Blackwell Reference Online

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April, 1613: the news was spreading like wild fire. Barbarians were at the gates of France. They were not there to batter them down. They did not have to – they were graciously invited in. The Capucin Church, along with King Louis XIII and the Regent Queen, had issued that invitation. These “barbarians” were Amerindian men, six of them from the Toupinambou tribe in Maragnan, Brazil. Capucin Father Claude d'Abbeville and French Admiral Razilly had spent six months there to expand “the Empire of the Cross” and establish a French colony. Now they were bringing them back to France, where hordes of people honored them with processions, ceremonies, and cannon fire. Arriving in Le Havre, these Toupinambou Indians performed on cue: they entered a church where they sang the Pater noster and Ave Maria in their native tongue. The French onlookers were enthralled. In his text describing this event, Father d'Abbeville included an image of a barbarian, renamed Jacques Patou, in his native dress (or rather, undress) ( Figure 13.1 ). Figure 13.1 Native of the Toupinambou tribe in Brazil brought to France. Reprinted by permission of the Bibliotec Nacional Digital. In Paris, they were greeted by the king and queen who served as their godparents, presided over their “frenchification,” and assisted in their grand baptismal ceremony before the gathered masses. A second ceremony followed this first ... log in or subscribe to read full text