--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In 1492, the natives discovered they were…" description: "\"In 1492, the natives discovered they were indians, discovered they lived in America, discovered they were naked, discovered that the Sin existed, disco..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc6/eduardo-galeano-1015_alive_in-1492-the-natives-discovered-they-were_1207878.png" --- # In 1492, the natives discovered they were indians… ![“In 1492, the natives discovered they were indians, discovered they lived in America, discovered they were naked, discovered that the Sin existed, discovered they owed allegiance to a King and Kingdom from another world and a God from another sky, and that this God had invented the guilty and the…” quote by Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc6/eduardo-galeano-1015_alive_in-1492-the-natives-discovered-they-were_1207878.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc6/eduardo-galeano-1015_alive_in-1492-the-natives-discovered-they-were_1207878.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc6/eduardo-galeano-1015_alive_in-1492-the-natives-discovered-they-were_1207878.png) > “In 1492, the natives discovered they were indians, discovered they lived in America, discovered they were naked, discovered that the Sin existed, discovered they owed allegiance to a King and Kingdom from another world and a God from another sky, and that this God had invented the guilty and the dress, and had sent to be burnt alive who worships the Sun the Moon the Earth and the Rain that wets it.” [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Colonial narratives imposed identities and hierarchies, reshaping peoples’ self‑perception and loyalty. **In simple terms:** Colonialism rewrote identities and loyalties. Key Takeaway Question imposed narratives. Themes colonialism identity power history religion Mood critical somber Type historical political When to use this quote - education reform - decolonization efforts - heritage preservation - social justice work Key Concepts cultural hegemony othering mythmaking Questions to Reflect On - What stories have been silenced by dominant histories? - How can we reclaim authentic identities? A Different Perspective Overgeneralizing can erase diverse experiences within colonized peoples. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [1492 Natives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/1492-natives-3649138/) [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Allegiance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allegiance/) [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [America Discovered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america-discovered-1280948/) [Another world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/another-world/) [Discovered Indians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovered-indians-3369594/) [Dresses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dresses/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Guilty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilty/) [Indian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indian/) [Indians Discovered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indians-discovered-3649137/) [Kingdoms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kingdoms/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moon/) [Naked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/naked/) [Natives Discovered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natives-discovered-3649136/) [Rain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rain/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) [Sky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sky/) [Sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sun/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Worship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worship/) ## Related quotes > [In 1492, the natives discovered they were Indians; they discovered they lived in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/in-1492-the-natives-discovered-they-were-indians-they-discovered-they/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [Even though I was their captive, the Indians allowed me quite a bit of freedom. I could walk about freely, make my own meals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/even-though-i-was-their-captive-the-indians-allowed-me-quite-a-bit-of/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [It is a vulgar error to suppose that America was ever discovered. It was merely detected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-is-a-vulgar-error-to-suppose-that-america-was-ever-discovered-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [If America had been discovered as many times as I have, no one would remember Columbus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-connery/if-america-had-been-discovered-as-many-times-as-i-have-no-one-would/) [Sean Connery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-connery/) > [When America has been discovered in America it will be discovered in Europe. They are looking for America now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-stanley-lee/when-america-has-been-discovered-in-america-it-will-be-discovered-in/) [Gerald Stanley Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-stanley-lee/) > [America was discovered by Amerigo Vespucci and was named after him, until people got tired of living in a place called "Vespuccia" and changed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-harding/america-was-discovered-by-amerigo-vespucci-and-was-named-after-him/) [Mike Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-harding/) > [Perhaps, after all, America never has been discovered. I myself would say that it has merely been detected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/perhaps-after-all-america-never-has-been-discovered-i-myself-would/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [If he had had all Peru in his pocket, he would certainly have given it to this dancer; but Gringoire had not Peru in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/if-he-had-had-all-peru-in-his-pocket-he-would-certainly-have-given-it/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Perhaps, after all, America never has been discovered,” said Mr. Erskine; “I myself would say that it had merely been detected.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/perhaps-after-all-america-never-has-been-discovered-said-mr-erskine-i/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [America had often been discovered before Columbus, but it had always been hushed up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/america-had-often-been-discovered-before-columbus-but-it-had-always/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [America was discovered accidentally by a great seaman who was looking for something else; when discovered it was not wanted; and most of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-eliot-morison/america-was-discovered-accidentally-by-a-great-seaman-who-was-looking/) [Samuel Eliot Morison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-eliot-morison/) > [They're counting on your patriotism to distract you from their plunder. They're counting on you to be standing at attention with your hand over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/they-re-counting-on-your-patriotism-to-distract-you-from-their/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [“The Pledge of Allegiance says 'liberty and justice for all'. Which part of 'all' don't you understand?