#christophercolumbus

Native American Enslavement in Colonial America

Slavery was practiced by the Native Americans before any Europeans arrived in the region. People of one tribe could be taken by another for a variety of reasons but, whatever the reason, it was understood that the enslaved had done something – staked himself in a gamble and lost or allowed himself to be captured – to warrant such treatment.

This model changed with the arrival of the Spanish in the West Indies in 1492 and their colonization of that region, South, and Central America throughout the 16th century. Native Americans were then enslaved simply for being Native Americans. In North America, after the English arrived, Native Americans were at first enslaved as prisoners of war but, eventually, were taken and sold to plantations in the West Indies to clear the land for expansion of English colonies.

This practice continued throughout the colonial era aided and encouraged by Native American tribes themselves up through 1750 and, after the American War of Independence (1775-1783), natives were pushed into the interior as African slavery became more lucrative. Even so, the enslavement of Native Americans continued even after slavery was abolished by the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. Americans got around illegal enslavement of natives by calling it by other names and justified it in the interests of "civilizing the savages". The practice continued up through 1900, dramatically impacting Native American cultures, languages, and development.

Native American Slavery & Columbus

Native American tribes were incredibly diverse, each with their own culture, and far from the cohesive, unified civilization they are often represented as under the umbrella term "Native American" or "American Indian". Each tribe understood itself as inherently superior to others and although they would form alliances for short periods in a common cause, or for longer periods as confederacies, they frequently warred with each other for goods, in the name of tribal honor, and for captives, among other reasons.

Men, women, and children taken captive were then enslaved by the victorious tribe, sometimes for life and other times for a given number of years and, in still other cases, until they were adopted and became members of the tribe. People could also be enslaved as hostages, held to ensure compliance with a treaty, and in some tribes, people were not only enslaved for life but any children born to them were also considered slaves, thereby creating a slave class long before the arrival of Europeans.

This model changed after the arrival of Christopher Columbus (l. 1451-1506) in the West Indies in 1492 and the Portuguese in 1500. Columbus kidnapped natives he brought back to Spain as slaves on his first voyage and sent over 500 back on his second. Between 1493-1496, he implemented the encomienda system, which institutionalized Native American enslavement throughout the Spanish colonies of the New World, and, by the time the French, Dutch, and English began colonizing North America, the Transatlantic Slave Trade was already established.

Happy Columbus Day!!

It's September 6th. 🇪🇸 On this day in 1522, one of Ferdinand Magellan’s ships, the Victoria, pulled into port at Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Spain, thus completing the first circumnavigation of the globe. The Victoria was commanded by Basque navigator Juan Sebastian de Elcano, who took charge of the vessel when Magellan died in the Philippines in April 1521. It was a long, hard journey. Of the five ships and 270 men who set sail from Spain on September 20th, 1519 to find a western sea route to the Spice Islands (Indonesia), only Elcano's ship and 21 other men survived the ordeal. Though the expedition was successful in finding a western route to the Spice Islands, it was much longer and more arduous than expected and not commercially viable. Nevertheless, this first circumnavigation has been regarded as a great achievement in seamanship, and had a significant impact on our understanding of our planet. ☮️ Peace… Jamiese of Pixoplanet

«DIVAN» (A Spotify playlist)

On day 22 of 2020, from a portal: 134 Mount Tabor Way.

Through the doorways, I see and feel. The atmosphere now exactly as it was when the house was built…dream of the XIX century. In stillness, I feel the vibrant hum of the physical.

And so, lying down on this «Divan», ever rightfully in place: Internal-external editor, celebrating the nature of relationship.

Here are 45 minutes of music by Hidrogenesse musicalizing twin-soul Catalan writer María Dolores de la Fe’s mid-70s television appearance where she explains Christopher Columbus is a woman, Pet Shop Boys, Tears for Fears, Lene Lovich, Silvetti, Orlando Riva Sound, Patrick Cowley, The Human League, Blondie, Cerrone, and Kraftwerk.

In this photo, I am reclining on Van’s Directoire settee wearing a Liz Claiborne dress gifted by BrightHeart of the Mountain.