Stern’s
book explores the topic of integration of peoples and cultures while examining
the Spaniards’ arrival in the Andes. While we have discussed how the Spaniards
affected the way of life of the indigenous populations, we can also start to
see how the indigenous communities responded after the process started to
unravel. The Spaniards utilized the indigenous populations for their economic
gains such as the encomiendas that were given out to conquistadors along with
other interests. But, the indigenous populations’ cultures remained, and we
even see the transpiration of legal development within the indigenous
population to fight for their rights. (116) It is interesting that even with
the challenges that were present, such as economic and social status, the
indigenous won important local legal battles. The indigenous populations fought
over land and labor laws that the Spaniards tried to implement at the expense
of the indigenous populations. This integration transformed the area and its
population in many ways producing a class division. The ironic part of the
integration is that one of its main productions is this division between the
different social and ethnic classes. The integration also saw the climb of a
few indigenous people up the social and economic ladder. (158) Although it is
clear that ideology plays a critical role in the transformation that occurred
in this time period, Stern looks at how the integration of these peoples and cultures
developed to make a new society.
I agree with your post that Spanish greed and domination over the Huamanga region of Peru transformed the politics and economy of this place drastically. As I finished reading the Stern book for this week, I realized a similar trend with the native peoples of Peru and the natives of the North American English colonies. Both of these indigenous peoples became infatuated with the goods and commodities that European markets had brought them and became willing participants in the trade. “The spread of Hispanic ‘culture’, moreover, was not confined to resources used in material production. Wealthy Indians bought and used the accouterments of cultured Spanish folk. They wore fine clothes (made in Europe), travelled on horse and saddle, bought furniture, jewelry, and trinkets for their homes, enjoyed wine with meals, and owned Spanish firearms and swords” (Stern 167). The Peruvian regional ayllus became increasingly irrelevant and the native post-Inca peoples became increasingly dependent on the Spanish mercantilist empire. The post-Inca peoples sought to improve their social standing by assimilating to Spanish customs, religion, and culture especially the elites of Huamanga but also the peasants and lower classes who believed that their previous gods had failed them. “Some of the Hispanizing Indians took Christian religion quite seriously. The defeat of Taki Onqoy, of course, made plain that all Indians needed to avoid the wrath of powerful Christian gods” (Stern 169). A new colonial elite was being made with the inter-marrying of Spanish and Peruvian natives, both ethnic groups were valuing financial gain in the Americas as the society was becoming more and more of a truly mestizo society.
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