Of Crypto-Jews/Moriscos in the New World

The discussion on crypto jews in the New World had me googling around for more information on Jews and Muslims in the New World recently. I was intrigued by someone's mention of their grandmother being a "mesquita", supposedly meaning "mosque" so I took that to refer to Muslims in the New World, since Muslims go to "mosques" and Jews go to their "temples".

I found out that Muslims were not allowed to emigrate to the New World by order of the King. Apparently, he wanted them to stay because of their talents in art, etc. but he wanted to force them to convert. However, the Spaniards imported the Arabic style of architecture and art to the New World, having enjoyed it in Spain for hundreds of years.

I found an online five page article called "Rethinking Jews & Muslims - Quincentennial Reflections" by Ella Shohat, from The Middle East Report of Sept-Oct 1992. I had to purchase the article for $12.00 since there is no library on my island that connects to JSTOR. It was worth the money. I can't forward it to anyone due to the copyright agreement.

The article talks about how the forced conversion of Jews and expulsion of both Muslims and Jews from Spain coincided with the voyages of Columbus in 1492: "The Spanish-Christian war against Muslims and Jews was politically, economically and ideologically linked to the arrival of Columbus' caravels in Espanola. Spain, triumphant over the Muslims, risked investment in Columbus' schemes. His voyages were largely financed by wealth confiscated from Jews expelled during the Inquisition. Columbus' fleet departed from the relatively unknown seaport of Palos because the shipping lanes of Cadiz and Seville were clogged with fleeing Jews". I know that many Conversos were on the caravels to handle the more technical aspects of those voyages, such as navigators, etc..

The article also mentions a movie "El Santo Oficio (The Holy Office), 1973 by Arturo Ripstein, about "the Holy See's attempt to spread the Inquisition into the New World". Conversos ("Maranos") were forced to practice Judaism in secret in the New World. "At the film's finale, the Conversos, along with heretics, witches and indigenous infidels, are burned at the stake for their lack of faith. Those who refused to convert are burned alive, others are burned after hanging".

Emilie Garcia
Port Orchard, WA ---