America: Discovered or Invented?

The "discovery" of America often glosses over the existence of thriving, advanced societies that existed for many years prior to Columbus’s arrival to the Americas. Before European expansion in the 1400's, advanced societies of the world, although different politically and agriculturally, were connected by linkages of trade such as the Silk Road (as North American anthropologist Eric Wolf points out). Wolf stresses the interconnectedness of the world’s societies and cultures. Thus, the view that before European expansion, societies of the world were isolated is not entirely accurate. However, European expansion did take these linkages from the regional level to the global level. Philosopher Enrique Dussel from Mexico goes further to discuss the European expansion and encounter with the "Other" into the Americas.

European conquest of the Americas gave rise to "Eurocentrism" which effectively promoted domination over all that was not European or the "Other". Dussel stresses that Europe's confrontation with the Other was central to the birth of modernity, in that Europe defined itself as discoverer, and colonizer of Americas. According to Dussel, following "discovery" and the birth of modernity, came the "invention" or projection of what America and its inhabitants should be (with Vestucci finishing Columbus's work). The "encounter" of the "two worlds" both physically (through violence) and socially, constructed and invented a society that belonged neither to America nor Europe. An identity crisis arose from the discovery, invention, conquest and colonization of the Americas, that has lasting effects in our culture and sense of place today.

The narrative of this "invention" and identity crisis that arose from the "meeting of worlds" is manifested in our sense of place and can be seen in our cities and landscapes, both past and present.

Evidence of the Europe's influence is seen in some of America's most loved park landscapes such as Central Park. Considered to many the "father" of landscape architecture, Fredrick Law Olmsted taught us the manipulation of the American landscape into European picturesque winding paths, expansive lawns and formal elements like flowerbeds and topiaries. These formal elements are still promoted and taught as the "ideal” American landscape. The result being further identity crisis in landscape, as our cities and towns become both more populated and dense. Today, the urban landscape architect’s medium consists of artificial ground and space that must be compressed within urban seams and borders. Evidence of European influence is evident in even some of these compressed spaces, as we still emphasize aspects of the formal plaza, lawn and expansive green spaces. If our identity in the Americas was invented as Dussel asserts, how do we break free of invented European influences in the spaces we inhabit? Perhaps there is potential in the movement to regress to native/natural spaces.