Franciscan & Caddo Dreams

When the Spanish marched into east Texas in the late 1600s, a large convoy of soldiers and priests brought horses, cattle, and trade goods; in addition, the missionaries came armed with their visions. This essay follows European and indigenous visionaries as they traveled their worlds: Spain, New Spain, Texas, and Indian Territory. It locates the place of dreams and visions in a specific moment of history: the larger post–Columbian exchange of peoples, goods, and ideas, especially between the Franciscans and the Caddos. When they first met, both groups valued their dreams and visions for the powerful knowledge they produced, and both recognized that exchanging these experiences might provide an important means of communication. Nonetheless, in the end, they found it difficult to agree on common meanings.