Talk:History of a Voyage to the Land of Brazil

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I plan to expand this article adding sections on background, synopsis, publication, and reception. Katherine.Holt (talk) 17:49, 3 January 2018 (UTC)

Historical Context Jgriffith19 (talk) 16:24, 28 January 2018 (UTC)

Brazil was the first area of the Americas explored by the French. At the time of Jean de Lery’s History of a Voyage to the Land of Brazil, Also Called America, the French and the Portuguese were in competition with the French for control of the resources of Brazil. While reports of cannibalism amongst the indigenous people were widespread, interactions with the natives showed that they were friendly. At the time, it was common practice to use Europeans who had spent time with the indigenous peoples as interpreters to help the Europeans communicate with the natives (Encylopedia). In the years preceding de Lery’s writing of History of a Voyage to the Land of Brazil, Also Called America, the Portuguese had begun their effort to completely colonize Brazil, so the influence of the French was fading. At the same time, the Portuguese were beginning exploration of the Amazon river delta, and trading with the English and the Dutch was also increasing (NB). Conflict between the French and the Portuguese in Brazil had created tribal alliances, with the Tupinamba, the group referred to in History of a Voyage to the Land of Brazil, Also Called America, siding with the French against the Tupiniquim, who allied themselves with the French (BI). These contexts likely had an effect on the presentation of the Tupinamba in the book. In this era of first contacts, the understanding of the indigenous peoples were being informed by the accounts of early explorers like de Lery and the Portuguese explorers (BI). These other accounts had some thematic similarities to de Lery’s, such as the usage of tribe names to describe the people specifically, or the frequent use of gender-indicating nouns like “man” or “woman” (BI). Thus, de Lehry was writing in a different historical context from those accounts emerging from Africa, which emphasized racial elements more than they emphasised gender or non-racial elements (BI).

Encyclopedia: http://wooster.summon.serialssolutions.com/#!/search?bookMark=ePnHCXMw42LgTQStzc4rAe_hAm1sNjCzAFZTppYGJhyw0Q9QQ8XCxJCTQdYNtKktQwHYTc6H7TxUyMxTcCpKrMrM4WFgyQP2xLgZpNxcQ5w9dEGFZnxZUU68MeiUdNDRZaDjO_FIAgDU9ScF NB: https://0-ebookcentral-proquest-com.dewey2.library.denison.edu/lib/wooster/reader.action?docID=1598412&query= BI http://0-muse.jhu.edu.dewey2.library.denison.edu/chapter/500238

Synopsis

The book has 22 chapters, with chapter 1 discussing the motive behind the voyage to Brazil and chapters 2-5 describing the sights and events that occurred during the voyage to Brazil. Chapters 6-20 consist of Lery describing the land of Brazil, the physical description of the indigenous people, and the behaviors and customs of the indigenous people. Lastly, Chapters 21 and 22 recount the departure from Brazil and the trip back to France. The book contains detailed descriptions of the plants, animals, and indigenous people in the new world for the French (https://explore.lib.virginia.edu/exhibits/show/renaissance-in-print/travelnarratives/lery).  

Chapter 8: Of the Natural qualities, strength, stature, nudity, disposition, and ornamentation of the body of the Brazilian savages, both men and women, who live in America, and whom I frequented for about a year.

The Tupinamba physical constitution

In this chapter Jean describes the physical characteristics of the Tupinamba peoples and goes into detail the modifications they make to their bodies, as well as their comfortability being completely nude. Lery describes the constitution of the average Tupinamba person:

“ Not taller, fatter, or smaller in stature than we Europeans are; their bodies are neither monstorous, nor prodigious with respect to ours. In fact, they are stronger, more robust and well filled-out, more nimble, less subjected to disease; there are almost none among them who are lame; one eyed or disfigured” (Lery, 56).

He goes on to describe that some individuals that he encountered who lived well beyond one hundred years old (with respect that the Tupinamba people had a different Calendar than the Gregorian Calendar), and that their elders are slow to develop grey or white hair. When describing the skin tone of the average Tupinamba person Lery states

“They are not particularly dark, but merely of tawny shade, like the Spanish or provencals”. (Lery, 57).

Lery then discusses how the Tupinamba people are completely comfortable with being naked. Especially the women.

