Luis Sales
Encyclopedia
Luis Sales served as a Dominican
missionary in Baja California
, Mexico, between 1773 and 1790. He is most notable for three long letters in which he described the history of the peninsula and the lifeways of the native peoples in its northwestern region.
Sales was born in Valencia, Spain in 1745. He was with the initial group of Dominican missionaries who took over responsibility for the Baja California missions in 1773 from the Franciscan
s, who in turn had replaced the expelled Jesuits
in 1768. Sales apparently served at the missions of El Rosario
, San Vicente
, and San Miguel
. In 1790 he received permission to return to Valencia where he died in 1807.
Sales wrote three letters to an anonymous friend in Valencia while he was serving at San Miguel and during his voyage home. The first provided a brief geographical description of the peninsula and then discussed in detail the customs and character of the Indians on its northwestern frontier, particularly regarding the Kiliwa
and Paipai
. The second letter continued the discussion of ethnography and related the history of Spanish involvement, including a lengthy digression on the Nootka Crisis
. The third letter discussed the Dominican role in Baja California.
Sales' view of the native peoples was often strongly negative, recalling the acerbity of the Jesuit Johann Jakob Baegert
. However, Sales provided indispensable information about traditional subsistence activities, religion, and many other matters.
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
missionary in Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
, Mexico, between 1773 and 1790. He is most notable for three long letters in which he described the history of the peninsula and the lifeways of the native peoples in its northwestern region.
Sales was born in Valencia, Spain in 1745. He was with the initial group of Dominican missionaries who took over responsibility for the Baja California missions in 1773 from the Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
s, who in turn had replaced the expelled Jesuits
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
in 1768. Sales apparently served at the missions of El Rosario
Misión Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario de Viñacado
Mission El Rosario was the first Dominican mission in Baja California, established in 1774 by Vicente Mora and Francisco Galisteo near the modern town of El Rosario....
, San Vicente
Misión San Vicente Ferrer
Mission San Vicente was founded in August 1780 by the Dominican missionaries Miguel Hidalgo and Joaquin Valero among the Paipai Indians of northwestern Baja California, Mexico....
, and San Miguel
Misión San Miguel Arcángel de la Frontera
Mission San Miguel was established on 28 March 1787 by the Dominican missionary Luis Sales among the Kumeyaay Indians of northwestern Baja California, Mexico...
. In 1790 he received permission to return to Valencia where he died in 1807.
Sales wrote three letters to an anonymous friend in Valencia while he was serving at San Miguel and during his voyage home. The first provided a brief geographical description of the peninsula and then discussed in detail the customs and character of the Indians on its northwestern frontier, particularly regarding the Kiliwa
Kiliwa
The Kiliwa are an aboriginal people of northern Baja California, Mexico. They occupied a territory lying between the Cochimí on the south and the Paipai on the north, and extending from San Felipe on the Gulf of California to San Quintín on the Pacific coast...
and Paipai
Paipai
The Paipai are an aboriginal people of northern Baja California, Mexico. They occupied a territory lying between the Kiliwa on the south and the Kumeyaay and Cocopa on the north, and extending from San Vicente near the Pacific coast nearly to the Colorado River's delta in the east...
. The second letter continued the discussion of ethnography and related the history of Spanish involvement, including a lengthy digression on the Nootka Crisis
Nootka Crisis
The Nootka Crisis was an international incident and political dispute between the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Spain, triggered by a series of events that took place during the summer of 1789 at Nootka Sound...
. The third letter discussed the Dominican role in Baja California.
Sales' view of the native peoples was often strongly negative, recalling the acerbity of the Jesuit Johann Jakob Baegert
Johann Jakob Baegert
Johann Jakob Baegert was a Jesuit missionary at San Luis Gonzaga in Baja California Sur, Mexico...
. However, Sales provided indispensable information about traditional subsistence activities, religion, and many other matters.