XXVI Congreso Internacional de Americanistas

- 138 ­
to dig gold for the king, to serve God and the Holy Virgin and to pay
tithes to the church. Or at least so said the interpreter, Pedro Ribadeneyra.
The other Indians decided similarly, and Guzmán sent them off
to start the expcl'iencia. near Bayamo, a healthfuI town about twentyfive
leagues from Santiago.
Once arrived at Bayamo, the supervisor, Francisco Guerrero was
macle responsible for teaching the subjects of the experiencia how to
live like "Christian laborers in Castile" . The original instructions, given
by Governor Guzmán to Guerrero on April 3, 153!, have been prese rved
and reveal an imposing list of cluties for which the supervisor was theoretically
responsible. He must prevent his charges from having communica
tion with other Indians, presumably to prevent contamination.
and to permit the experiment to unfold itself in a sort of social vacuum.
The Indians must be taught to raise cotton, maize, chickens and pigs as
a Spanish farmer wOLlld. It was also Guerrero's responsibility to see
that they carried on their labors regularly and did not become idlers
or vagabonds. :With tll e fruits af thi s labor they must dress and feed
themselves as well as pay the tithe to the church and a tax to the king.
GlIerre ro must make the Indians stop their idolatrous ceremonies anc1
witchraft. Once purged of thes.e errors of the devil, they were to be
taught the elements of Christianity. In this work of conversion Guel'ferO
was to employ such methods as seemed suited to their nature.
Thollgh enjoined to celebrate the Mass daily, he was permitted to excuse
Indians from this service at his discretion. The natives must be
allowed to indulge in their dances, under the provisions of the king's
law, but Guerrero was to prevent their using paint or masks in their
frenzies. One's imagination falters in the attempt to visualize the ancient
Indian dances performed in the garb of "Christian laborers of
Castile" under the watchful eye of the administrator!
SlIch were the formal instructions given by an uninterested Governor
te ;:n unscrupulous administrator. Guzmán thrust the whole responsibility
upon Guerrero, and never once visited the Bayamo village. Guerrero's
exploitation of the natives makes one unclerstand why the Flemish
courtiers sl1rrol1nding King Char:es ancl battening on the remunerative
offices in the Spanish government reterred to Spaniards fondly as
"their Indians". According to a deposition sent to the Council of the
Indies, Guerrero visited the village seldom, spent little time indoctrinating
the natives or teaching them "how to live like Castilian laborers".
He commandeend the natives for service in his own house, took an Indian
woman named Isabella away from her husband, and kept her "for
his own eviJ purposes". When the Indians managed to raise a crap the
administrator invitécl all his friends to a feast. Whenever he feJt the
need of reJaxation, there were always partridges and pigeons to be hunted