Published: Dec. 2, 2016

Gerardo Gutierrez

Dr. Gerardo Gutierrez awarded ACLS fellowship

CNAIS Core Faculty, Gerardo Gutierrez is a professor of Anthropology and one of six CU faculty to win (ACLS). His project studies documents created in 17th and 18th century colonial Mexico bythe Nahua community of Chiepetlan, Guerrero, Mexico. These documents known as "titulos primordiales" addresshow local Nahua groups remembered and represented their histories to two distinct audiences: local villagers and Spanish authorities. The documents allowed Nahua communities to assert their legal claim to land and defend local agency by providing an alternative interpretation of the past and is contrary to the history promoted by either the Aztec Empire or the Spanish colonial regime..

“During this research, I want to address indigenous intentionality and representation of their historical memories and consciousness at local levels, breaking with biased Spanish accounts.My final goal is to write histories that take into account indigenousperspectives.”

The ACLS fellowships awarded to Dr. Gutierrez and the other faculty members can be up to $70,000 and allow faculty to spend from 6-12 months researching and writing full-time. .