Récit des Indiens (Brief Discours, planche LIX)

What it is

This hand-colored engraving illustrates a scene from Samuel de Champlain's early account, the Brief Discours, describing what he saw during his voyage to the West Indies in 1599 and 1601. It depicts figures gathered around bones and a skull as part of what Champlain described as a mourning or funeral ritual, accompanied by his transcription of a chant.

Why it matters

This is one of Champlain's earliest attempts to record and illustrate Indigenous customs he witnessed, long before he became known for founding Quebec. It shows how European explorers observed and depicted Indigenous peoples — filtered through their own perspective — and provides an early example of Champlain's methods as an observer and recorder.

Look closer

• Whose perspective is this image drawn from, and how might that shape what is shown and left out?
• What can you tell about the ritual being depicted, and what is left unexplained?
• Why might an explorer choose to record and publish a scene like this?