West European Studies

When Europe first encountered the various native peoples, The Others, many saw them as being savages, a useful resource for the mother country and lacking religion. There were dissenters among the Europeans who looked deeper into the cultures they were exploring, finding intelligence and order. Others saw the eventual downfall and horrors that befell many of those who came in contact with the explorers.

When Columbus came to the islands of the Caribbean, he and his men saw a people that lived a life very different from their own. Two completely different value systems were present, one focused on land, wealth and expansion while the other was rounded in an established, organized simple life. Columbus made note of his perception of their appearance and life

The people of this island all go naked, men and women, as their mothers bore
them, although some of the women cover a single place with the leaf of a plant or with a net of cotton which they make for the purpose. They have no iron or steel or weapons, nor are they fit to use them.

But so they are, incurably timid (Columbus 1 of 3).

Columbus judges them by the standards of his own society, which values steel
weaponry, money and possessions. His specific reference to their nakedness puts them on the level of savages (Columbus 1 of 3). The Europeans, in meeting these peoples, also assumed that sharing possessions and items from Europe would be welcomed by the natives, again assuming that they would have similar desires and needs. As described by the Nzinga Mbemba, King of the Kongo, the abundance of new items caused incredible dissention among the groups that had once been peaceful

Your factors and officials give to the men and merchants that come to this

Kingdomand spreadso that many vassals owing us obediencerebel because
they have more goods through trade with Portugese than us, who before had been content and subject to ourjurisdiction, which causes great damage (Letters
2 of 2)

The lack of contact with other cultures during a long period of European isolation led them to have little background information about other cultures far from home. They grounded their viewpoints and eventual reactions based on their societys norms, beliefs and customs. There were dissenters to this opinion, and saw the underside of the people that they met. Pedro Cieza de Leon, a soldier, saw the Incans from a varying perspective

It should be well understood that great prudence was needed to enable these kings
to govern such large provinces, extending over so vast a region

One of the things which I admired most, in contemplating and noting down the affairs of this kingdom, was to think how and in what manner they can have made such grand and admirable roads as we now see, (Ciez de Leon 1 of 2)

His perspective is very different from that of Columbus and the Spanish leadership, but shows the varying levels that the Europeans would look at when meeting a new people. Some saw the savage others saw depth and intelligence with an appreciation for the larger picture.

This  savage viewpoint bled into the European perspective that these savage people and their land could be a useful resource for the exploring country. Columbus goes into great detail about the various advantages of the islands and their mining possibility. He also simply takes possession of a town for the king and queen for the purpose of making the most efficient use of them (Columbus, 2 of 2).

This usefulness, as noted by Friar Bartoleme de Las Casas, as a resource was taken to the point of enslavement of the native peoples to work in mines and other tasks. In this case, the Spanish used the people and the land for their own purposes (Bartoleme 1 of 3). The people were just another piece of the process to obtain the desired wealth. Seen as lower or lacking in the same societal values and norms, there was a misrepresentation of native peoples status as equals.

One noted aspect that they felt was lacking in the natives lives was a proper understanding and life of Christianity. Columbus describes the people of the islands that he landed on as having no idols and a belief in heaven as the center of strength and goodness. But as the same time, he makes a very interesting statement and were very firmly convinced that I, with these ships and men, came from the heavens (Columbus 2 of 3)

Here again he sets them on a lower level, though he does acknowledge their intelligence and sailing ability. In addition, he felt that by giving them material objects he would endear them to the explorers and open their minds to being indoctrinated with Christianity. There is no in-depth exploration of any belief system that they already have, only a cursory level examination of what is barely known and seen (Columbus 2 of 3).

Nzinga Mbemba, the King of the Kongo even converted and became Christian when the Spanish came to the Incase. He argued that the Spanish were using methods that were outlawed in their own religion

In teaching the word of Our Lord these bad priests become bad examples and
so take the key to the Celestial Kingdom that is the Doctrine of our Holy Catholic
Faith, to open the hearts of our simple peopleand by entering into a life of sin
take the key to Helldue to the greed of this world, do not merely take their own
bodies and souls to Hell, but guide those blind with them through their bad
examples (Letters 2 of 2).

His viewpoint clearly shows the gulf between what the Europeans taught and the reality of what they practiced in many circumstances.

Friar Bartolome also points out this disjunction of status and abuse of religion on the part of the Spanish with the Incans, as he chastises the Spanish in his sermon for not recognizing that they people they conquered were human and rational as they were, but were not treated as so. The European viewpoint that there was a need to teach the natives Christianity and convert them by force, if necessary, went against the basic teachings that they were giving. In all of this, their reaction to a people so different was to recast them into a mold similar to their own (Las Casas 2 of 3).

The visual images of the scene, as portrayed in Europe, as the explorers first viewed the natives and vice versa summarize succinctly the disparity between their perception that the underlying reality many missed. In a scene titled De Infulis nuper in mari Indico repertis, the explorers approach land in their sailing ships as viewed by a group of natives. The natives are naked, watching in wonder as these strangers approach. The European in the boat has his hands outstretched with a cup towards them (De Infulis).

The artist gives the ships and the explorers in great detail, down to the flag and animals on board the ship, but the natives are depicted in only their appearance, with strong focus given to their nakedness. This shows what was given the most attention by the Europeans, what they immediately perceived on the surface and drew from it. There was little intimate knowledge of the peoples culture and history.

The broad contrast in perspective is also portrayed in another work, Americen Americus retexit. The European explorer stands, dressed in elaborate robes with a flowing flag topped with a cross as the naked native stares in wonder at him. The people behind him are shown eating out by the fire and living among wild animals. The idea of what is civilized and what is considered savage is laid out clearly by the artist.

This focus on their nakedness, lack of religion and placing them on a lower level of status laid the foundation for later mistreatment and even ruin for some of these societies. The Europeans, by misinterpreting these people as less opened the door for them to use the people instead of learn from them. The viewpoint, for many of them, was laid on the thin surface of appearance, while only a few peeled away the layers to find the deeper truth.

Isolation for so long and then a sudden surge of exposure to new cultures and lands were overshadowed by the elements of wealth and resources. The people were part of this large scheme and were passed over to a large degree. Exploration into their culture, language and customs was only to the degree that it led to information regarding the potential exploitation of the land.

Others focused in on the lack of religion, viewing this as an opportunity to spread the power of Christianity, to save the savages soul or as a tool to control the people and their resources for the mother country.

Columbus stated this viewpoint of these new people in his words to Isabella and Ferdinand
In all these islands, I saw no great diversity in the appearance of the people or in
their manners and language. On the contrary, they all understand one another,
which is a very curious thing, on account of which I hope that their Highnesses
will determine upon their conversion to our holy faith, towards which they are
very inclined (Columbus 2 of 3).

This broad generalization of The Others was seen across European nations that
met these new cultures. Reacting to the real and perceived differences that lay between them, the Europeans lost the true nature of these nations in their definition each new world they possessed and used.