Chihuahuas Colonial Missions An Invaluable Patrimony Karla Muoz Alcocer hen people talk - PDF document

ChihuahuaÕs Colonial Missions AnInvaluable PatrimonyKarla Mu–oz Alcocer* hen people talk about MexicoÕsmony, states like Puebla, Que-Žtaro, Michoac‡n, Jalisco or, more to thenorth, Zacatecas usually come to mind. Youcould mention all the states of the republicas poor in historical patrimony. This does nottake into account, however, the fact that thecolonial legacy there was formed under lessdesert to the north; broad central plains bor-dered diagonally on the southwest by thepatience to reach; an extreme climate withtemperatures from minus cero degrees to 46degrees Centigrade; and little water. It was farfrom the capital of New Spain, far from artis-tic centers and skilled workmen; this meantthat master sculptors, painters and architects nias) and director of the Chihuahua ColonialMissions Civic Association. 103 During colonial times, Franciscan, Jesuit,quest Ñto call it thatÑ was the mission.noteworthy, depending on the order the mission-of the ethnic group converted. For example,om‡s de Guadalajara and JosŽ Tard‡ wrote inthe Raramuri, or Tarahumara, to congregate intowns: ÒWe tried to limit them to one site and atinues to be valid 300 years later. The missionsChihuahuaÕs mission system began to bebuilt after the discovery of two mines: thesouthwestern part of the state, from where aMine, whose main vein was discovered inwere established by the followers of Saintrancis of Assisi in the Santa B‡rbara region;colonists in the San BartolomŽ Valley (orAllende Valley) and San JosŽ del Parral. The Maribel Portela reveals to us a world she is a part of, the world of gatherers of dreams and objects. 104 Santa Fe; the Company of Jesus built others onthe Western Sierra Madre, divided into threeregions: the Lower or Old Tarahumara, the Highor New Tarahumara and Ch’nipas, which wasThe first Jesuit settlement in San Pablo deAlthough innumerable Tarahumara, Tepehuan,fruits of their labor, sometimes postponing thethat, starting with San Pablo, they set up mis-and later into the interior. Other Òblack-robedCrownÕs economy and organization given theirthey obeyed only the Pope and not the king.Zacatecas or the Texas missions, and others wereEven with all the difficulties that this regionwere eventually founded in what is todayChihuahua, state, beit in Mexico or what is now the UnitedStates. Many of these missions are now coun-ty seats; others remained small towns andhamlets inhabited by indigenous or mestizos,and, in some cases, both together sharing asingle church. The mission continues to be thegovernor, calls the people together,the mestizos or Tarahumaras go in and out ofthe church, congreing cultural patrimony. 105 dance of red clay. In the missions built nearpieces, sculptures and paintings. However, all ofthe artistÕs only aim was the creation of an imageto worship and not its aesthetic quality.Unfortunately, for many decades the missionsartistic patrimony, a lack of communicationmunities. All of this caused inappropriate actionto be taken, even if with the best intentions. ForMissions Civic Association to further an integralcollaboration of the state government, theNational Institute of Anthropology and History,The projectÕs objective is to create security, 106 hua: The Santa Mar’a de Cuevas Mission.Ó Twocenter surrounded by a wealth of mirror-likeThanks to a grant from the J. Paul Getty Foun-carried out to determine the paintingÕs state ofMexicoÕs National Council of the Arts Fund forthe Restoration of Monuments and Art Works.The establishment of ChihuahuaÕs missionsystem took great effort on the part of mission-aries and indigenous peoples of the region;undoubtedly, the same effort will be requiredto preserve it. For this to happen, we all needto be aware that our cultural patrimony is notfor present and future development.