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-schroeder/the-pledge-of-allegiance-says-liberty-and-justice-for-all-which-part/) [Pat Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-schroeder/) > [I was under the influence of the early modern masters, Fitzgerald and Steinbeck and Hemingway, especially, when I was a kid. I reacted against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-stone/i-was-under-the-influence-of-the-early-modern-masters-fitzgerald-and/) [Robert Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-stone/) > [“Maybe it begins the day you pledge allegiance, face the flag and suddenly clutch your left clavicle because you find a tender puff of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-johnson/maybe-it-begins-the-day-you-pledge-allegiance-face-the-flag-and/) [Marilyn Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-johnson/) ## More by Eduardo Galeano > [In the struggle of good against evil, it's always the people who get killed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/in-the-struggle-of-good-against-evil-it-s-always-the-people-who-get/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [Poets and beggars, musicians and prophets, warriors and scoundrels, all creatures of that unbridled reality, we have had to ask but little of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/poets-and-beggars-musicians-and-prophets-warriors-and-scoundrels-all/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [And one fine day the goddess of the wind kisses the foot of man, that mistreated, scorned foot, and from that kiss the soccer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/and-one-fine-day-the-goddess-of-the-wind-kisses-the-foot-of-man-that/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [“THE HE’S ARE SHE’S In 1847, three novels excite England’s readers. Wuthering Heights by Ellis Bell tells a devastating tale of passion and shame.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/the-he-s-are-she-s-in-1847-three-novels-excite-england-s-readers/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [Charity, vertical, humiliates. Solidarity, horizontal, helps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/charity-vertical-humiliates-solidarity-horizontal-helps/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [Soccer, metaphor for war, at times turns into real war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/soccer-metaphor-for-war-at-times-turns-into-real-war/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [I don't believe in charity. I believe in solidarity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/i-don-t-believe-in-charity-i-believe-in-solidarity/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [In the Age of the Almighty Computer, drones are the perfect warriors. They kill without remorse, obey without kidding around, and they never reveal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/in-the-age-of-the-almighty-computer-drones-are-the-perfect-warriors/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [I'm not asking you to describe the rain falling the night the archangel arrived; I'm demanding that you get me wet. Make up your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/i-m-not-asking-you-to-describe-the-rain-falling-the-night-the/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [From the weak nations' point of view, it is better if there are many powerful countries then if there are just a few. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/from-the-weak-nations-point-of-view-it-is-better-if-there-are-many/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [“WALLS The Berlin Wall made the news every day. From morning till night we read, saw, heard: the Wall of Shame, the Wall of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/walls-the-berlin-wall-made-the-news-every-day-from-morning-till-night/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [There are those who believe destiny rests at the feet of the gods, but the truth is that it confronts the conscious of man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/there-are-those-who-believe-destiny-rests-at-the-feet-of-the-gods-but/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [The poet, distracted by politics, asks of poetry that it make itself useful like metal or flour, that it get ready to stain its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/the-poet-distracted-by-politics-asks-of-poetry-that-it-make-itself/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [Every two weeks, a language dies. The world is diminished when it loses its human sayings, just as when it loses its diversity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/every-two-weeks-a-language-dies-the-world-is-diminished-when-it-loses/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [“In the Greek Olympics, women, slaves, and foreigners never took part. Not in Greek democracy either.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/in-the-greek-olympics-women-slaves-and-foreigners-never-took-part-not/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) [Explore all 221 Eduardo Galeano quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) [Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/) > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In 1492, the natives discovered they were indians, discovered they lived in America, discovered they were naked, discovered that the Sin existed, discovered they owed allegiance to a King and Kingdom from another world and a God from another sky, and that this God had invented the guilty and the dress, and had sent to be burnt alive who worships the Sun the Moon the Earth and the Rain that wets it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eduardo Galeano" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/in-1492-the-natives-discovered-they-were-indians-discovered-they/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alive" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/in-1492-the-natives-discovered-they-were-indians-discovered-they/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc6/eduardo-galeano-1015_alive_in-1492-the-natives-discovered-they-were_1207878.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc6/eduardo-galeano-1015_alive_in-1492-the-natives-discovered-they-were_1207878.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc6/eduardo-galeano-1015_alive_in-1492-the-natives-discovered-they-were_1207878.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In 1492, the natives discovered they were indians, discovered they lived in America, discovered they were…” — Eduardo Galeano", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Eduardo Galeano", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In 1492, the natives discovered they...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/in-1492-the-natives-discovered-they-were-indians-discovered-they/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/in-1492-the-natives-discovered-they-were-indians-discovered-they/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```