Eighteen years, 13 volumes and 5,343 pages later, the
“Repertorium Columbianum,” the biggest compilation of
Christopher Columbus-related texts in English, has been
completed.
“This is the most important editorial, historical project
in the last century. (It is a) monumental scholarly work,”
said Teofilo Ruiz, the chairman of UCLA’s history department
and a member of the project’s advising board.
The “Repertorium Columbianum” was devised by past
UCLA Italian Literature Professor Fredi Chiappelli, who wanted it
completed in 1992 to mark the century since the last comprehensive
Columbus project, the “Raccolta.”
That project was published at the end of the 19th century in
Europe, Ruiz said.
“It was a very worthy contribution, with a very dated
emphasis. Its sources include all European responses to encounters
between the old world and new world,” Ruiz said of the older
compilation.
The project was not finished on time because Chiappelli suffered
from a stroke and died in 1989, forcing the project to find a new
director.
Geoffrey Symcox, a UCLA history professor, became the general
editor and, along with an international team, is responsible for
the work’s final completion.
“The 13-volume series is the product of a collaboration of
scholars from Italy, Spain and the United States,” said Blair
Sullivan, the associate general editor of the volumes.
“In a sense, it is a continuation of the process of
globalization initiated by Columbus himself,” Sullivan
said.
Symcox notes the idea behind the series was twofold.
“On the one hand, (we wanted) to publish up-to-date
versions of documents and texts relating to Columbus … that had
not been edited for up to a century. Our other purpose was to make
the information more readily available to specialist and
non-specialist scholars,” Symcox said.
The “Repertorium Columbianum” is the first attempt
by the English-speaking world to bring together such a complete set
of historical information, with the original texts supplemented by
English translations.
Many of the documents in the volumes were written in 15th
century Spanish, which even fluent Spanish speakers cannot
understand, Symcox said. The documents’ translation into
English gives them a wider reading base than they have ever had
before.
With the project’s final volume being published so close
to Columbus Day, some would expect controversy to arise surrounding
Columbus’s actions toward indigenous people.
“We haven’t faced any flack. For indigenous people
the information is very useful and up-to-date… (it shows) their
point of view,” Symcox said.
There is no one side that the volumes focuses on.
“(We are) just saying here are the texts, read it, make up
your mind. We are not passing judgment on what (Columbus)
did,” Symcox said, “In these volumes we don’t
take a stance.”
Though historians hope this work clears up many of the
fabrications surrounding Columbus’s life, they realize that
it will most likely not.
“If this work is read as it should be … (it will) put to
rest once and for all the exaggerations and mystifications of
Columbus’s life,” Ruiz said, “In black and white,
there is the true history of Columbus and the two
worlds.”
Despite the potential of the project to disprove many
misconceptions, Symcox admits it won’t change
everyone’s mind.
“Do you think people will get away from myths? We live in
Hollywood … (people) like a dramatic story,” he said.
As time moves on, the “Repertorium Columbianum” will
inevitably become out-of-date and need revisions.
Ruiz still feels the team behind this project has made a lasting
impact.
“(This) work of such monumentality will be used a century
from now, and I doubt more material will be discovered. It is very
complete, a legacy for the future,” he said.
For the time being, Symcox feels the volumes are selling well,
mostly to libraries, with the first few volumes already out of
print.
“I want as many people as possible to use these volumes
for whatever purpose they can think of,” Symcox said.
“(We) didn’t make them to just sit on a
shelf.”
A reception for “Repertorium Columbianum” will
be held today from 9:15 a.m. ““ 7 p.m. in Royce 314.
Registration is required and can be obtained by calling (310)
825-1537. Admission is free.