Misconceptions of the Spanish

In 1492 when Columbus sailed the ocean blue, he tried to find a new route to China. However, he did not consider there would be a landmass in between Eastern Europe and Western Asia. So when Columbus found land, he believed it was India and the outer lying islands of Asia. Columbus immediately claimed the new found land for Spain.

The island, soon to be known as Hispaniola, was already inhabited by a group of people now known as the Tainos. Columbus thought that these people were India natives so he called them Indians. To the Europeans, these people were primitive and were thrilled to meet the Europeans. 

  

As seen in this painting, the Tainos curiously watch as Columbus claims the land for Spain. The differences between the two groups are easy to see. The Europeans are portrayed with rich clothes and flags and even a priest, but the Tainos are naked, fewer in number, and mesmerized by the newcomers. This painting was created by Dioscoro Teofilo Puebla Tolin in the mid to late 1800s. So, it is a painting made of myth and legend rather than actual events.

Other Europeans who were alive when Columbus discovered the Caribbean also had misconceptions about the island natives. Allegretto Allegretti, who never actually went to the Caribbean, wrote, “The people were happy to see the king of Spain’s men and welcomed them with great honor, kindnesses, presents, and gifts. They hold our men to be gods.” What did happen was the Spanish attempted to replaced the Tainos gods, the zemis, with their God and Christianity. Many of the natives did convert because those who did not were killed, but even after they were converted many natives continued to practice their previous religion or even a hybrid of native religion and Christianity.

The Europeans also saw the Caribbean as the land of plenty. They were amazed at the abundance and lushness of the flora and fauna of the islands. They also thought that gold was everywhere. As Morelletto Ponzone said, “And under their rocks, by lifting them up one finds plenty of gold, which is beautiful, and it only needs to be refined.”  Peter Martyr wrote, “The gold had been collected with no great toil from the river sand.” In reality, there is little gold in the Caribbean. The Spanish were so concerned with finding riches in the new lands that they latched onto any glimmer of gold.

The Europeans also misunderstood the natives and believed that some of the natives on the other islands were cannibals. This was never proven to be true. The cannibal myth exploded in Europe and it was widely spread. The Europeans even believed the cannibals had rules like they were not allowed to eat women. As wild and troublesome as the Caribs were thought to be, they were supposed to be peaceful amongst themselves.

These examples just show how confused different cultures can be when they encounter a different culture with limited communication.    

Sources  

Symcox, Geoffrey, and Blair Sullivan.Christopher Columbus and the Enterprise fo the Indies. Boston: Bedford/St. Martian's, 2005.

Alaeddine, Joseph. "Not Spanish, Not Natuhal." Last modified 2006. Accessed September 18, 2011. http://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/jspui/bitstream/1794/2924/1/alaeddine.pdf.

Picture courtesy of http://www.johnwilliamwaterhouse.org/painting-dioscoro%20teofilo%20puebla%20tolin-the%20first%20landing%20of%20christopher%20columbus%20in%20america-56254.htm