In this way, this monograph proposes that indigenous peoples saw convents not as another form of ... more In this way, this monograph proposes that indigenous peoples saw convents not as another form of colonial domination but as a way to support their ethnic autonomy. Díaz takes the notions of “colonial domination”and “colonial difference” to another level by proposing to look at the formation and transformation of indigenous identities in New Spain and by looking at other initiatives that did not flourish in the official establishment of institutions,but did reflect on the issues of who is an Indian and why an Indian could not participate in the formation and governance of institutions in colonial Mexico.
not an easy read. The themes remain complex; the data supporting various statements are obscure, ... more not an easy read. The themes remain complex; the data supporting various statements are obscure, and the number of denominations treated in addition to occasional references to Catholicism is too large a number for a clear presentation of the complex issues involved. Yet this concise treatment of the social history of Christian churches and Canadian peoples can be recommended for scholars, historians, and sociologists who are able to deal with its scholarly sophistication.
The goal of this thesis is to test the utility of certain theoretical approaches. It blends psych... more The goal of this thesis is to test the utility of certain theoretical approaches. It blends psychological and socio-cultural methodologies with newer theories of religious studies that note the importance of emotions in religious experience and the prevalent influence of healing within religion. It draws from European documents, anthropological and archaeological findings, ethno-linguistics analyses and an ethnographic sensitivity to the veiled nature of personal, and especially historical, experiences. However, it does not seek to fully encapsulate the experiences and inner world of Native Americans of the Great Lakes region. This thesis is an exploration of the possibilities in handling Native American history. It posits a possible approach that seeks to balance the ethnohistorian's concern for agency and the modern reader's desire to identify with the actors in historical works with the social scientist's need for a rigorous analysis of unconscious motivations and the impact of cultural collectivity. As such, it points to a greater usefulness of sources to provide information for a richer study of Native Americans of New France. This work is but a step along the way and does not claim to define the full history of Native American-Jesuit interaction. It tests through a historical example a possible theoretical approach and invites subsequent scholars to apply this or similar views towards their historical endeavors. v ABBREVIATIONS Jesuit Relations Thwaites, Reuben Gold, trans. The Jesuit Relations and
(ProQuest: ... denotes non-US-ASCII text omitted.)For more than thirty years, histories of coloni... more (ProQuest: ... denotes non-US-ASCII text omitted.)For more than thirty years, histories of colonial interactions between Native American and European peoples in the French Northeast have benefited from the prominent inclusion of religious encounters. However, the majority of these narratives have diminished the relevance of religious considerations and relegated religion to a secondary role as a veneer or veil for motivations that scholars have deemed more rational, relevant, or pragmatic.Erik R. Seeman addresses this historiographical deficiency by recognizing the impact of religiously rooted cosmologies and motivations and seriously considering the impact of religious exchange for the peoples of colonial New France. Through the metaphor of the Feast of the Dead and with special attention to each peoples' relation to bones, the text posits that similar customs and associations with death allowed both Wendats and French Catholics to recognize the common humanity of the other and served as a medium for communication throughout the history of Indian-Jesuit encounter. The Feast of the Dead offers a window through which Seeman reveals nuanced changes in the religious worlds and cultural relations of Native Americans by presenting the augmented meanings, conflicting identities, and social rifts that characterized their colonial experience. The text depicts the history of the Wendake, the Wendat homeland, through the dynamic relationship between Wendats and Jesuits, and their shifting understandings of proper interactions with the dead. Seeman narrates the experiences of French and Indian subjects as they navigate changing perspectives and missionary strategies, the waves of epidemics that ravaged the region, rising internal tensions caused by divergent native commitments to French alliances, and the increasing threat and violence of Iroquois encroachment.Throughout this history, Seeman's analysis shows that cultural parallels and analogous practices in the deathways of each people enabled dialogue and encouraged the permeability of cultural boundaries. Such similarities led both peoples to frequently take seriously the spiritual realities of the other and initiate cultural exchange. Wendats and Jesuit missionaries each employed deathway commonalities intentionally and unconsciously to express cultural values and ideals, manipulate political situations, and compel change in the religious worldviews of their colonial counterparts. Through a discourse dominated by concerns for mortuary practices and the ritualized interaction with human remains, Wendats were led to experience the potential appeal of Catholicism, fashion new hybridized avenues for interaction with the supernatural world, or articulate their rejection of Jesuit attempts to effect their conversion.The text does not dismiss the relevance of material goods or other social considerations. …
In this way, this monograph proposes that indigenous peoples saw convents not as another form of ... more In this way, this monograph proposes that indigenous peoples saw convents not as another form of colonial domination but as a way to support their ethnic autonomy. Díaz takes the notions of “colonial domination”and “colonial difference” to another level by proposing to look at the formation and transformation of indigenous identities in New Spain and by looking at other initiatives that did not flourish in the official establishment of institutions,but did reflect on the issues of who is an Indian and why an Indian could not participate in the formation and governance of institutions in colonial Mexico.
