Christopher Columbus and Cristobal Colón: The U.S. vs Spain, by Ainsley Bryer

Christopher Columbus is an important figure in both Spanish and American history. His explorations across the Atlantic Ocean started colonialism in the Western hemisphere, which was a significant period of success for Spain and the start of how the United States came to be. Hundreds of years later, Columbus is still remembered in both countries, rightfully so. However, the American perception of Christopher Columbus is in stark contrast to the image I encountered of Columbus in Spain, an interesting display of cultural differences and a comparison of artifacts in both cultures.

In the United States, Columbus was highly regarded for many years because of his achievements, but he has also received criticism for his actions, especially in relation to indigenous people. The American education system has sometimes said that Columbus ‘discovered’ North America, which is criticized because indigenous people lived in North America long before Columbus sailed. In recent years, Columbus Day, a holiday that celebrated his exploration, has been replaced in favor of Indigenous Peoples Day. Indigenous Peoples Day honors the indigenous peoples of America, recognizing the discrimination they faced over many years. Indigenous Peoples Day is often celebrated on the same day as Columbus Day because the narrative about Columbus is harmful to and ignores the role of indigenous people. In 2021, a U.S. president recognized Indigenous Peoples Day for the first time with a proclamation from President Biden, as reported by NPR. This proclamation shows how the attitude and cultural practices about Columbus have shifted over time.

In contrast to the U.S., Spain displays the memory of Columbus through material artifacts that recognize his importance to Spain. These artifacts are presented in a way that show Columbus as an important figure. In the U.S., people would probably protest their existence and try to remove them, but in Spain, they are even part of tourist attractions. For example, the huevo de Colón is a large sculpture of Columbus in an egg in a park in Sevilla as an homage to his voyages. Additionally, the alleged tomb of Columbus is in Sevilla’s cathedral. The tomb’s placement in the cathedral shows how important Columbus is in Spain because the cathedral is

an important cultural location due to the significance of religion in Spain. Furthermore, as one of the biggest cathedrals in the world, it is a popular tourist location, so many people can see Columbus’s tomb. This difference in the perception of Columbus is presented through artifacts and cultural practices and was an interesting thing to see during my time in Spain.

NPR about Indigenous Peoples Day: https://www.npr.org/2021/10/11/1044823626/indigenous-peoples-day-native-americans-columbus?t=1652221335570

Images show el huevo de Colón and Columbus’s tomb in the Sevilla cathedral