Declaration Of The Indian Juan Analysis

The Declaration of the Indian Juan is written in the format of a Spanish author documenting his exchange with a Pueblo, “Indian Juan,” that chronicles the Pueblo experience of the Pueblo Rebellion. The author is unknown, but presumably is a former Spanish leader or resident of the Pueblo area. They are likely documenting this conversation for the consumption of others displaced from that area or to the Spanish back home. It is clearly not intended for a Native American audience due to the lengthy explanation of the fear of El Pope that would not have been needed for other Pueblo Indians. The author is detailing the events of the Pueblo Rebellion as heard from the “Indian Juan.” Juan is supposedly to have said the Pueblos are “returning to idolatry.” They are revolting against the Spanish and the Catholic Church by burning temples and other various crimes not specifically outlined. When speaking with Indian Juan, the author finds that not all the Pueblo’s are joining the rebellion willingly, but out of fear of the leader El Pope.
El Pope …show more content…
The soreness of the loss of the Spanish influences this piece through the description and documentation of the entirety of events. The author portrays El Pope as satanic, savage, and the antithesis of the good Christian Spanish. El Pope was not likely to have been a devil worshipper, an advocate of past Pueblo religion is much more likely, but that does not make El Pope the evil villain the Spanish need for their narrative. The author was likely so appalled by the dismisal of Christianity, he concluded that the alternative was Satanic worship. To the Spainards, knowing God, then forsaking him was evil. The Spanish believed the natives as savages, unknowing of Christ, but now they were taught. They knew Christ and still forsaked