“We tried several times to give them dresses and shifts (as I have said we did for the men, who sometimes put them on) it has never been our power to make them wear clothes: to such a point were they resolved (and I think they have not changed their minds) not to allow anything at all on their bodies”. (Lery, 66).

Bodily modifications

Much of the chapter is dedicated to describing various body modifications Lery witnessed among men and women of the Tupinamba nation including, but not limited to tattoos and piercings. Lery states that men more often modify their bodies than women do. On page 58 Lery describes a tradition of piercing the lower lip in young boys and inserting a bone an inch wide and that can be removed at any time. On this page he also describes how after birth babies often have their noses pushed in to make their noses seem more attractive.

“However, our Americans, for whom the beauty of their children lies in being pug-nosed, have the noses of their children pushed in and crushed with the thumb as soon as they come out of their mother’s wombs”. (Lery, 58).

The tattoos are described to be made with the dye of the genipap fruit. It was Lery states that often people would blacken their legs and that the dye is to a degree waterproof and can take up to twelve days to wash off.

Lery also describes facial paintings. This process is noted to involve feathers from hens, red dye from Brazilwood (he describes other places procure other colored dyes from different objects), and boiling the feathers. A gum is used as an adhesive and the feathers are chopped up with iron tools they procured from colonists. Once this process is complete these feathers are put all over the body. Lery describes how in some accounts by others describing this feather have led to a misconception in Europe that the Tupinamba are covered in hair, and he states this is not the case and that naturally the Tupinamba do not have a lot of hair on their bodies. It is also noted feathers from a Toucan are often placed in the front of the ear and attached with an adhesive gum by many women. Ostrich feathers are also described to be attached along a cotton thread to make a decorative hip belt.

Lery states that Tupinamba people would regularly strip their bodies of hair which included eyebrows and eyelashes. Women would have their hair long, while men would typically shave their heads.

Jewelry and Necklaces

Lery describes the Tupinamba people to have different types of necklaces. He writes about what the natives called a boure which he describes as being made pieces of seashells that are polished on a sandstone which then are pierced and lined along a cotton string. Lery also notes that boure can be made with a type of blackwood that has a similar appearance to seashell boure. Women also make bracelets around their arms that are comprised of bones and joined together with a gum.

Chapter 18: What one may call laws and civil order among these savages: How Humanely they treat and receive friends who visit them; and of the tears and joyous speeches that the women make to welcome them.

Civil Order

In this chapter, Jean de Léry describes the customs of the Tupinamba people, how the Tupinamba people live, and how they treat their guests. For the most part, Jean de Léry indicates that the Tupinamba people are peaceful, but rarely a fight breaks out between them that may end in a death (Léry, 158). The family of the deceased then has the right to kill the murderer as the Tupinamba people believe in revenge, such as a life for a life.

Everyday Life

Jean de Léry also recounts the living setup of the Tupinamba people (Léry, 159). The houses are big and are made out of wood and pindo plants. Although families live in the same house, they are separated and have their own space, including land to plant crops. From time to time, the Tupinamba people would move their houses to a different location and when Jean de Léry asked for the reason why he was told that,

“The change of air keeps them healthier, and that if they did other than what their grandfathers did, they would die immediately” (Léry, 159).

Jean de Léry then goes in depth on how women spin cotton in order to make the beds the Tupinamba people sleep on (Léry, 161). Based on the description Jean de Léry gives, the beds are hammocks that are set up outside the houses. In addition to spinning cotton, women also do the majority of the housework and make pottery.

Jean de Léry also describes an event that occurred to him regarding cannibalism (Léry, 163). When he and his interpreter made a stop at one of the villages, he was greeted accordingly and realized that the Tupinamba people were in the midst of a celebration. This celebration consisted of dancing, cooking, and eating a prisoner they had killed earlier. Jean de Léry did not want to participate in the celebration and stayed at his bed alone. However, one of the Tupinamba people came and offered him the prisoner’s foot, but since Jean de Léry’s interpreter was not present, he thought they were threatening to eat him. By morning, Jean de Léry realized his error and was afraid for nothing.

