Author: Sealtiel Enciso Pérez
Before the arrival of the first European settlers in California, Guamongo (the main deity of the Guaycuras, responsible for all illnesses) reigned over their lands, protecting the Guamas, his main worshippers and followers. However, fate had written the end of his reign, which would come with the arrival of men dressed in black robes, carrying a cross as a symbol of power: the Jesuits.
It is recorded that since the arrival of Hernán Cortés to these lands (1535), he was already accompanied by priests, who during their time in the Bay of La Santa Cruz, now La Paz, dedicated themselves to converting the pagans and building an incipient temple. However, due to the unfortunate end of this expedition and the untimely rescue, they had to abandon the enterprise (1536). It took about 147 years for the Spanish crown to have the decision and determination to carry out the exploration and consolidation of a colony on the peninsula that had been discovered. This task was entrusted to Admiral Isidro de Atondo y Antillón, who departed from the coast of Sinaloa on March 18, 1683, towards the port of Santa Cruz. He was accompanied by the Jesuit priests Kino, Goñi, and Copart, who represented their Company after obtaining the license from the Viceroy José Sarmiento y Valladares, Count of Moctezuma, for the evangelization of the pagans who inhabited these lands. This expedition was not without setbacks, some tragic, such as those that occurred in the port of La Santa Cruz, and others sad, such as the one that prompted them to abandon the newly founded port of San Bruno.
However, these unfortunate events were far from cutting off the desire of the Spanish Empire, but above all of the members of the Society of Jesus, to return to California and continue with their expansionist work. To achieve this goal, the high-ranking Jesuit hierarchs in New Spain promoted decisive and aggressive actions to prevent the other orders, which also coveted being responsible for the conversion of the pagans in California, from anticipating them. And so they obtained the Royal Decree of February 6, 1697, in which Viceroy José Sarmiento authorized the establishment of the Society of Jesus in California with a double condition. On the one hand, that the conquest be made in the name of the King of Spain, and on the other, that this campaign of occupation and evangelization of the territory did not entail an expense for the Royal Treasury. The Society also obtained civil and military responsibility, so that the evangelizing work initially entrusted was added to the authority over the political and military power of the conquered territories.
Much had to do with the work of priests Kino and Salvatierra for this decree to be signed, and finally their tenacity and effort was crowned with success. From that moment on, the entire structure of the Jesuit Order in New Spain was put into action to facilitate the means by which this expedition could be realized: a ship was obtained to transport the people who would accompany Kino and Salvatierra to these lands, and fundraising began among wealthy and pious landowners, managing to obtain a good amount of money, in cash and in promises of payment that would become effective over time. In October and just about to leave, a rebellion among the Pima indigenous people of the Tarahumara mountains forced Father Francisco Kino to head towards these sites to try to stop them, forcing Juan María de Salvatierra, the apostle of the Californias, to take on the honor and great responsibility of carrying out this great enterprise.
It was on October 19, 1697 when the expedition reached the coasts of our lands, but it was not until the 25th of the same month that a solemn mass was held as well as a procession, officially founding the port of Loreto, being the first permanent colony established on the peninsula. During the first years of work in these lands, there were many hardships due to the fact that the Spanish Crown refused to give them support due to the clause established in the Royal Decree of February 6, which clearly specified that the Society of Jesus would not cause an economic burden to the Royal Treasury. The shipments of provisions from Sonora and Sinaloa were not as frequent or in the necessary amount to alleviate the hunger of the colonists, so many of them deserted and returned to their places of origin.
On the other hand, and despite the fact that political and military control of the Missions that were established in the lands that were being conquered had been guaranteed, in many cases this was not respected by the presidio soldiers assigned to protect the priests. There were many acts of insubordination or frank disdain on the part of the soldiers who refused to obey the orders given by the Jesuits, even arguing heatedly in public.
However, despite everything, the colonization and evangelization of California was underway and its progress was irreversible. Guamongo was banished from his lands over which he had reigned for millennia at his own whim and will, and to this day remains confined in some dark cave or at the bottom of the sea, perhaps waiting for the opportunity to rise again victorious.
Bibliography:
De “Tierra inhóspita” a “Tierra de Misiones”: Baja California y la última frontera jesuítica (1683-1767) - Baena Reina, Fuensanta
http://sudcalifornios.com
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario