This book argues that despite the physical dislocation and death the missions represented, they became sites of indigenous authority, memory, identity, and historical narration. Becoming Indian in California involved being renamed and reclassified as indio and neofito and receiving the status of a minor under the law, confined to a mission except when given a pass. But within the missions, native translators, artisans, and traditional and new leaders used native forms of authority, knowledge, and power to seek redress and to sustain the community. Native painters influenced the narrative space ... More

This book argues that despite the physical dislocation and death the missions represented, they became sites of indigenous authority, memory, identity, and historical narration. Becoming Indian in California involved being renamed and reclassified as indio and neofito and receiving the status of a minor under the law, confined to a mission except when given a pass. But within the missions, native translators, artisans, and traditional and new leaders used native forms of authority, knowledge, and power to seek redress and to sustain the community. Native painters influenced the narrative space of the missions, giving meaning to the visual order. With Mexican Independence in 1821, indigenous politics took many forms, including the Chumash War of 1824. Chumash histories explained the war through indigenous forms of leadership and thought and in relation to the many types of cruelty and violence pervasive at the missions. More common than revolt, indigenous leaders during this era sought a return to indigenous ancestral territories and to gain possession of the missions and the right to exercise freedom. Indigenous citizenship became entwined in California with the emancipation and secularization policies that governed the region because of its missions. A group of indigenous citizens and landowners emerged in California during the Mexican era. But much of this indigenous colonial and Mexican history became obscured outside of native communities until now.