Treatment of Guests

The customs of the Tupinamba people regarding how they treat guests consisted of seating their guests on a bed while the women wept in gratitude for their visit (Léry, 164). During this, the head of the household makes an arrow and when he is done, he greets the guest and offers them food. The guests must eat on the ground since there are no tables. After the women are done weeping, they serve the guest fruit or other small gifts. If the guest desires to sleep there, their bed is hung among several fires to keep them warm. At the end of the visit, gifts are exchanged, which are usually small since the Tupinamba people travel by walking and do not have animals to carry cargo for them. Jean de Léry praises the treatment he has received from the Tupinamba people and even compares it to the French, as he states,

“...I can’t help saying that the hypocritical welcomes of those over here who sue slippery speech for consolidation of the afflicted is a far cry from the humanity of these people, whom nonetheless we call “‘barbarians’” (168).

Lastly, Jean de Léry describes how the Tupinamba people make fires through the use of sticks only (Léry, 166). He describes their method and how they deem it necessary to have fire with them at all times due to their fear of an evil spirit called Aygnan. He ends the chapter explaining that the Tupinamba people and the French get along well because they have a common enemy: the Portuguese.

Chapter 19: How the Savages treat each other in their illnesses together with their burials and funeral ceremonies and the great lamentations they make over their dead.

Illnesses

In this chapter, Jean de Léry describes how the Tupinamba people treat illnesses and how they handle deaths. If someone has a wound and bedridden, they are treated through suction and are not fed unless they explicitly ask for food. However, celebrations still continue as normal. The most dangerous disease that the Tupinamba people cannot treat is called pians and occurs through lechery (Léry, 172). Jean de Léry compares it to smallpox and states that it affects the entire body and lasts for a lifetime (Léry, 173).

Death

If someone dies, there is great mourning as Jean de Léry compares the cries of women to, “the howling of dogs and wolves” (173). The Tupinamba people comfort each other, remember the good deeds the deceased person had done, and sing in their memory. Mourning lasts half a day, until the Tupinamba proceed with burying the body in the ground with jewelry the person used to wear. Jean de Léry mentions how the Tupinamba people do not bury any valuable jewelry with dead bodies anymore since the French have arrived, perhaps due to past experiences with Europeans digging up graves for jewelry (Léry, 175). On the first night the body is buried, the Tupinamba people have a feast on the grace of the deceased person and do this until they believe the body has fully decayed (Léry, 176). The rationale behind this custom is that the Tupinamba people believe that Aygnan, the evil spirit mentioned before, is hungry and finds no other meat around, he will dig up the dead body and eat it. Thus, the celebration occurs for protection. Still, Jean de Léry finds this custom disrespectful and tried to convince the Tupinamba people not to do it through interpreters with little success. Lastly, the Tupinamba people place the plant called pindo used to build houses on graves as well so that they can recognize where their loved one was buried.

This is a draft of half of the Synopsis. I will do the citations and headings properly on the final draft. Please let me know if I need to improve a section. Mariaa45 (talk) 21:27, 27 January 2018 (UTC)

The following section is a draft of the reception of Jean de Léry's book, translated into English by Janet Whatley. As with the Synopsis section, proper citations will be complete on the final draft. Please respond with any suggestions for improvement in tone or content. A blinka (talk) 20:51, 28 January 2018 (UTC)

History of a Voyage to the Land of Brazil is regarded as a significant work in many fields. Reviewers of the text note the breadth of its scope and the varying opportunities for its use.(Pereira) It is fundamental in ethnographic studies and South American ecology. (Cunha) (Conley) It also provides insight to history, colonizer and native languages, religion, and political theory.(Pereira) Because of its wide disciplinary coverage, it is a valuable source for historians and colonial scholars (Browning) as well as geologists and biologists. (Cunha) For colonial historians, it contributes to a greater understanding of “the meaning and significance of the European conquest of the Americas” (Pereira) and helps to describe native people, their relationship with the Europeans, and the cognitive justifications of European domination. (Pereira) It also details “how Brazil was created out of a fusion of Indian, European (and later African) elements” (Pereira) and highlights larger historical themes. (Pereira)

