An Analysis of the Poem They Came from the East by Gabriela Rincon
They came from the East
Author: Gabriela Rincon
The oral poem “They came from the East” was produced by Natives of Central America specifically Mayans who had their own believes regarding creation and nature where mountains, caves and even the sky had close relationship with life and death, present and future. These people were led to convert into a completely different religion by the moment the Spanish conquerors came to rule their land. They came from the East when they arrive. Then Christianity also began. This imposition lately became a source of problems for the natives. The aim of this poem is to reflect the consequences of converting into the Spanish religion. This text shows the resignation natives had regarding the arrival of the Spanish and the negative influence they had on changing their perceptions and believes.
The use of the words the true God the true Dios may imply that they believed in that God they mention but rejected the consequences that came with such religion. Specially, in this text we can notice a reproach in the way these Spanish took advantage of the natives by means of the Christian religion.
The following are words used to demonstrate the abuse the natives received in the name of Christianity: tribute, church dues, purse-snatching, forced debts, false testimonies, vexation. They associated Christianity to economical difficulties and misfortune. They describe resentfully their Christianization from the beginning of the poem to the end as it was the beginning of our misery and the beginning of vexation.
It is clear that the message Native Americans are sending is their disappointment and resignation. It seems like they expected something different coming from the Spanish and their believes but they only received treachery, harassment, persecution and affliction, as stated before, the beginning of vexation for their
Author: Gabriela Rincon
The oral poem “They came from the East” was produced by Natives of Central America specifically Mayans who had their own believes regarding creation and nature where mountains, caves and even the sky had close relationship with life and death, present and future. These people were led to convert into a completely different religion by the moment the Spanish conquerors came to rule their land. They came from the East when they arrive. Then Christianity also began. This imposition lately became a source of problems for the natives. The aim of this poem is to reflect the consequences of converting into the Spanish religion. This text shows the resignation natives had regarding the arrival of the Spanish and the negative influence they had on changing their perceptions and believes.
The use of the words the true God the true Dios may imply that they believed in that God they mention but rejected the consequences that came with such religion. Specially, in this text we can notice a reproach in the way these Spanish took advantage of the natives by means of the Christian religion.
The following are words used to demonstrate the abuse the natives received in the name of Christianity: tribute, church dues, purse-snatching, forced debts, false testimonies, vexation. They associated Christianity to economical difficulties and misfortune. They describe resentfully their Christianization from the beginning of the poem to the end as it was the beginning of our misery and the beginning of vexation.
It is clear that the message Native Americans are sending is their disappointment and resignation. It seems like they expected something different coming from the Spanish and their believes but they only received treachery, harassment, persecution and affliction, as stated before, the beginning of vexation for their