"Navigating the Spanish-Chamorro Transoceanic Encounter: Authorship and Collaborative Work in the Boxer Codex."

Abstract: In this article, my fundamental aim is to augment the comprehension of potential collaborators associated with the Boxer Codex. I particularly analyze the author and the artist of the inaugural transoceanic encounter between the Spanish and the Chamorro people, vividly depicted in the manuscript’s initial image and detailed in the accompanying narrative titled “Relación de las yslas de los L adrones.” This study not only reveals the subtle hints left by the author, but also illuminates the collaborative efforts of the artist and the influence of cultural intermediaries involved in its production. While my primary attention centers on the narrative featuring the Chamorro people, I broaden the scope to incorporate the narratives pertaining to the communities within the Filipino archipelago: Cagayanes, Zambales, Visayans, Moros, and Tagalogs. Although the authorship of all these narratives remains undisclosed, they offer crucial insights into the dynamics of intended audience, knowledge exchange, and cultural mediation among diverse ethnic groups involved in the manuscript’s creation. 

 

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