Columbus on Trial
Encyclopedia
Columbus on Trial was a film directed by Lourdes Portillo
in 1992. The 18-minute film, acted and co-written by the comic trio Culture Clash
, acts out a simulated trial that Christopher Columbus
is put in as they lived through the 500th anniversary of his discovery. The film commences by portraying a variety of journalists and reporters questioning Columbus's motives. They bombard him with all the questions that have arisen over the previous 500 years in regards to the controversy of whether he really did discover the New World
for the betterment of the people. This meaning that he introduced European customs and beliefs as a way to improve the lives of the natives already residing in it, or whether he simply invaded these territories in order to impose his own culture and destroy
theirs. In this film specifically, Portillo depicts Columbus as a man charged with slaughter against the natives living in the New World. With this film, Portillo supports the reconsideration of “official history.” As children, most of us have attended elementary school being taught to praise Columbus for his discoveries but it is not until we grow that we see the other point of view on this subject. The view that states that Columbus took credit for something he did not discover, The Americas.
, states that coloniality of power still exists in form of domination left over form political and economic colonialism, allows for continual notions of superiority to be bred under Euro-centric. An example of this can be seen in the film itself, the fact that the prosecuting Indian was wearing a suit shows an example of coloniality of power. Although he was from Indian decent his style of clothing came from the colonizers. This is just one of the many examples in the film in which you can see obvious forms of coloniality of power.
describes hegemony
as a form of rule in which dominant ideas, meaning, and values, permeate all of society without appearing to be imposed. Hegemonic ideologies are seen in the film by Lourdes Portillo
when we see the acculturation
of the defense lawyer and the Judge. These Chicanos believe that Columbus was the discoverer of the Americas without really doubting Columbus. Columbus discovering the Americas is the dominant idea and therefore do not challenge it.
. Lugones presents gender as a colonial introduction that brought upon an imposed strict gender binaries that were firmly based on heterosexuality principals. This film breaks gender binaries in which women are seen only as submissive caregivers. The film has a judge that is a woman. This is important in that a women was given the job of an authoritarian character, that held the power to decide whether Columbus the discovered of America or invaded it and colonized its Indian population. Another example of this is seen at the end of the film when Columbus was declared free and clear to go, as he was leaving a young Chicana shot him down in cold blood. This also breaks the gender binary in that Lourdes Portillo
creates a strong Latina who is powerful and an assassin which broke all gender binaries imposed by the Colonial Modern Gender System
Lourdes Portillo
Lourdes Portillo is an American screenwriter and filmmaker. While the majority of her work is in the documentary film genre, she has also created video installations and written for the stage...
in 1992. The 18-minute film, acted and co-written by the comic trio Culture Clash
Culture Clash
Culture Clash may refer to:* Culture Clash , American performance troupe* Culture Clash , British band which plays Harare Jit music...
, acts out a simulated trial that Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
is put in as they lived through the 500th anniversary of his discovery. The film commences by portraying a variety of journalists and reporters questioning Columbus's motives. They bombard him with all the questions that have arisen over the previous 500 years in regards to the controversy of whether he really did discover the New World
New World
The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
for the betterment of the people. This meaning that he introduced European customs and beliefs as a way to improve the lives of the natives already residing in it, or whether he simply invaded these territories in order to impose his own culture and destroy
theirs. In this film specifically, Portillo depicts Columbus as a man charged with slaughter against the natives living in the New World. With this film, Portillo supports the reconsideration of “official history.” As children, most of us have attended elementary school being taught to praise Columbus for his discoveries but it is not until we grow that we see the other point of view on this subject. The view that states that Columbus took credit for something he did not discover, The Americas.
