“Cobo argues that the Spanish had created the city with great prudence and precision but had not foreseen the growth of the African and Indigenous population. The Spanish would have to share the City of Kings with the people who did the work.” (Aguirre & Walker, 16)
This quote from a chapter introduction in the Lima Reader is one that has stuck with me throughout the course. The longer that I spend in Peru, the more I begin to piece together how the colonial impact here is different from my understanding of colonialism in North America.
The class discussion surrounding the concept of subalternity is something that has been lingering in my mind. While discovering the depths of Corpus Christi in Cusco, I learned during my readings of Inka Bodies that the Spanish did not strive to erase Indigenous-ness in Peru- contrary, there needed to be some continuing concept or form of identity that would function to separate the Indigenous peoples from the Spanish. Otherwise, there would be a loss of colonial power over people. In the quote pulled from the beginning, this could be applied to the use of Indigenous labour to create Lima, showing that the Spanish had indeed envisioned Indigenous presence, but not privilege or equality within the city.
“Make them like us, but not too much like us”
I feel like this ties into the quote at the beginning of Cobo’s chapter in the Lima Reader in a way that goes beyond just the creation of Lima. The goal that the Spanish had for the Indigenous Peoples in Peru was not removal as seen in North America, but rather to re-define and limit Indigenous identities to serve the colonial project. Cobo’s quote discusses the “prudence and precision” that the Spanish took into curating this conceptual idea of Lima. However, I would argue that this same precision was given when trying to conceptualize the existing communities’ positions in this colonial idea as well.
From what I have seen so far in Peru, people and culture surpass policies and expectations imposed upon them. My questions continuing on in this course are about how Indigeneity redefines itself in post olonial contexts.
3 replies on “Blog Post #7: “Like us, but not too much like us””
Hi Grace! Loved your blog, as usual, and love that you chose an introduction quote. I particularly really connected with what you said about gaining understanding throughout your time here about the differences between colonialism in North America and here. I liked your use of quote as your title “make them like us, but not too like us.” It denotes how the Spanish colonial project was assimilationist and separatist at once. What you said about how the Spanish needed “some continuing concept or form of identity that would function to separate the Indigenous peoples from the Spanish. Otherwise, there would be a loss of colonial power over people,” made me reflect on how colonial power was/continues to be exercised in Canada versus here. A similarity exists in that creating and oppressing the Other is at the core of both colonial projects.
Hi Grace:)
Thanks for sharing your views! I also am starting to pick out distinctions between colonial practices here and in North America and the consequences that resulted. I continuously find myself surprised and disgusted at the deliberateness behind the carefully crafted plan to keep everyone stuck in the socioeconomic class to which they supposedly ‘belong’.
“In the quote pulled from the beginning, this could be applied to the use of Indigenous labour to create Lima, showing that the Spanish had indeed envisioned Indigenous presence, but not privilege or equality within the city.” It is interesting to remember that our current idea (or rather, that of the Enlightenment) of equality is not the same as in the 16th or 17th century, and that indigenous people did have privileges, different from those of other groups, such as the Spaniards. For example, the Inquisition could not judge them and they were exempt from some taxes.