Use of images from the collections of the Tom & Ethel Bradley Center is strictly prohibited by law without prior written consent from the copyright holders. The responsibility for the use of these materials rests exclusively with the user. The Bradley Center may assist in obtaining copyright/licensing permission to use images from the Richard Cross collection. http://www.csun.edu/bradley-center/contact
Description
Bushes and trees stand among a dirt path. One tree in specific resembles a papaya tree with its fruit hanging from the trunk. San Basilio del Palenque, a town located 31 miles from Cartagena, is considered the first community to officially free enslaved people in the Americas because, on August 23, 1691, the Spanish King Charles II signed a royal charter recognizing the freedom of the runaway communities in the María Mountains. Local authorities, however, did not sign a treaty with these communities until January of 1714 acknowledging their freedom and ordering the establishment of the town of Palenque San Basilio Magno. The mountainous landscape allowed the inhabitants to surveil their lands from the higher ground, giving them time to prepare for any intrusion from outside parties. The various plants and trees in Palenque were also crucial to the survival of its residents. Among the most popular were: anubias, bay cedar, gliricidia, kapok, macondo and palm trees. These natural resources were often used for their fruit, wood, and medicinal benefits. This image illustrates Cross’s anthropological category: Landscape. Arbustos y árboles se alzan entre un camino de tierra. Un árbol en particular se asemeja a un árbol de papaya con su fruto colgando del tronco. San Basilio del Palenque, un pueblo ubicado a 31 millas de Cartagena, se considera la primera comunidad en liberar oficialmente a personas esclavizadas de América porque, el 23 de agosto de 1691, el rey español Carlos II firmó una cédula real que reconocía la libertad de las comunidades de personas fugitivas en el Montañas de María. Sin embargo, las autoridades locales no firmaron un tratado con estas comunidades sino hasta enero de 1714, reconociendo su libertad y ordenando el establecimiento del poblado Palenque San Basilio Magno. El paisaje montañoso permitió a los habitantes vigilar sus tierras desde el terreno más alto, dándoles tiempo para prepararse para cualquier intrusión. Las diversas plantas y árboles en Palenque también fueron cruciales para la supervivencia de sus residentes. Entre los más populares estaban: guásimos, bongas, cedros, volanderos o makondos, bombo imbos, matarratones y palmeras. Estos recursos naturales se usaban por su madera, frutos, y beneficios medicinales. Esta imagen ilustra la categoría antropológica de Cross: Paisaje.
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