Talk:California mission clash of cultures

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[edit] Perspective of the Indians

I propose that this article could be improved with a bit of a rewrite, to give a better balance between the cultural points of view of the two sides of this 'clash'.

For instance, the article could describe the status quo of the culture prior to the entry of the Europeans into the Alta Californina. And, the global political context that was part of the Spanish motiviation to colonize Alta California. I don't want to "step on toes" and am willing to discuss this and collaborate with other editors. BruceHallman 15:53, 24 October 2006 (UTC)

Bruce, I have a fair bit of source material that can be used to expand the article as you suggest. If you'd like to take the first crack I'd love to help!--Lord Kinbote 23:10, 24 October 2006 (UTC)

It does appear to be a bit biased. While I am not a fan of the Spanish empire and believe that the native peoples should have been left alone, I am also quite aware that the native people living at the missions outnumbered the friars and their guards (only six of them at Capistrano) by more than one hundred to one. They were not routinely chained or whipped. Nothing could have prevented anyone from leaving if they wanted. So why were they so passive most of the time? Was it cultural? Was it simply a matter of lifestyle? As I heard a docent at Capistrano tell fourth graders, "Would you want to live on pounded acorns, or on meat and vegetables?" Or maybe it was something else.Scott Adler (talk) 07:36, 7 April 2008 (UTC)