not an easy read. The themes remain complex; the data supporting various statements are obscure, ... more not an easy read. The themes remain complex; the data supporting various statements are obscure, and the number of denominations treated in addition to occasional references to Catholicism is too large a number for a clear presentation of the complex issues involved. Yet this concise treatment of the social history of Christian churches and Canadian peoples can be recommended for scholars, historians, and sociologists who are able to deal with its scholarly sophistication.
The goal of this thesis is to test the utility of certain theoretical approaches. It blends psych... more The goal of this thesis is to test the utility of certain theoretical approaches. It blends psychological and socio-cultural methodologies with newer theories of religious studies that note the importance of emotions in religious experience and the prevalent influence of healing within religion. It draws from European documents, anthropological and archaeological findings, ethno-linguistics analyses and an ethnographic sensitivity to the veiled nature of personal, and especially historical, experiences. However, it does not seek to fully encapsulate the experiences and inner world of Native Americans of the Great Lakes region. This thesis is an exploration of the possibilities in handling Native American history. It posits a possible approach that seeks to balance the ethnohistorian's concern for agency and the modern reader's desire to identify with the actors in historical works with the social scientist's need for a rigorous analysis of unconscious motivations and the impact of cultural collectivity. As such, it points to a greater usefulness of sources to provide information for a richer study of Native Americans of New France. This work is but a step along the way and does not claim to define the full history of Native American-Jesuit interaction. It tests through a historical example a possible theoretical approach and invites subsequent scholars to apply this or similar views towards their historical endeavors. v ABBREVIATIONS Jesuit Relations Thwaites, Reuben Gold, trans. The Jesuit Relations and
(ProQuest: ... denotes non-US-ASCII text omitted.)For more than thirty years, histories of coloni... more (ProQuest: ... denotes non-US-ASCII text omitted.)For more than thirty years, histories of colonial interactions between Native American and European peoples in the French Northeast have benefited from the prominent inclusion of religious encounters. However, the majority of these narratives have diminished the relevance of religious considerations and relegated religion to a secondary role as a veneer or veil for motivations that scholars have deemed more rational, relevant, or pragmatic.Erik R. Seeman addresses this historiographical deficiency by recognizing the impact of religiously rooted cosmologies and motivations and seriously considering the impact of religious exchange for the peoples of colonial New France. Through the metaphor of the Feast of the Dead and with special attention to each peoples' relation to bones, the text posits that similar customs and associations with death allowed both Wendats and French Catholics to recognize the common humanity of the other and served as a medium for communication throughout the history of Indian-Jesuit encounter. The Feast of the Dead offers a window through which Seeman reveals nuanced changes in the religious worlds and cultural relations of Native Americans by presenting the augmented meanings, conflicting identities, and social rifts that characterized their colonial experience. The text depicts the history of the Wendake, the Wendat homeland, through the dynamic relationship between Wendats and Jesuits, and their shifting understandings of proper interactions with the dead. Seeman narrates the experiences of French and Indian subjects as they navigate changing perspectives and missionary strategies, the waves of epidemics that ravaged the region, rising internal tensions caused by divergent native commitments to French alliances, and the increasing threat and violence of Iroquois encroachment.Throughout this history, Seeman's analysis shows that cultural parallels and analogous practices in the deathways of each people enabled dialogue and encouraged the permeability of cultural boundaries. Such similarities led both peoples to frequently take seriously the spiritual realities of the other and initiate cultural exchange. Wendats and Jesuit missionaries each employed deathway commonalities intentionally and unconsciously to express cultural values and ideals, manipulate political situations, and compel change in the religious worldviews of their colonial counterparts. Through a discourse dominated by concerns for mortuary practices and the ritualized interaction with human remains, Wendats were led to experience the potential appeal of Catholicism, fashion new hybridized avenues for interaction with the supernatural world, or articulate their rejection of Jesuit attempts to effect their conversion.The text does not dismiss the relevance of material goods or other social considerations. …
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