Phoebe Kendrew
Scholars have often explored the array of exchanges that occurred with the discovery and colonisation of the New World. The transfer of diseases was a destructive repercussion of this process, particularly for the indigenous populations. Amongst the Aztecs, a term to describe one disease was cocoliztli, which is yet to be explicitly defined. Epidemics re-emerged throughout the sixteenth century, with two particularly devastating episodes occurring in 1545-8 and 1576-80. The Relaciones Geográficas, completed between 1577-85, is a rich source for colonial and indigenous life in its own right and is yet to be explored in relation to cocoliztli. Difficulties in analysing the corpora have been overcome through the use of digital humanities, a rapidly developing field. By employing text mining techniques, close analysis of large corpora is increasingly feasible. My research will examine the portrayal of cocoliztli within the Relaciones Geográficas in relation to Nahua ideas of disease and health. It will consider how the disease was addressed, while consolidating upon pre-existing knowledge of the cause and cures of disease. It will provide further evidence of the prevalence of indigenous ideas, as part of an ongoing discussion of decolonisation to reclaim cultures and highlight marginalised voices.