Hostname: page-component-54dcc4c588-trf7k Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-10-05T23:17:06.924Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Beyond Exotization and Likeness: Alterity and the Production of Sense in a Colonial Encounter

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 April 2005

Gonzalo Lamana
Gonzalo Lamana
Affiliation:
Cultural Anthropology, Duke University
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

The scene that unfolded in the plaza of Cajamarca on Saturday, 16 November 1532, is one of the most loaded in the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire. That day the Inca Atahualpa, head of an empire of several million extending from present day Ecuador to Chile, surrounded by his powerful army, was captured by 168 men. The attack took place after the exchange of a book and words in the middle of the plaza, between the Inca and fray Vicente de Valverde, head clergyman of the conquest party lead by Francisco Pizarro. The scene has been the object of much debate, both in the sixteenth century, when it rapidly became part of Europeans' colonial imagination, and in the present. This essay's goal is to offer an alternative interpretation of Cajamarca, which addresses a simple, under-explored question: Why did the meeting occur in the way it did? Why was Atahualpa there, exposing himself to some dangerous looters, why did the Spanish not attack directly if the ambush was ready? To anticipate my conclusion, I argue that Cajamarca happened as it did because it was the necessary final act of a long chain of improvised moves, which responded to culturally specific political dilemmas. Its dynamic reflected a radical uncertainty common to contact processes, but left aside by most scholarship. Recovering this, I suggest, speaks not only to the case in point, but to the mechanics of power and coloniality across space and time.

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Comparative Studies in Society and History , Volume 47 , Issue 1 , January 2005 , pp. 4 - 39
Copyright
© 2005 Society for Comparative Study of Society and History

