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Hall of Mirrors: Power, Witchcraft, and Caste in Colonial Mexico
Through an examination of caste in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Mexico, Hall of Mirrors explores the construction of hierarchy and difference in a Spanish colonial setting. Laura A. Lewis describes how the meanings attached to the categories of Spanish, Indian, black, mulatto, and mestizo were generated within that setting, as she shows how the cultural politics of caste produced a system of fluid and relational designations that simultaneously facilitated and undermined Spanish governance. Using judicial records from a variety of colonial courts, Lewis highlights the ethnographic details of legal proceedings as she demonstrates how Indians, in particular, came to be the masters of witchcraft, a domain of power that drew on gendered and hegemonic caste distinctions to complicate the colonial hierarchy. She also reveals the ways in which blacks, mulattoes, and mestizos mediated between Spaniards and Indians, alternatively reinforcing Spanish authority and challenging it through alliances with Indians. Bringing to life colonial subjects as they testified about their experiences, Hall of Mirrors discloses a series of contradictions that complicate easy distinctions between subalterns and elites, resistance and power.
280 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 27, 2010
Might as well share the review I wrote for class:
In Hall of Mirrors, Lewis brings forth an intriguing look at magic as an agent of social control in colonial New Spain. More importantly, Lewis offers her exploration of witchcraft within the context of colonial Mexico’s rigid caste system. With detailed descriptions of social practices, complete with case studies, Lewis tells the reader not only what cultural norms surrounding witchcraft and magic existed, but also offers explanations for why these notions may have persisted over time. Using contemporary court records and theories brought forth by other historians, Lewis argues witchcraft in colonial Mexico was not merely seen as a form of religious deviance but also a form of social deviance, considered most dangerous where it threatened the Spanish hegemony.
Lewis begins her work by outlining a history of early colonial Mexico with a focus on relations between the Spanish conquerors and the Native Americans (who she chooses to refer to as ‘Indians’ in her text). Through an examination of Spanish legislature, Lewis suggests a dichotomous view held by Spanish authorities in which Indians are meant to be subjected to Spanish authority (through taxation and forced labor where necessary) but are also in need of protection (most suggestively from themselves). In the Spanish view, Lewis argues with evidence from court documents, Indians were perceived to be weak and innocent on the same level as women and children.
Along the same vein, Lewis uses the perceived “innocence” of Indians in juxtaposition of the perceived “savageness” of blacks. Whereas the Spaniards feminized Indians, blacks were most often masculinized. Lewis presents several examples in which blacks, both free and enslaved, were granted authority over the “weaker” Indian population. Both were perceived to be beneath the Spanish in the social hierarchy but blacks, judged to be stronger, were given greater authority.
Here, Lewis begins an in depth discussion on the coexistence of raza (race) with casta (caste) within the same social hierarchy. Lewis argues race was not always the sole determinant for social class in New Spain. Mestizos and mulattoes, she finds, could be granted further rights to “Spanishness” where their Spanish fathers acknowledged them. Lewis suggests “Spanishness” was, in many instances, of more importance than race itself.
Lewis also spends a large portion of her work discussing gender and the role it plays in the Spanish caste system. Women in colonial Mexico were viewed as incapable of controlling their own will. Female sexuality, according to Lewis’ interpretation, was viewed as something to be controlled and regulated through male authority (more specifically, Spanish male authority). Lewis again suggests the parallels between how Spaniards viewed both women and Indians by saying, to the Spanish, both groups were considered to be “incomplete” when compared to Spanish men. This “incompleteness” was seen to make women (and Indians) more vulnerable to Satan and the supernatural world at large.
Through the final chapter of Hall of Mirrors, Lewis concludes witchcraft in colonial Mexico was used as both a tool to maintain social order as well as a tool of social resistance. The Inquisition was meant to encourage members of colonial society to adhere to the standards of religious practice while at the same time promoting “Spanishness” over other forms of behavior (namely, Indian folk tradition). At the same time, through the use of magic and witchcraft, subordinated groups (most often women and Indians in her examples) were able to work within the social hierarchy to their own advantage. By turning to practices outside what was deemed to be acceptable, subordinated groups could be seen to be rejecting the cultural norms set before them.
One of the biggest difficulties in reading Lewis’ work comes in trying to keep up with her use of endnotes. Many contain important information that is often necessary to have read in order to be able to understand the next sentence of her work. Some of these notes were found to be relatively pointless while others were vital and could not be missed (suggesting, perhaps, the information should have been included in the main body of text). Overall, her use of notes can be distracting to the reader and disruptive to the flow of the main text of her work.
Lewis, throughout her work, relies heavily on the interpretations of other historians. In some instances, she uses these other interpretations in balance against her own theories. She is careful, at least, to point out the flaws she sees in these other theories while at the same to time leaving her own judgments and conclusions open to interpretation by the reader. Overall, Lewis offers an interesting exploration at how witchcraft can be used both as an agent of and a tool against a given social structure.
