The Jesuit RelationsBy: Aubree Balkan
Introduction The Society of
Jesuit, founded in 1534 by Ignatious of Loyola
Main goal: convert the “pagan” Native Americans to Catholicism
Introduction The Jesuit
Relations gave accounts of the carious Native nations regards to customs, habits, and cultures.
ethnographic
Chapter 1 Father Paul Le
Jeune wrote 1st published Jesuit Relations
Montagnious Indians: hunters-gatherers tall, strong, agile ,profess never to anger
Chapter 1 Montagnais
Indians believed there were certain spirits of light, called “KichiKouai”
Montagnais Indians consulted the light to see very far ahead to future events
Chapter 2 The Hurons: the
best documented group f Native North Americans
The Huron's used a peculiar language: words were universally conjugated
Chapter 2 Jean de Brebeaf observed the Huron's of
their beliefs and practices for comparisons to Christian principles
The Huron's believed the head of their nation fell from Heaven, a woman called Aataentsic
The Huron's looked to the sky for all their needs, believed the sky was the most vivid image of divinity
Chapter 5 17th century French
considered North America a mysterious region, regarding it at evil not picturesque
Jesuit Relations provided glimpses of how the natives viewed humans, animals and the cosmos.
Chapter 5 The Natives observed
the animals: God gave anger to all animals to repel hostility towards them
The Natives observed natural occurrences: God intended earthquakes and comets as signs of doom or deliverance
Chapter 6 The Jesuits
biggest ambition: Iroquois Conversion
The Mohawks “Mission Indians” largest amount of converts
Chapter 6 Invoked the fear of God’s judgment to
detach the natives from the evils of gambling and drinking
Sundays and feast days are happy occasions warrant fancy headdresses and clothing