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Adorno Rolena 1991 The Negotiation of Fear in Cabeza de Vaca's Naufragios Representations 33 163–99CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Archivo General de Indias (Seville, Spain) 1543 Probanza del licenciado Villalobos en el pleito con Hernando Pizarro por la muerte de don Diego de Almagro y otros delitos Patronato (Pat.) 90a, n. 1, r. 11 74–567Google Scholar
Archivo General de Indias (Seville, Spain) 1544–1545 Escribanía de Cámara (Ec) 1007c, pza. 1 Probanza de Hernando Pizarro en el pleito con el fiscal Villalobos por la muerte de don Diego de Almagro y otros delitos 41–954Google Scholar
Betanzos Juan de 1987 [1551] María del Carmen and Martín Rubio Suma y Narración de los Incas Madrid AtlasGoogle Scholar
Bhabha Homi K. 1994 The Location of Culture London RoutledgeGoogle Scholar
Chartier Roger 1990 Les origines culturelles de la révolution française Paris Éditions du SeuilGoogle Scholar
Cieza de León Pedro 1988 [c1553] Manuel Ballesteros Gaibrois El Señorío de los Incas Madrid Historia 16Google Scholar
Cieza de León Pedro 1996 [c1553] Francesca Cantù Crónica del Perú. Tercera parte Lima Pontificia Universidad Católica del PerúGoogle Scholar
Clendinnen Inga 1991 “Fierce and Unnatural Cruelty”: Cortés and the Conquest of Mexico Representations 33 65 100CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Comaroff Jean Comaroff John 1991 Of Revelation and Revolution. Vol. 1 Chicago University of Chicago PressGoogle Scholar
Connolly Anderson Robin 1987 First Contact New York Viking PenguinGoogle Scholar
Coronil Fernando 1996 Beyond Occidentalism: Towards Nonimperial Geohistorical Categories Cultural Anthropology 11 1 51 87CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Das Veena 1998 Wittgenstein and Anthropology Annual Review of Anthropology 27 171–95CrossRefGoogle Scholar
De Certeau Michel 1991 Travel Narratives of the French to Brazil: Sixteenth to Eighteenth Centuries Representations 33 221–26CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Del Busto Duthurburu José Antonio 1966 Francisco Pizarro Madrid Ediciones RialpGoogle Scholar
Douglas Mary 1966 Purity and Danger London Routledge & Kegan PaulGoogle Scholar
Douglas Mary 1970 Natural Symbols New York Pantheon BooksGoogle Scholar
Du Bois W.E.B 1994 The Souls of Black Folk New York Dover PublicationsGoogle Scholar
Duviols Pierre 1986 Cultura andina y represión Cuzco Centro de Estudios Regionales Andinos “Bartolomé de Las Casas”Google Scholar
Duviols Pierre 1993 Relación de antigüedades deste reyno del Pirú Estudio y comentario etnohistórico Introductory essay Joan de Santa Cruz Pachacuti Yamqui Salcamaygua Cuzco Institut Français d'Études Andines-Centro de Estudios Regionales Andinos “Bartolomé de Las Casas,” 13–126.Google Scholar
Espinosa Gaspar 1959 [1533] Raúl Porras Barrenechea El licenciado Espinosa al gobernador Cartas del Perú Lima Sociedad de Bibliófilos Peruanos 66–75Google Scholar
Espinoza Soriano Waldemar 1973 La destrucción del imperio de los incas Lima Retablo de papelGoogle Scholar
Estete Miguel de 1918 [1535?] >Carlos Larrea, ed. El descubrimiento y la conquista del Perú Boletín de la Sociedad Ecuatoriana de Estudios Históricos Americanos 1 3 1 51Google Scholar
Feldman Allen 1991 Formations of Violence Chicago University of Chicago PressGoogle Scholar
Foucault Michel 1973 El orden del discurso Barcelona TusquetsGoogle Scholar
Garcilaso de la Vega 1960 [1617] Carmelo Sáenz de Santa María Historia general del Perú Biblioteca de Autores Españoles (continuación) Obras Completas del Inca Garcilaso de la Vega Madrid Atlas 134–135Google Scholar
Ginzburg Carlo 1989 Clues, Myths and the Historical Method Baltimore Johns Hopkins University PressCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gisbert Teresa 1990 Pachacamac y los dioses del Collao Historia y Cultura 17 105–21Google Scholar
Guillén Guillén Edmundo 1974 Versión Inca de la conquista Lima Milla BatresGoogle Scholar
Guillén Guillén Edmundo 1979 Visión peruana de la conquista Lima Milla BatresGoogle Scholar
Guillén Guillén Edmundo 1994 La guerra de reconquista Inka Lima RA edicionesGoogle Scholar
Hanke Lewis 1988 La lucha por la justicia en la conquista de América Mexico Colegio Universitario de Ediciones ItsmoGoogle Scholar
Hemming John 1982 La conquista de los Incas Mexico Fondo de Cultura EconómicaGoogle Scholar
Huamán Poma de Ayala Felipe 1987 [1615] John V. Murra et al Nueva crónica y buen gobierno Mexico and Madrid 3 vols. Siglo XXI and Historia 16Google Scholar
Huarochirí [ . . . ]. 1987 [1608?] Gerald Taylor Ritos y tradiciones de Huarochirí Lima Instituto de Estudios Peruanos-Institut Français d'Études AndinesGoogle Scholar
Hyslop John 1990 Inka Settlement Planning Austin University of Texas PressCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Itier César 1993 Relación de antigüedades deste reyno del Pirú Estudio y comentario lingüístico Introductory essay Joan de Santa Cruz Pachacuti Yamqui Salcamaygua Cuzco Institut Français d'Études Andines—Centro de Estudios Regionales Andinos “Bartolomé de Las Casas,” 129–78Google Scholar
Kubler George 1945 The Behavior of Atahualpa, 1531–1533 Hispanic American Historical Review 25 4 413–27CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lamana Gonzalo 1996 Identidad y pertenencia de la nobleza cusqueña en el mundo colonial temprano Revista Andina 14 1 73 106Google Scholar
Lamana Gonzalo 2001 Definir y dominar. Los lugares grises en el Cuzco hacia 1540 Colonial Latin American Review 10 1 25 48CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lamana Gonzalo n.d. ldquo;Christian Rationality and Magicality during Atahualpa's Imprisonment.”Google Scholar
Lockhart James 1972 The Men of Cajamarca Austin University of Texas PressGoogle Scholar
Lyotard Jean François 1973 Des dispositifs pulsionnels Paris Union Générale d'ÉditionsGoogle Scholar
MacCormack Sabine 1989 Atahualpa and the Book Dispositio 14 36 38: 141–68Google Scholar
MacCormack Sabine 1991 Religion in the Andes Princeton Princeton University PressGoogle Scholar
Martínez Cereceda José Luis 1995 Autoridades en los Andes Lima Pontificia Universidad Católica del PerúGoogle Scholar