In Hall of Mirrors, Lewis brings forth an intriguing look at magic as an agent of social control in colonial New Spain. More importantly, Lewis offers her exploration of witchcraft within the context of colonial Mexico’s rigid caste system. With detailed descriptions of social practices, complete with case studies, Lewis tells the reader not only what cultural norms surrounding witchcraft and magic existed, but also offers explanations for why these notions may have persisted over time. Using contemporary court records and theories brought forth by other historians, Lewis argues witchcraft in colonial Mexico was not merely seen as a form of religious deviance but also a form of social deviance, considered most dangerous where it threatened the Spanish hegemony.
Lewis begins her work by outlining a history of early colonial Mexico with a focus on relations between the Spanish conquerors and the Native Americans (who she chooses to refer to as ‘Indians’ in her text). Through an examination of Spanish legislature, Lewis suggests a dichotomous view held by Spanish authorities in which Indians are meant to be subjected to Spanish authority (through taxation and forced labor where necessary) but are also in need of protection (most suggestively from themselves). In the Spanish view, Lewis argues with evidence from court documents, Indians were perceived to be weak and innocent on the same level as women and children.
Along the same vein, Lewis uses the perceived “innocence” of Indians in juxtaposition of the perceived “savageness” of blacks. Whereas the Spaniards feminized Indians, blacks were most often masculinized. Lewis presents several examples in which blacks, both free and enslaved, were granted authority over the “weaker” Indian population. Both were perceived to be beneath the Spanish in the social hierarchy but blacks, judged to be stronger, were given greater authority.
Here, Lewis begins an in depth discussion on the coexistence of raza (race) with casta (caste) within the same social hierarchy. Lewis argues race was not always the sole determinant for social class in New Spain. Mestizos and mulattoes, she finds, could be granted further rights to “Spanishness” where their Spanish fathers acknowledged them. Lewis suggests “Spanishness” was, in many instances, of more importance than race itself.
Lewis also spends a large portion of her work discussing gender and the role it plays in the Spanish caste system. Women in colonial Mexico were viewed as incapable of controlling their own will. Female sexuality, according to Lewis’ interpretation, was viewed as something to be controlled and regulated through male authority (more specifically, Spanish male authority). Lewis again suggests the parallels between how Spaniards viewed both women and Indians by saying, to the Spanish, both groups were considered to be “incomplete” when compared to Spanish men. This “incompleteness” was seen to make women (and Indians) more vulnerable to Satan and the supernatural world at large.
Through the final chapter of Hall of Mirrors, Lewis concludes witchcraft in colonial Mexico was used as both a tool to maintain social order as well as a tool of social resistance. The Inquisition was meant to encourage members of colonial society to adhere to the standards of religious practice while at the same time promoting “Spanishness” over other forms of behavior (namely, Indian folk tradition). At the same time, through the use of magic and witchcraft, subordinated groups (most often women and Indians in her examples) were able to work within the social hierarchy to their own advantage. By turning to practices outside what was deemed to be acceptable, subordinated groups could be seen to be rejecting the cultural norms set before them.
One of the biggest difficulties in reading Lewis’ work comes in trying to keep up with her use of endnotes. Many contain important information that is often necessary to have read in order to be able to understand the next sentence of her work. Some of these notes were found to be relatively pointless while others were vital and could not be missed (suggesting, perhaps, the information should have been included in the main body of text). Overall, her use of notes can be distracting to the reader and disruptive to the flow of the main text of her work.
Lewis, throughout her work, relies heavily on the interpretations of other historians. In some instances, she uses these other interpretations in balance against her own theories. She is careful, at least, to point out the flaws she sees in these other theories while at the same to time leaving her own judgments and conclusions open to interpretation by the reader. Overall, Lewis offers an interesting exploration at how witchcraft can be used both as an agent of and a tool against a given social structure.
September 11, 2020
I give five stars but Professor Lewis’ book developed out of her thesis is distinctly that - I would appreciate more writing from her about each of the cases she studied in the inquisition records. I think as a textbook-type book for history that isn’t really allowed though. Anyway, witchcraft! I’ve been reading and consuming more content with this topic and this book most directly addresses witchcraft/magic/astrology in a way that I really value and took a lot from. I think the use of witchcraft for women needing to subvert patriarchal structures and institutional power (in government, in science, and the church) is presented in a very illuminating way here. I think it reveals something to me about the way misogyny exists in supposedly neutral fields, like science or technology. It’s really relevant in that regard!
I initially found this book because I had started another Said book where he explicitly leaves out Spain in his assessments of colonialism. His work has a deserved place of prominence, but living in Texas how could I ignore Spanish colonialism in thinking about history and mixing cultures and populations? This book hits that spot really effectively, though its core study is about witchcraft and the inquisition.
