When Jesuits evangelized the indigenous peoples of Africa and the Americas, they began by learning and studying their languages. This exhibit features grammars and dictionaries using European alphabets and sound systems to represent tongues that lacked writing systems. They include books printed in the 17th century for Spanish missions in South America, in the 19th century for French missions in Africa, and in 20th century for missions among Inuit peoples and the Lakota tribes of North America. Maps, photographs, and artifacts complement the evidence preserved in linguistic texts and provide insights into profoundly different cultural worlds the Jesuits encountered.
Burns Library Exhibit
Four wall cases featuring exhibits highlighting collections in the Burns Library.
Missionaries & Linguists: Jesuit Grammars from Africa and Native America
July 14 - October 7, 2016
Sponsored by the Boston College Libraries
When Jesuits evangelized the indigenous peoples of Africa and the Americas, they began by learning and studying their languages. This exhibit features grammars and dictionaries using European alphabets and sound systems to represent tongues that lacked writing systems. They include books printed in the 17th century for Spanish missions in South America, in the 19th century for French missions in Africa, and in 20th century for missions among Inuit peoples and the Lakota tribes of North America. Maps, photographs, and artifacts complement the evidence preserved in linguistic texts and provide insights into profoundly different cultural worlds the Jesuits encountered.