Mena Cristóbal de 1937 [1534] Raúl Porras Barrenechea Las relaciones primitivas de la conquista del Perú La conquista del Perú llamada la Nueva Castilla. . . . Paris Imprimeries Les Presses Modernes 79–101Google Scholar
Mignolo Walter 1995 The Darker Side of the Renaissance Ann Arbor University of Michigan PressGoogle Scholar
Mignolo Walter 2000 Local Histories/Global Designs Princeton Princeton University PressGoogle Scholar
Murúa Martín de 1987 [1590–1611] Manuel Ballesteros Gaibrois Historia general del Perú Madrid Historia 16Google Scholar
Obeyesekere Gananath 1992 The Apotheosis of Captain Cook: European Mythmaking in the Pacific (2d ed. 1997) Princeton Princeton University PressCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pease G. Y. Franklin 1991 Los últimos incas del Cuzco Madrid Alianza EditorialGoogle Scholar
Pease G. Y. Franklin 1995 Las crónicas y los Andes Lima Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú-Fondo de Cultura EconómicaGoogle Scholar
Pizarro Hernando 1953 [1533] El Conde de Canillejos Carta de Hernando Pizarro a los oidores de la audiencia de Santo Domingo Tres testigos de la conquista del Perú Buenos Aires Espasa-Calpe 51–69Google Scholar
Pizarro Pedro 1965 [1571] Juan Pérez de Tudela Bueso Relación del descubrimiento y conquista de los reinos del Perú Crónicas del Perú vol. 5 Biblioteca de Autores Españoles (continuación), t. 168. Madrid Atlas 167–242Google Scholar
Polo Ondegardo Juan 1990 [1567] Juan Guillermo Durán Los errores y supersticiones de los indios, sacados del tratado y aueriguación que hizo el licenciado Polo >Monumenta catechetica hispanoamericana (siglos) XVI—XVIII, vol. 2 Buenos Aires Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina 562–83Monumenta+catechetica+hispanoamericana+(siglos)+XVI—XVIII,+vol.+2+Buenos+Aires+Pontificia+Universidad+Católica+Argentina+562–83>Google Scholar
Porras Barrenechea Raúl 1978 Pizarro Lima Editorial Pizarro S.AGoogle Scholar
Probanza... 1974 [1573] Edmundo Guillén Guillén Probanza hecha por parte del señor fiscal en el pleito . . . sobre 300,000 pesos que gastó el marqués Pizarro . . . en la pazificación del alzamiento del Ynga. . . .” Versión Inca de la conquista Lima Milla Batres 9–129Google Scholar
Ramírez Susan E. 1996 The World Upside Down Stanford Stanford University PressCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rostworowski de Diez Canseco María 1983 Estructuras andinas de poder Lima Instituto de Estudios PeruanosGoogle Scholar
Rostworowski de Diez Canseco María 1989 Costa peruana prehispánica Lima Instituto de Estudios PeruanosGoogle Scholar
Rowe John J. 1985 La constitución inca del Cuzco Histórica 9 1 35 73CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ruiz de Arce Juan 1953 [1543] El Conde de Canillejos Advertencias de Juan Ruiz de Arce a sus sucesores Tres testigos de la conquista del Perú Buenos Aires Espasa-Calpe 71–119Google Scholar
Sahlins Marshall 1981 Historical Metaphors and Mythical Realities Ann Arbor University of Michigan PressCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sahlins Marshall 1985 Islands of History Chicago University of Chicago PressGoogle Scholar
Sahlins Marshall 1995 How “Natives” Think: About Captain Cook, for Example Chicago University of Chicago PressCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Salomon Frank 1982 Rolena Adorno Chronicles of the Impossible From Oral to Written Expression Syracuse Syracuse University Press 11–39Google Scholar
Salomon Frank 1986 Native Lords of Quito in the Age of the Incas Cambridge Cambridge University PressCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Salomon Frank 1991 Frank Salomon and George L. Urioste Introductory Essay The Huarochiri Manuscript Austin University of Texas Press 1–38Google Scholar
Sarmiento de Gamboa Pedro 2001 [1571] Ramón Alba Historia de los Incas Madrid Miraguano Ediciones—Ediciones PolifemoGoogle Scholar
Seed Patricia 1991 Failing to Marvel. Atahualpa's Encounter with the Word Latin American Research Review 26 1 7 32CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Silverblatt Irene 1987 Moon, Sun, and Witches: Gender Ideologies and Class in Inca and Colonial Peru Princeton Princeton University PressCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Spalding Karen 1974 De indio a campesino Lima Instituto de Estudios PeruanosGoogle Scholar
Spalding Karen 1984 Huarochirí Stanford Stanford University PressGoogle Scholar
Stern Steve 1982 Peru's Indigenous Peoples and the Challenge of Spanish Conquest Madison University of Wisconsin PressGoogle Scholar
Taussig Michael 1987 Shamanism, Colonialism and the Wild Man Chicago University of Chicago PressCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Taylor Gerald 2000 Camac, camay y camasca y otros ensayos sobre Huarochirí y Yauyos Cuzco Centro de Estudios Regionales Andinos “Bartolomé de Las Casas.”Google Scholar
Tito Cussi Yupangui. 1985 [1570] Luis millones Ynstruçión del Ynga don Diego de Castro Titu Cussi Yupangui Lima Ediciones El VirreyGoogle Scholar
Todorov Tzvetan 1978 La conquista de América Mexico Siglo XXIGoogle Scholar
Trujillo Diego de 1953 [1571] El Conde de Canillejos Relación del descubrimiento del reino del Perú Tres testigos de la conquista del Perú Buenos Aires Espasa-Calpe 123–46Google Scholar
Urbano Henrique 1981 Viracocha y Ayar Cuzco Centro de Estudios Regionales Andinos “Bartolomé de Las Casas.”Google Scholar
Varón-Gabai Rafael 1996 La ilusión del poder Lima Instituto de Estudios Peruanos-Institut Français d'Études AndinesCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wachtel Nathan 1971 La vision des vaincus Paris GallimardGoogle Scholar
Xérez Francisco de 1985 [1535] Concepción Bravo Guerreira Verdadera relación de la conquista del Perú Madrid Historia 16Google Scholar
Zárate Agustín de 1995 [1555] Franklin Pease G. Y. and Teodoro Hampe Martínez Historia del descubrimiento y conquista del Perú Lima Pontificia Universidad Católica del PerúGoogle Scholar
Ziólkowski, Mariusz. 1996 La Guerra de los Wawqi Quito ABYA-YALAGoogle Scholar
Zuidema Tom 1990 Inca Civilization in Cuzco Austin University of Texas PressGoogle Scholar