When Jesus Came, the Corn Mothers Went Away: Marriage, Sexuality, and Power in New Mexico, 1500-1846

When Jesus Came, the Corn Mothers Went Away examines marriage, gender roles, and power dynamics in New Mexico from Spanish colonization through Mexican independence. The book focuses on the intersection of Catholic Spanish and indigenous Pueblo cultures, particularly regarding family structures and sexual practices. Gutiérrez analyzes historical records, church documents, and indigenous accounts to reconstruct how Spanish religious and social institutions transformed Pueblo society. The narrative tracks changes in marriage customs, gender hierarchies, and sexual norms across three centuries of colonial rule and cultural mixing. The research draws from both Spanish and Native American primary sources to present multiple perspectives on this period of profound social transformation. Marriage serves as a lens through which to view broader patterns of cultural exchange, resistance, and adaptation. This study reveals how religious conversion and colonization reshaped fundamental aspects of human relationships and social organization in the American Southwest. The book demonstrates the deep connection between intimate personal practices and larger systems of political and economic power.

Readers note this book's detailed research and examination of Spanish colonial impact on Pueblo communities, particularly regarding gender roles and marriage customs. Many highlight the extensive use of primary sources and archival materials. Positive reviews focus on: - Clear documentation of cultural changes over three centuries - Analysis of power dynamics between colonizers and natives - Discussion of pre-colonial Pueblo social structures Common criticisms include: - Over-reliance on Spanish colonial sources - Potential misinterpretation of Pueblo spirituality and customs - Questions about accuracy of sexual practice descriptions - Academic writing style that can be dense Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (43 ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (12 ratings) One academic reviewer on Goodreads notes: "Important contribution but must be read critically given its controversial interpretations." Several native scholars have challenged some conclusions, particularly regarding religious practices and gender relations. The book remains frequently cited in academic work but readers recommend cross-referencing with other sources on Pueblo history.

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🌽 The book's title refers to how Spanish colonizers replaced indigenous female deities (Corn Mothers) with the male Christian God, fundamentally altering Native American spiritual and social structures. ⚭ The marriage practices described in the book show how Spanish colonizers used Catholic marriage as a tool of social control, transforming the fluid Native American sexual relationships into rigid, European-style monogamy. 🏺 Ramón Gutiérrez spent over a decade researching this book, examining thousands of archival documents including marriage records, court cases, and church documents from both Spain and New Mexico. 👥 The Pueblo people, central to this study, maintained matrilineal societies before Spanish colonization, where women owned property and wielded significant social power—a system that was systematically dismantled by Spanish rule. 🏆 The book won multiple prestigious awards, including the John Hope Franklin Prize and the Frederick Jackson Turner Award, marking it as a groundbreaking work in American historical scholarship.