Cabeza De Vaca Relationship

Matthew Restall, a Professor of Latin American History, Women’s Studies, and Anthropology at Pennsylvania State University. He also serves the Director of the university’s Latin Studies. Throughout “Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest,” he discusses many false truths that have been passed down through history. For instance, he discusses, “The Myth of Exceptional Men.” “The Myth of Spanish Army,” and “The Myth of Completion.” For the sake of time, I will discuss three myths that correlate with class lectures and serve as the topic of this paper, “The Myth of Exceptional Men,” “The Myth of the King’s Army,” and the “Myth of the White Conquistador.” It should be noted that Restall speaks to his audience assuring us that his “...his purpose is not to degenerate this technique of historical writing completely...Nor do I mean to create a narrative in which individual action is utterly subordinated to the larger structural forces and causes of social change.” (4). He states that his intentions are to react to more than just the works of Columbus, Pizzaro, and Cortez.

Cabeza de Vaca changed drastically though his journey. When he starts off he’s very much focused on doing this for God and king, but he slowly becomes less concerned with that. He also develops a more accepting and worldly mind. When he first meets Native Americans he terrified that they’re going to sacrifice him#, because that’s the stereotype of the natives, but they are in fact very kind and offer him and his men fish and roots to eat. However, the Cabeza de Vaca from the end of the book would know better. He develops a lot of empathy for the natives and their plight at the hands of the Spanish,

However, he then goes on to say how deeply moved they were, which is somewhat ironic. It's almost as if Cabeza de Vaca and his followers know that the Indians aren't truly unworthy creatures but they use what everybody already agrees upon to manipulate their supposed worthiness and justify their claims. He also goes on to explain the warrior-like tendencies of the Indians and how fierce and relentless they are. He describes them by saying, "whoever has to fight Indians must take great care not to let them think he is disheartened or that he covets what they own. In war they must be treated very harshly, for should they notice either fear or greed, as a people they know how to bide their time waiting for revenge and take courage from their enemies' fears. After using up all their arrows, they part, each going his own way, without attempting pursuit, although one side might have more men than the other. Such is their custom." (68) They have these customs that are very unnatural and are not normative behavior. Cabeza de Vaca refers to the customs of the Charruco Indians with great

A third reason Cabeza was able to survive was he was useful to the Natives. Good evidence of this is when Cabeza proved how useful he was when he saved one of the Natives. Document C shows a report of Cabeza using his knife to cut open the man’s chest and removing an arrow. Cabeza stitched the man up and he was healed. This act made Cabeza of use to the Natives, because they realized that keeping him alive and able to heal others was important to them. This evidence also explains how Cabeza stayed alive, because without Cabeza showing himself to be of use to the Natives, they may have seen him as a threat and killed him right then and there.

Vaca and Cardenas were both Europeans who held positions of high status in the Spanish army. During their expeditions, both men interacted with Native American groups that were able to assist them along their travels. Even with the help of the Indians, their journeys were still difficult and long.  The reason for this is because of geographical and weather conditions. Furthermore, the scarcity of food and water also affected the length of the journey and those who were traveling. Yet, with all these difficulties, Vaca and Cardenas were both able to find what they were looking for.

Cabeza de Vaca was the royal treasurer who was thirty years old who happened to be a slender man. He lived in Jerez de La

Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca wrote his letters for entirely different reasons. His sole purpose was to inform others (of his sufferings and his discoveries of the Native Americans). He also wanted to “justify his conclusions regarding Spanish policy and behavior in America” which is mainly addressed to Charles V. De Vaca believes that “[his] only remaining duty is to transmit what [he] saw and heard in the nine years [he] wandered lost and miserable over many remote lands.” Therefore, he conveys to Charles V the many incidents that occurred throughout his struggle for survival while in Texas. In De Vaca’s opinion, he thinks that the information he is revealing will be useful to others and will be “of no trivial value for those who go in [his majesty’s] name to subdue countries.”

Spain sought out to colonize the New World and, most importantly, influence Christianity. This writing is historically significant because it validates the interactions of the aggressive Christians doing and the innocent Indians, which is eventually revealed to the Spanish public. Certain use of pathos in Cabeza de Vaca’s perspective is the most persuasive tool in his journal. His own experience in land where he too was enslaved, like how the Indians were to the Spanish, justifies his own thoughts and empathy for the victims. His accounts as a witness prompt readers to believe his word. Cabeza de Vaca’s insight onto how the foreigners treated the natives and why they were inclines to retaliate, was intended to reveal the truth. This line stated directly to his audience explains his betrayal, lastly exposing the Spanish men: “This clearly shows how the design of men sometimes miscarry. We went on with the idea of insuring the liberty of the Indians…when we believed it to be

In the narrative, Castaways, it illustrates more of a realistic experience with their journey to the New World. Cabeza de Vaca descriptively explains the events for the reader to understand the ups and downs of their exploration. Cabeza de Vaca and his men, throughout the exploration, became culturized to the way the natives live. For example, towards the end of the exploration, Cabeza de Vaca was wearing little to no clothing, just like the natives. Cabeza de Vaca states, “I had no other protection against the cold, being naked as the day I was born” (Cabeza de Vaca, 69). The lack of clothing was something Cabeza de Vaca became accustomed to because of spending so much time with the natives. In addition to not having clothing, the temperatures were extremely cold causing an issue with several of the men and natives during the journey. His description of “being naked as the day I was born” (Cabeza de Vaca, 69) makes the reader understand how much of change coming to the New World has been on the explorers. They arrived at the New World fully clothed but as time went on, their presentation of themselves had changed. Like stated earlier, it represents how the explorers have adapted to life with the natives and took on roles and customs as well. As the

Cabeza got better along with the indians because of his success as a healer. While with the Indians he had to pull out the arrow of an Indian who had been wounded by an arrow. His surgery was successful and that gained him respect from the Indians (documents c). The Indians talked about how Cabeza De Vaca was better then the Spanish cause he cured the sick. ( documents d) His success as a healer made the Indians want him around so he was able to stay alive.

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 de Vaca went through many things that gave him a new outlook. He was a slave and then considered to be a scared healer. On his return to Spain Cabeza de Vaca reported of the inhumane treatment of the natives. New laws about the treatment of natives were taken.

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

As a new and mysterious world awaits to be discovered, daring conquistadors leave their home country of Spain in a journey of exploration. Two men by the name of Narvaez and Cabeza de Vaca set sail to thwart the untrustworthy Cortez who, behind the backs of Narvaez and Cabeza de Vaca, sailed to the New World with half of Narvaez’s crew in search of treasures. However, the journey would prove to be treacherous as the conquistadors would have to encounter hostile Native Americans and strange terrain they have never seen before. Throughout the expedition, future encounters between the Native Americans and conquistadors were heavily influenced by the personalities of the individuals and past experiences the Native Americans faced.

However, de Vaca’s tone towards the Indians is a scared tone. When de Vaca and his men first encounter the Indians, they were very frightened. He states in his narrative, “we could not hope to defend ourselves” (de Vaca 74) . de Vaca and his men were very poor in health. They were only eating rice every now and then. There was no way they could have fought the Indians off with no health at all. So they thought