Columbus was a man of his times.From the start, he treated the natives as less than human beings and more as commodities. In his writings, he noted their potential as slaves. He kidnapped them regularly to be trained as translators. As one contemporary, a priest, noted, “It appears that the Admiral did this unscrupulously … it not appearing to him that it was an offense to God and his neighbor to take free men against their will, separating fathers from sons and wives from husbands.” To help pay for future voyages, Columbus proposed, in February 1494, a regular slave trade, and during his second trip to the New World, he implemented it, sending hundreds of Indians — “the best males and females,” according to one of Columbus’ shipmates — to the Seville slave market. His demands that "Indians" supply gold set a model for the systematic destruction of the natives who would be unable to meet Columbus’ demands.
On the island of Hispaniola ( Dominican Republic and Haiti), the pre-Columbus population was 300,000. Between 1494 and 1496, it was reduced to 200,000. By 1508, only 60,000 lived. Forty years after that, perhaps 500 remained.We should continue to observe Columbus Day to remind ourselves of the genocide. But we should not celebrate it.
2 comments:
It's absolutely not to be celebrated - and to know more of that era's history look out for Eduardo Galeano's writing: 'Open veins of Latin America' and 'Upside Down' for starters.
Absolutely not to be celebrated. To know more about this era of history look out for Eduardo Galeano's writing:
specifically 'Open Veins of Latin America' and 'Upside Down' for starters.
JS
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