Lost in the Translation Chief Palma of the Quechan

Abstract

The Yuma massacre or uprising of 1781, which destroyed the Spanish settlements on the Colorado River, was a major event in the history of the Southwestern borderlands. It severed the overland link between New Spain and Alta California, perpetuating the colony's isolation and the difficulty of supplying it by sea. The study of Quechan-Spanish relations and of the Quechan chief, Salvador Palma, is heavily influenced by the success of the Yuma rebellion. Because the history of that event was written by the vanquished, it demeans the victors and, in the absence of a Native American version, has resulted in a one-sided record. In addition, the main Spanish report was prepared by Teodoro de Croix, the official directly responsible for the defeat, and naturally concerned with clearing his name. Yet, Croix's account was accepted by pioneer historians Hubert Bancroft1 and Charles Chapman2 as a reliable source, initiating a tradition that is still with us. Modern historians such as Jack Forbes3 and Mark Santiago4 continue to echo positions presented by these earlier scholars and do not appear to have challenged their views on the basis of primary sources. By taking a closer look at the documentation on Palma and the Quechan written prior to the Yuma uprising, this paper offers new insights on the subject.