Chris Rodriguez: Mexico History & Diversity Part 2

2. Spanish Conquest and Cultural mestizaje

1519Hernan Cortes, 6 African slaves, and hundreds of Spanish soldiers

Land in Mexico

What did they want?

Cortes and Malintzin/Dona Marina

made indigenous Mexicans a deal: diplomacy or dogs?

Meeting between (right) Cortés, (middle) Doña Marina, and (left) leading Tlaxcalans

Tens of thousands Tlaxcalan allies march with Spanish against mutual enemy - Aztecs

With Tlaxcalan allies, Spanish head to Tenochtitlan

arrive in Aztec controlled Cholula

September 1519, Cholula massacre, 10,000 killed.

What strikes you about these images of the Cholula massacre?

Aug 13, 1521: Spanish and Tlaxcalans conquer city, how?

Smallpox, typhus, measles, influenza, bubonic plague, cholera, malaria, tuberculosis, mumps, yellow fever, whooping cough.

80% of 60 Million NativeAmericansdied aftercontact with Europeans

Conquistadores awarded Indian towns and people

Spaniards dependent on Indian labor and taxes

But what’s happening to Mexicans?

The Columbian Exchange

Aztec poem, Broken Spears, 1523

Broken spears lie in the roads;We have torn our hair in our griefThe houses are roofless now, and their wallsAre red with blood.

Worms are swarming in the streets and plazas,And the walks are spattered with gore

The water has turned red, as if it were dyedAnd when we drink it,It has the taste of brine

We have pounded our hands in despairAgainst the adobe walls,For our inheritance, our city, is lost and deadThe shields of our warriors were its defense.But they could not save it.

We have chewed dry twigs and salt grasses:We have filled our mouths with dust and bits of adobe.We have eaten lizards, rats and wormsWhen we had meat, we ate it almost raw.

Dias de los Muertos (Days of the Dead)

Above, Oaxaca, Mexico

Left, Los Angeles alter

Native Mexicans dying turned to enslaved Africans

1500s Enslaved Africans outnumbered Spaniards in Mexico City

Spanish govern

Spanish prey

“Indians” work

Spain’s Colonial Ideal

Reality…

Cultural mestizaje

Indigenous Mexicans 1492: 30 Million 1600: 4 Million

Spaniards1500s:240,0001600s:450,000

Mestizo populationfastest growing

What strikes you about the

Spanish conquest?

And

Bernal Díaz, The True History of the Conquest of New Spain?

Aztec Templo Mayor ruins, Cathedral in background

Destruction and creativity of ConquestSpanish capital, Mexico City built atop and with ruins of Tenochtitlan

Spanish Conquest and Cultural mestizaje:

Virgin of Guadalupe

Right, Apparition tunic, 1530s

1500s

Spanish

arrived with

Sword and Cross

1532 Virgin Mary appeared to newly converted native,

Juan Diego

at Guadalupe.

Right, 1911 Guadalupe Posada woodcut to celebrating anniversary of her apparition.

Virgin of Guadalupeappeared in same

location

as Aztec goddess, Tonantzin

Church to Virgin of Guadalupe atop Temple of Tonantzin

Christian architecture, ceremony literally overlaid indigenous.

Soon, #1 pilgrimage site for Native Mexicans

Aztec pyramid with Church on top in Cholula

Mt. Popocatépetl with church atop Aztec pyramid

Basilica of Virgin of Guadalupe

#1 Pilgrimage site in Americas

Mexican Founding Father

Miguel Hidalgo

and Virgin of Guadalupe, 1810s

Pope John Paul II canonizes Juan Diego

Dec. 12, 2002

First indigenous Catholic saint

3. Mexican Revolution 1910-20 and “Racial Homage”

David Siqueiros, The Revolutionaries, 1950s

Yucatan’s Elite

Late 1800s

Certain Mexicans enjoyed great prosperity

…but at great cost

Before Revolution: National identityEuropean focused

Before Revolution

Governmentcommemorated dead Indians

Right, President Porfirio Diaz and the Aztec Calendar Stone

Revolutionaries Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata

in President’s chair, 1914

Out of 14 million, 1 million died, 1 million emigrated

Post-revolution: rebuilt and redefined nation

Government Embraced indigenous heritage“Racial Homage” celebration, 1932

Many Mexico’s celebrated... Luis Covarrubias, 1940s

…promoted tourism.

Left, “Visit Mexico,” Tourist Office, 1943

Above, Dressing Indian and selling

crafts

Left, Frida Kahlo, 1943

Below, Film: “La Zandunga,” 1937

1943 Tehuanas at festival celebrating indigenous population

Also made political demands!

Indigenous festival, “Guelaguetza,” 2000