The Jesuit Andrés Pérez de Ribas (1575−1655) compiled out of letters by contemporary missionaries, as well as own experiences in northern Mexico, his History of the Triumphs of our Holy Faith amongst the most barbarous and fierce peoples of the New World, which was published in Spain, 1645. This Historía covers the years between 1591 and 1643, which are described by Reff (1999) as the period of the “birth and height of development of the Jesuit mission in northern Mexico” (Reff 1999, p. 3). Pérez de Ribas can be seen, according to Reff, as ethnographer, and his Historía, which covers various aspects of indigenous life, can be compared with the work of the Franciscan Bernardino de Sahagún (1499/1500-1590), who used reports in native languages for (religious) education, and that of the Jesuit José de Acosta (1539/40-1599). Pérez de Ribas presents a view of Jesuit missionaries on the indigenous population and their culture, he composed a representation of autochthon culture. The Jesuit friar seems an empirical observer of the surroundings, whereas he is at the same time part of a supernatural reality, where God and the devil are just as active as the missionaries themselves (Reff 1999, p. 12).

In my contribution, mission is understood as educational activity, as the friar outlines aspects of (religious) education. Because of this Peréz de Ribas’ Historia is interpreted as a source on an educational activity that is embedded in a particular historical context. On the one hand I look at information that seems relevant for a usage in the field of history of education: What educational topics are important to the Jesuit? What experiences does he describe, and how does he interpret them? What assumptions does he have about the indigenous population, and how does he integrate them in his worldview? The paper aims to shed light in the ‘learning’ process of missionaries, that travelled first and foremost for ‘teaching’ to the Americas. It is assumed that the described adoptions of assumptions, thoughts and methods are related to the various experiences with the indigenous population. How does the friar describe the modifications of educational thoughts and approaches, and what experiences does he relate them to?

The theoretical backgrounds of my contribution are provided by, among others, Dussel's (1995, 1998) thoughts about the influence of an invention of the Americas on the development of modern sciences, and on Mignolo’s (2007) ideas about the colonial in modern thought. I expect to make a valuable contribution to the discussion of theses influences on educational thinking. At the same time, challenges and problems of the use of early missionary sources shall be addressed and discussed.