Sobre la autora y la obra
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Eulalia Pérez
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Vida (according to Wikipedia): 1766-1878 (supposedly would have died at
age of 112 years…)
o
From Mexico, a Creole
o
Was educated by her father as a child – learned to
read and write
o
Had several odd jobs over the years
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The work was supposedly dictated when she was
139 years old
Temas/ideas importantes
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Estilo de escritura
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Was dictated, someone else actually wrote it
down (when she was supposedly 139 years old)
o
Use of rhetoric – “possibly appropriates
deafness to not answer questions she wasn’t interested in
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Raza / indigenous people
o
Shows opinion people had of indios (related to
intelligence, “tame”-ness)
o
They wanted to convert the Indians – if they
weren’t converted, they were considered “un-tame”
o
Some racial discrimination in the sense of
viewing the Indians as naturally inferior, and less intelligent
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Religion / role of church
o
Describes role of church and conflicts related
to church
o
Emphasizes kindness of certain priests,
especially with Indians
o
Idea of the importance of conversion, desire to
convert the Indians
o
There were lots of new converts (“neophytes”) in
the area
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Gender
o
Shows “rhetorical strategies of self-empowerment”
as a woman
o
Highlights the many jobs women could have
o
Eulalia’s independence – despite being a widow
she is able to work and raise her children
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Orality
o
In her narration, she skips years, doesn’t
remember certain details, contradicts herself, etc.
o
About the indigenous – “oral histories extracted
from native population for foreign consumption”
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Costumbrism, observation of society
o
The work is “posited as relic and repository of
a social landscape that no longer exists”
o
Highlights information about social hierarchy
o
Especial focus on gender roles, and relations
between Spanish priests and Indian converts
Why I think it's important:
1. Shows opinion people had of indios (related to intelligence, "tame"-ness)
2. Describes role of and conflicts related to the church
3. Highlights the many jobs women had
4. First-person, orality
What I've seen by poking around at some other things
5. shows a "punto de vista interna" of the richest mission.
6. Posited as relic and repository of a social landscape that no longer exists
7. Oral histories extracted from native population for foreign consumption
8. Shows "rhetorical strategies of self-empowerment" as woman.
9. highlights infomation about social hierarchy
10. possibly appropriates deafness to NOT answer questions she wasn't interested in.
Notes from the text
In the forward, "Whatever her age, she is certainly a very ancient person." "not entirely feeble of helpless."
-Seems like an independent woman who takes care of herself.
-"memory is fresh on some things, clouded on others"
-"quite deaf", so you need "excessively loud tone" to talk to her.
-"I, Eulalia, was born..." in Baja California (dad was in navy)
parents were "pure white" (impossible based on her photograph), (shows racial prejudices)
-15 when she was married
-job: midwife-type
-in 1812, big earthquake, she fell, people stepped on her and didn't move
-The only house in the presidio was commander's house, no church.
-Later some priests arranged for them to get a house. Her son becomes a soldier.
Says these two priests treated indios well and they were very well loved. When there was a threat for priests to be killed, some even offered to protect him.
-One of the priests traveled on horse to evangelize. planted fruit trees for "untamed indios" so that they would have food when they passed those spots. (combination of colonial attitude + generosity)
-Only two women knew how to cook. One knew how to read, write (taught children), healer (this woman is handy!)
"The priests wanted to help me because I was a widow burdened with a family." The priests also arrange for something of a cook-off to decide who should teach indian women to cook. Eulalia blew it out of the water. So, that's how she got a job. And, eventually, they handed the mission keys to her.
-explains and defend the work of women- count people and prepare food, make clothes, distribute. She would cut, 5 daughters sewed.
-also in charge of wine, olives, soap, distribute supplies...
-Priest convinces her to get remarried even though she didn't want to. He was a good man- "I didn't have the heart to deny him anything."
-One guy, Capitain barroso seems to be inciting indios to revolt telling them they're free men, which is a pity/counter to the goals of mission
-Priest is semi-attacked on his way out, sad because of what the indios did (they're depicted as a disappointment)
-second natural disaster- flood
-unmarried men and women are kept locked up (treated like animals...) mass-breakfast-sewing, etc .then, eat lunch -barley and beans with meat and veg
-Indians were taught jobs "for which they showed aptitude."
-Sweets, lemonade made by Eulalia were sent to Spain.
-indians taught to pray and "more intelligent ones" taught to read and write
-describes "very painful punishments" given-but also says priest were "very considerate" with indios- this seems to be a bit contradictory... (she doesn't question their repression and exploitation)
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