Characters
Columbus on Trial contains a variety of characters, all an important part of the message that the film conveys to its audience. The protagonist of this film is Christopher Columbus, who with the help of his Chicano defense lawyer tries to prove his innocence. The lawyer in charge of prosecuting Christopher Columbus is a Native man who stresses the importance of convicting Columbus referred to as “The Great Assassin. The judge and defense lawyer are Chicanos loyal to their Spanish roots and believe Columbus was the discoverer of the Americas. The prosecutor, on the other hand, is of Indian origins and wants Christopher Columbus to be convicted. Christopher Columbus, for many was the explorer who discovered the Americas. For others, he was a murder and a trespasser. This video is a parody of a present say trial in a courtroom. In this make believe trial we see various aspects of: Coloniality of Power, Hegemony, and Colonial Modern Gender System.Coloniality of Power
Coloniality of Power according to Maria Lugones, introduces basic and universal classification of population in terms of race. Relations of superiority and inferiority, the legacy that the colonization left behind. Anibal QuijanoAnibal Quijano
Anibal Quijano is a Peruvian sociologist and humanist thinker, known for having developed the concept of "coloniality of power". His body of work has been influential in the fields of post-colonial studies and critical theory....
, states that coloniality of power still exists in form of domination left over form political and economic colonialism, allows for continual notions of superiority to be bred under Euro-centric. An example of this can be seen in the film itself, the fact that the prosecuting Indian was wearing a suit shows an example of coloniality of power. Although he was from Indian decent his style of clothing came from the colonizers. This is just one of the many examples in the film in which you can see obvious forms of coloniality of power.
Hegemony
Antonio GramsciAntonio Gramsci
Antonio Gramsci was an Italian writer, politician, political philosopher, and linguist. He was a founding member and onetime leader of the Communist Party of Italy and was imprisoned by Benito Mussolini's Fascist regime...
describes hegemony
Hegemony
Hegemony is an indirect form of imperial dominance in which the hegemon rules sub-ordinate states by the implied means of power rather than direct military force. In Ancient Greece , hegemony denoted the politico–military dominance of a city-state over other city-states...
as a form of rule in which dominant ideas, meaning, and values, permeate all of society without appearing to be imposed. Hegemonic ideologies are seen in the film by Lourdes Portillo
Lourdes Portillo
Lourdes Portillo is an American screenwriter and filmmaker. While the majority of her work is in the documentary film genre, she has also created video installations and written for the stage...
when we see the acculturation
Acculturation
Acculturation explains the process of cultural and psychological change that results following meeting between cultures. The effects of acculturation can be seen at multiple levels in both interacting cultures. At the group level, acculturation often results in changes to culture, customs, and...
of the defense lawyer and the Judge. These Chicanos believe that Columbus was the discoverer of the Americas without really doubting Columbus. Columbus discovering the Americas is the dominant idea and therefore do not challenge it.
Colonial modern gender system
This film also presents a shift of what Maria Lugones describes as Colonial Modern Gender SystemsGender systems
Gender systems are systems of gender roles in societies. A gender role is "everything that a person says and does to indicate to others or to the self the degree that one is either male, female, or androgynous...
. Lugones presents gender as a colonial introduction that brought upon an imposed strict gender binaries that were firmly based on heterosexuality principals. This film breaks gender binaries in which women are seen only as submissive caregivers. The film has a judge that is a woman. This is important in that a women was given the job of an authoritarian character, that held the power to decide whether Columbus the discovered of America or invaded it and colonized its Indian population. Another example of this is seen at the end of the film when Columbus was declared free and clear to go, as he was leaving a young Chicana shot him down in cold blood. This also breaks the gender binary in that Lourdes Portillo
Lourdes Portillo
Lourdes Portillo is an American screenwriter and filmmaker. While the majority of her work is in the documentary film genre, she has also created video installations and written for the stage...
creates a strong Latina who is powerful and an assassin which broke all gender binaries imposed by the Colonial Modern Gender System
Related terminology
- EurocentrismEurocentrismEurocentrism is the practice of viewing the world from a European perspective and with an implied belief, either consciously or subconsciously, in the preeminence of European culture...
- DecolonizationDecolonizationDecolonization refers to the undoing of colonialism, the unequal relation of polities whereby one people or nation establishes and maintains dependent Territory over another...
- DeterritorializationDeterritorializationDeterritorialization is a concept created by Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari in Anti-Oedipus , which, in accordance to Deleuze's desire and philosophy, quickly became used by others, for example in anthropology, and transformed in this reappropriation...
- ChicanoChicanoThe terms "Chicano" and "Chicana" are used in reference to U.S. citizens of Mexican descent. However, those terms have a wide range of meanings in various parts of the world. The term began to be widely used during the Chicano Movement, mainly among Mexican Americans, especially in the movement's...