprisingly, despite his detailed account of the regions of Ecuador under Inca rule, one does not find any reference to the Pacific Islands visited by Topa Inca. Instead, islanders bringing gold were said to have visited the southern coast of Peru at Acari. The Puna Islanders, however, were described as traders and pirate. As for the eastern lands, or Amazonian regions, Cieza de Leon makes an interesting reference to Orejones disguised as traders to the East. Paititi, the mysterious land somewhere in the East is also mentioned. One cannot escape reading this chronicle without noting Cieza de Leon's admiration for the Incas and even his respect for indigenous peoples (despite his constant lamentation of their demons and superstitions). His ability to note the deeper antiquity of the pre-Inca civilizations is also noteworthy. 

Hold Me Now

Although we have never been fans of Thompson Twins, their classic hit has always been close to our heart. "Hold Me Now" almost sounds like a New Wave Marvin Gaye song, and that works in every possible way. Obviously, Marvin Gaye sings better, but the funky beat here has always reminded us of "Got To Give It Up" or another one of Gaye's hits we cannot recall the title of.