The Kachina and the Cross : Indians and Spaniards in the Early Southwest

In THE KACHINA AND THE CROSS, Carroll Riley interweaves elements of archaeology, anthropology, and history to tell a dramatic story of conflict in the seventeenth century. It was at the end of this period of heroic and legendary expansion that the colonization of New Mexico took place. The Spaniards originally believed their new colony had a wealth of silver and gold. But their mines proved unprofitable, and the region was soon reconstituted as a missionary province. Over several generations, the Franciscan Order built churches in the various Pueblos and carried out a ruthless attack on the Native American religion and culture. The Indians resisted, at first passively, then with growing activism until the region exploded into war in 1680. Although the Spaniards managed to regain the New Mexico province after twelve years, the western portion was never firmly within the Spanish imperium again-and the Hopi pueblos remained completely outside it. Even in the Rio Grande Valley, where Spanish political control was securely reestablished, the Franciscans were forced to adopt a more conciliatory attitude towards the Indians. Until now, histories of the early Southwest have tended to concentrate on the Spanish presence. Yet a full picture of the period cannot rely primarily on Spanish sources, In addition to using these Spanish sources, the author utilizes archaeological and anthropological research from the past forty years to shed new light on the fascinating and troubled first century of sustained Spanish-Pueblo relations. In The Kachina and the Cross Carroll Riley weaves elements of archaeology, history, and anthropology to tell a dramatic story of conflict in the seventeenth century. This fresh look at a crucial period in Southwestern history builds on Riley's recent work Rio del Norte: People of the Upper Rio Grande from Earliest Times to the Pueblo Revolt.The Spaniards originally believed their new colony had a wealth of silver and gold. But their mines proved unprofitable, and the region was soon reconstituted as a missionary province. Over several generations, the Franciscans built churches in the various Pueblos and carried out a ruthless attack on the Native American religion and culture. The Indians resisted, at first passively, then with growing activism until the region exploded into war in 1680.Although the Spaniards managed to regain the New Mexico province after a twelve-year absence, the western portion was never again firmly within the Spanish imperium -- and the Hopi pueblos remained completely outside it.Even in the Rio Grande Valley, where Spanish political control was securely reestablished, the Franciscans were forced to adopt a more conciliatory attitude toward the Indians and their religion.Until now, histories of the early Southwest have concentrated on the Spanish presence. Yet a full picture of the period cannot rely primarily on Spanish sources. In addition to those Spanish sources, Riley utilizes archaeological and anthropological research from the past forty years to shed new light on the fascinating and troubled first century of sustained Spanish-Pueblo relations. In The Kachina and the Cross , Carroll Riley weaves elements of archaeology, anthropology, and history to tell a dramatic story of conflict between the Pueblo Indians and Franciscan missionaries in the seventeenth-century Spanish colony of New Mexico. Until now, histories of the early Southwest have tended to concentrate on the Spanish presence, with little mention of Indian resistance or the decade-long war that eventually erupted. In The Kachina and the Cross Riley completes the picture by utilizing archaeological and anthropological research from the past forty years, fleshing out the story of the first century of sustained Spanish-Pueblo relations. ** "In The Kachina and the Cross Carroll Riley weaves elements of archaeology, history, and anthropology to tell a dramatic story of conflict in the seventeenth century. This fresh look at a crucial period in Southwestern history builds on Riley's recent work Rio del Norte: People of the Upper Rio Grande from Earliest Times to the Pueblo Revolt."--BOOK JACKET.