Joseph Gumilla facts for kids
Joseph Gumilla (born in 1686 in Cárcer, Spain – died in 1750 in the Llanos, South America) was a Jesuit priest. He wrote an important book about the nature and people of the Orinoco River area. This book is like a detailed report on the plants, animals, and cultures he saw.
About Joseph Gumilla
Joseph Gumilla started his journey in 1705. He left Spain and traveled to a place called New Granada. Today, this area is known as Colombia. He studied at a university in Bogotá.
In 1714, he became a priest. After that, he went to work in the Orinoco Mission. This was a special assignment to help people in the Orinoco region. He spent about 35 years working in Venezuela.
Joseph Gumilla held several important roles. He was a leader at a school in Cartagena. He also managed the Jesuit missions in New Granada. From 1738, he worked in Rome, Italy. While he was there, he wrote his famous book, El Orinoco Ilustrado. This book was published in Madrid in 1741.
He returned to South America in 1743 with another priest, Filippo Salvatore Gilii. Joseph Gumilla also brought something new to Venezuela: coffee. He introduced coffee plants to the region in 1732. Later, coffee beans from Venezuela were even sent to Brazil.
Images for kids
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José Gumilla
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El Orinoco ilustrado y defendido
See also
In Spanish: Joseph Gumilla para niños