Reviews of Janet Whatley’s 1990 english translation of History of a Voyage to the Land of Brazil are overwhelmingly favorable. There are two main components to most reviews beyond the text’s significance: praise for the detail provided by de Léry and praise for Whatley’s translation. De Léry describes the lives, culture, and rituals of the Tupinambá with “detailed thoroughness” (Meyer) and is seen as exceptional in “his surprising openness to an alien culture.” (Meyer) The great detail of de Léry’s work and his willingness to intimately engage with the Tupinambá (Cunha) is only critiqued by his “naive comparisons between the savagery of the Indians and the savagery of the Europeans.” (Cunha) Whatley is noted as a “graceful” translator and “a stylistic marvel.”(Meyer) (Browning) It is generally agreed that she was able to stay true to the charm of de Léry’s prose and maintain the stylistic integrity of sixteenth-century French writing. (Conley) Additions made by Whatley were also received well, as the inclusion of notes on references made by de Léry were helpful reading guides and aided in the placement of de Léry’s writing in historical context. (Conley)

Sources:

Browning, Barbara. Review of History of a Voyage to the Land of Brazil, Otherwise called America, Containing the Navigation and the Remarkable Things Seen on the Sea by the Author; the Behavior of Villegagnon in That Country; and the Customs and Strange Ways of Life of the American Savages; Together with the Description of Various Animals, Trees, Plants, and Other Singular Things Completely Unknown over Here, by Jean de Léry and Janet Whatley. The Hispanic American Historical Review 71, no. 3 (1991): 628–628. https://doi.org/10.2307/2515899. Conley, Tom. Review of History of a Voyage to the Land of Brazil, Otherwise Called America, by Jean de Lery and Janet Whatley. Renaissance Quarterly 46, no. 1 (1993): 217–19. https://doi.org/10.2307/3039179. Cunha, Antonio Brito da. Review of History of a Voyage to the Land of Brazil, Otherwise Called America, by Jean de Lery. The Quarterly Review of Biology 67, no. 1 (1992): 40–41. Meyer, Judith P. Review of History of a Voyage to the Land of Brazil.N Jean de Lery, by Janet Whatley. The Sixteenth Century Journal 22, no. 4 (1991): 880–81. https://doi.org/10.2307/2542462. Pereira, Anthony. Review of History of a Voyage to the Land of Brazil, Otherwise Called America, Jean de Léry, by Jean de Léry and Janet Whatley. Canadian Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Studies / Revue Canadienne Des Études Latino-Américaines et Caraïbes 16, no. 32 (1991): 119–22.

Information on the author

Jean de Léry was born to an upper class family in 1534 in Margelle, France. He was well-educated; he studied theology in Geneva whilst working as a shoe-maker. Lery was alive during the Wars of Religion time-period in France between the Protestants and the Catholics. It was during this time that the Genevan church was recruiting Frenchmen to be trained as missionaries of the Reformed Gospel. Lery joined this group but instead of returning to France, in November 1556, he and a group of thirteen calvinist ministers were sent to Brazil. They were to create the first Protestant mission in the New World. Upon his return to France in 1558, he got married but it is unknown whether or not he had children. He returned to Geneva to further his ministerial studies and became a Protestant minister near Lyon. He also joined Protestant troops in the French religious wars where he used knowledge he gained from his expeditions in Brazil to help him and other soldiers to survive. In 1613 he died of the plague at the age of 79.

Sources:

http://0-www.oxfordreference.com.dewey2.library.denison.edu/view/10.1093/acref/9780195149227.001.0001/acref-9780195149227-e-0801 https://0-journals-ohiolink-edu.dewey2.library.denison.edu/pg_99?113932375658971::NO::P99_ENTITY_ID,P99_ENTITY_TYPE:18525537,MAIN_FILE&cs=3T7rF7Sf4j4Es61eFka9XmI6Tk4bZI4w2QHfyRV44CkxOqPI33fqWuMc3T7jSDGvVXvRqMHeMd6TCtrt4flfPAA https://0-quod-lib-umich-edu.dewey2.library.denison.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=acls;idno=heb03132 https://0-quod-lib-umich-edu.dewey2.library.denison.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=acls;cc=acls;rgn=full%20text;idno=heb03132.0001.001;didno=heb03132.0001.001;view=image;seq=00000015;node=heb03132.0001.001%3A3

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Comments

• Good work sharing these extensive notes and sources. Think carefully about what to highlight for the entry. Well done. Katherine.Holt (talk) 02:55, 31 January 2018 (UTC)