I think a lingering thought for me from this book will be that this topic and this perspective would be ripe for historical fiction, like movies and TV. I just watched Pan’s Labyrinth for the first time and this book just begs for a Nagual’s Labyrinth treatment.
I initially found this book because I had started another Said book where he explicitly leaves out Spain in his assessments of colonialism. His work has a deserved place of prominence, but living in Texas how could I ignore Spanish colonialism in thinking about history and mixing cultures and populations? This book hits that spot really effectively, though its core study is about witchcraft and the inquisition.
I think a lingering thought for me from this book will be that this topic and this perspective would be ripe for historical fiction, like movies and TV. I just watched Pan’s Labyrinth for the first time and this book just begs for a Nagual’s Labyrinth treatment.
May 20, 2013
This is an idea book, and it is not always the easiest book to read. Lewis does include some compelling case studies, so the reader does receive some windows into the lives of real people, and that helps keep the pages turning, but there are long stretches here devoted to big thinking and sometimes they drag. If you are like me you tolerate those sections until you get back to a historical anecdote that grounds all the big ideas and gives them some kind of concrete, understandable shape.
The idea here is sort of brilliant though. It is a really great way of thinking about witchcraft belief in the New World, and I think you could apply it far beyond Colonial Mexico. Lewis argues that ideas about gender and race were inseparable from ideas about witchcraft in Mexico. Mexican ideas about witchcraft and its power was kind of similar to European witchcraft beliefs, but the cultural situation in Mexico made things far more complex. The imposition of Spanish culture onto indigenous territory in the sixteenth century led to the creation, in the minds of Spaniards and Indians alike, of two dueling domains of power. The officially sanctioned domain was Spanish, masculine, and Christian. This domain exercised authority through the courts - both the secular courts and the ecclesiastical courts of the Inquisition. The unsanctioned domain was indigenous, feminine, and anti-Christian. It exercised authority through the magical world of witchcraft. Ironically, both domains were created and fostered by the hegemonic Spanish culture, which "spoke both to power and to the subversion of that power." The church decided early in the colonization process that pre-contact indigenous religion had been devil worship, and that the devil continued to be a very real presence in the New World. Satan lingered in the natural world of Mexico, in the wilderness untamed by the forces of colonization, and he was always working to win souls away from the church. Indians, who were seen as feminine and weak, were believed to have "a special relationship to the devil...because of their gullibility." Women, regardless of race, were also believed to be easily tempted into making use of the unsanctioned world of magic.
I think it would be really fruitful to take this idea about dueling worlds of power, both basically created in the minds and institutions of European men, and try to apply it to other parts of North and South America. Mary Beth Norton's book on Salem witchcraft is sort of reminiscent of this approach.
The idea here is sort of brilliant though. It is a really great way of thinking about witchcraft belief in the New World, and I think you could apply it far beyond Colonial Mexico. Lewis argues that ideas about gender and race were inseparable from ideas about witchcraft in Mexico. Mexican ideas about witchcraft and its power was kind of similar to European witchcraft beliefs, but the cultural situation in Mexico made things far more complex. The imposition of Spanish culture onto indigenous territory in the sixteenth century led to the creation, in the minds of Spaniards and Indians alike, of two dueling domains of power. The officially sanctioned domain was Spanish, masculine, and Christian. This domain exercised authority through the courts - both the secular courts and the ecclesiastical courts of the Inquisition. The unsanctioned domain was indigenous, feminine, and anti-Christian. It exercised authority through the magical world of witchcraft. Ironically, both domains were created and fostered by the hegemonic Spanish culture, which "spoke both to power and to the subversion of that power." The church decided early in the colonization process that pre-contact indigenous religion had been devil worship, and that the devil continued to be a very real presence in the New World. Satan lingered in the natural world of Mexico, in the wilderness untamed by the forces of colonization, and he was always working to win souls away from the church. Indians, who were seen as feminine and weak, were believed to have "a special relationship to the devil...because of their gullibility." Women, regardless of race, were also believed to be easily tempted into making use of the unsanctioned world of magic.
I think it would be really fruitful to take this idea about dueling worlds of power, both basically created in the minds and institutions of European men, and try to apply it to other parts of North and South America. Mary Beth Norton's book on Salem witchcraft is sort of reminiscent of this approach.
December 11, 2011
This book was decent. It was hard to follow for the most part during the course of the reading. However, once you got to the end, all the pieces were put together. I had to do this for a research project for college, so naturally, I had to review it for references. I honestly don't believe I would have understood the point of the book if I hadn't reviewed it. Not completely, anyway.
March 12, 2011
Not sure if i agree with her hall of mirror theory. Enjoyed the book nonetheless.
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