review

In deference to Panama's centennial as a republic and with the anniversary of Panama City's foundation as a Spanish city on the site of an ancient indigenous settlement coming up, in this issue we do five variations on the theme of Pedrarias the Cruel.

From the Catholic Encyclopedia, about the man who, among other things, established the Spanish presence in Panama City.

Another perspective on the same guy.

They say that he got the reputation "Pedrarias the Cruel" more for what he did in Nicaragua than for what he did in Panama. This little history gets into that part of Pedrarias's legacy.

The first thing that the Spaniards did was try to conquer the Darien, but then Pedrarias set his eyes on richer prizes to the west. The following, the historical perspective found on an Embera community's tourism website, sees the man in yet a different light.

And this account, part of a polemic about Panama's historic dependence on foreigners, notes another aspect of Pedrarias.



Also in this section:
Cool Internet sites
Philharmonic Youth Orchestra of the New England Conservatory
The Directory of Important Bird Areas in Panama
BBC's "Israel's Secret Weapon"

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