Aaila Abed: A Military Warrior

It was shown that he went off to fight in a war that he knew would

Can you imagine setting sail with about 600 men on a conquest hoping to successfully complete a task. Instead your castaway and you are one of four survivor’s out of 600 men; We can all attempt to imagine, but this was reality for Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca. In the early 1500’s Alvar Nuñez was amongst the first Europeans to step foot in what is known as North America today. The narrative and film Cabeza de Vaca Relacion and Cabeza de Vaca the film, recounts the trials and tribulations of the eight year journey. The film adaptation of Chronicle of the Narváez Expedition compares to the text in many ways. The film is merely a mirror to the narrative and although the film is not as long as the book it gives its audience visual validation of the hardships Alvar Nunez and his men endured, The way in which Alvarez was inhumanly treated by the Indians and how Alvar Nunez became popular and respected in the Indian community.

Cabeza may have taken the viewpoint of peaceful conversion rather than that of most other Spanish explores, who would use terror and violence for conversion, due to his experience with certain natives after the capsize of his boat. In reaction to their sight "The Indians, understanding our full plight, sat down and lamented for half an hour so loudly they could have been heard a long way off" (Covey 57). Cabeza then says in reaction to the natives' actions "It was amazing to see these wild, untaught savages howling like brutes in compassion for us" (Covey 57-58). The mindset of peaceful interaction between the Indians and Europeans in Cabeza's crew might have been confirmed after this encounter. Also after the wreck of the ship, Cabeza was brought to the natives' village and was given a place to sleep and was fed in the morning. This gesture

were fighting was not for money, property or power. It was a war to set other men

While addressing his men, Hernan Cortez made grand promises of honor, greatness, and riches to those who did not abandon him on his mission to conquer the natives. He vowed that the war would “bring [them] fame” and “make [them]… the richest of all men who have crossed the seas” (Document 3). In this speech alone, the main, overarching reasons behind the Spanish conquest of the New World are unveiled. Cortez’s promises of gold, glory, and God spread through the masses, creating the major objectives for the conquistadors. These three motives influenced the Spaniards’ attitudes and shaped them into ones of bigotry and disrespect, that were later morphed into the protection of the native Indians.

Document D describes the ways that Cabeza and his fellow survivors treated the Indians, compared to the spaniards. It states “that we cured the sick, and that (the Spaniards) killed those who were well.” This is just one example of the many positive things the survivors did to help. This helped them because it allowed them to gain the trust and aid of the Indians. This can be seen in document D, which states that, when facing the Spaniards, they had “a following of hundreds of Indians.” Another time that Cabeza’s friendliness can be seen is in document C, which describes the way he performs surgery on an injured Indian. This surgery gave Cabeza and his fellow survivors a good reputation, and allowed them to make many allies.

Cabeza De Vaca is a kind-hearted man who had respect for Native Americans and their culture. Before long, Cabeza befriended his captors and therefore was allowed to serve as a trader among Indian bands living within 150 miles of the Gulf Coast (Document B). He made peace with the Indians. One way he made peace was by saving the life of one of their people. He pulled an arrow out of his shoulder and gave him two stitches in order for him to live. This cure gave him a very great reputation among the Indian’s land (Document C). Cabeza also helped cure the sick and weak. Although the Spaniards executed those who were well, Cabeza De Vaca helped heal the sick instead of killing them. The Indians also came naked and barefoot, and with very little of anything (Document D). Cabeza De Vaca also showed respect toward the Indians because he returned the clothes they lended him while the Spaniards kept them (Document D). Cabeza had definite respect for the Indians and helped them although they had a rough past. In return the Indians let him keep his

Wanted to continue fighting in hope that the King would consent to a redress of grievances

“I have chosen guerrilla warfare to revenge myself for wrongs that I could not honorable revenge otherwise. I lived in Kansas when this war was commenced. Because I would n to fight the people of Missouri, my native State, the Yankees sought my life but failed to get me. [They] revenged themselves by murdering my father, [and] destroying all of my property.”

Bartholomé de las Casas refers to the Spanish Captains as “Enemies of the human race”. They showed no pity or innate humanity whatsoever as they charged their dogs onto the defenseless Indians, tearing them to pieces and devouring them. Moreover, if a Spaniard fell while committing these atrocities, the Captains vowed to slay one hundred innocent Indians in

and his pride took him nowhere. He even goes as far to admit that he killed his son and wife. The

And he is fully willing to sacrifice his very life for this: “… I alone will fulfill the wish of your people … or die in the foe’s grasp.”

The Kite Runner, a novel written by Khaled Hosseini, focuses on Amir’s journey in life, both physically and emotionally. During Amir’s childhood Afghanistan became very unsafe. He and his father, Baba, fled from the city of Kabul to Pakistan and then made their way to America in hope of a better life for Amir. "For me, America was a place to bury my memories. For Baba, it was a place to mourn his." The need for Amir to "become good again" is embedded in the idea of a physical for redemption of his dignity.

I am Aala and I am a witness to the murders of Vasco Da Gama. Vasco Da Gama murdered my family, except for my one son who was with me at the time. It all began when our port came back with their ships but there were more than they had left with and at the time I had thought nothing of it but I didn’t know it would end so badly. A few days later our ships left again to go voyage more, but by the time they arrived back Da Gama and his crew had started burning our ships with people stuck on them and they murdered 300 men, women, and children. That was not all he had done, he took hostage 38 people to be exact and they never returned back home. After the all the excitement there were many bodies and crying women and children for their lost loved ones. From that day one it changed our port forever and shattered many families hearts.

Muhammad Asad’s name figures known prominently as he was a gifted young writer and adventurous traveler who journeyed to the East to discover Islam. Throughout his journey, he found unexpected experience that intrigued him towards Islam. I am wondering on how fearless and courageous him on converting towards Islam, and turned from Judaism in which his families hold on a long time since his ancestor times. This is because Muhammad Asad roots in Judaism were deeper as his grandfather, Benjamin Weiss was one of the Orthodox rabbis. In fact, as a young Leopold Weiss, he even been tutored on Hebrew Bible, Targum and Talmud and he even reached a point in which he had mastered it as he was able to read Hebrew with great fluency and spoke Hebrew freely. These showed that his path looks like that he has been