Return of the Native, The: Indians and Myth-Making in Spanish America, 1810 1930

by Rebecca Earle, Andrew Yerkes

First Published in 2005. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Indigenous

179 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Isaac Gradl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Earle provides a really thorough account of Latin American nationalisms and the formation of Latin American national identities from the period of independence to the 1930s. Her analysis brings together a combination of sources: writings from intellectuals during the time, museums, statues, etc. (even things like stamps) to show how perceptions of indigenous peoples and colonial rule shifted during this time frame.

[galaxypox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I enjoyed the book. Admittedly there were chunks I skimmed but that is mostly for me and timing rather than the book itself. Earle discusses how Native culture, pre-Columbus, was factored into nation building and nationalism after various countries separated from Spain. She highlights how there was a distinction of the great nations of the past (the Inca, Maya, Aztecs, etc.) versus the contemporary Indigenous, and how Spanish American elites focused on mythicizing the Native past rather than incorporating contemporary Native peoples.

Overall, I found it an informative read. The author wrote well but I almost wonder if this was her dissertation with how some of it is formatted/worded (not a diss to her, just reads as one at some points.)

[Larissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Impressively broad survey of how elite Spanish American nationalism incorporated elements of the pre-conquest past during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Earle argues that certain broad trends - an upsurge of "indianesque" nationalism during the independence era, followed by elite disavowal of symbolic indian heritage; the inclusion of the pre-conquest period in history texts and museums as a precursor to the modern nation, and the sharp distinctions drawn between past and contemporary indigenous peoples - can be traced throughout the societies of mainland Spanish America. While the book does not offer in-depth accounts of nationalism within particular countries, its region-wide insights and far-reaching base of sources make The Return of the Native a valuable addition to the literature on cultural state formation.

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have an existing interest in indigenismo and so I appreciated Earle's presentation of the historical development of indigenismo within a regional context of independence and nation-state building. Her choice to analyze state symbols such as coins, stamps, and even theater also helped make the book more interesting.