History Before the Start of the Spanish Mission will be presented by Craig Reid on January 28, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. in the Madera Clubhouse Crystal Ballroom. Seating is limited.
Father Kino journeys north to the O’odham village of Wa:k in 1692 to establish the mission of San Xavier del Bac.
Two centuries before this date Spain has overcome occupation by the Moors and become a global power with armies on four continents. There are problems and obstacles facing Spain’s quick rise to power. Before Kino’s arrival native tribes in the Sonoran Desert faced the spread of new diseases that kill up to 90 percent of the population in some tribal areas. How the Spanish people and the native people dealt with these problems set the stage for the beginning of the mission period in the Sonoran Desert. This 90-minute presentation talks about wars, battles, massacres, chemical and biological weapons in use in the 1500s, along with Spanish Royal Family intrigues and murder. All of these impacted the development of the mission at San Xavier del Bac.
The presentation will be given by Craig Reid. Craig is a docent at San Xavier del Bac. In addition to giving tours at the mission, Craig gives community presentations about mission history and restoration throughout southern Arizona.