Exploring the Transformation of Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca in The Narrative of Cabeza de Vaca

The book “A Land So Strange” by Andrés Reséndez basically illustrates 8 years of long odyssey from what is now Tampa, Florida to Mexico City on Cabeza de Vaca’s perspective. Cabaza de Vaca along with his companions named Andres Dorante, Alonso del Castillo, and Estebanico, are survivors of failed expedition to New World from Spain during 16th century. Unlike other members from the expedition, these four members found a way to live with native Indian tribes to survive. They were slaves of Indians and treated cruelly all the time. However, after long period of time of being slaves, they decided to make escape to Spanish territory. During their fugitive period, they had chance to help injured Indians. Their knowledge of certain medicine,

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

Being one of four survivors out of a crew of 250 on the expedition Cabeza de Vaca was a part of, was not a walk in the park. Cabeza was on a ship setting sail for the New World, in 1527, when his ship was blown off course and landed him in Galveston Island, Texas. The Native Americans living in Galveston eventually became his slave owners for two years before he escaped. He encountered many obstacles including starvation, thirst, unfamiliarity, slavery, etc. He endured all of these over a course of seven years, before he made it out alive. The question that remains is, how did Cabeza de Vaca survive all of this? Cabeza survived, because he was very resourceful, he had the advantage of being able to

Restall’s ultimate goal in writing this book is to provide readers and scholars alike with a more realistic viewpoint and history of the Spanish conquest. He wishes to dispel the many myths that accompany the epic tale so as to provide a better understanding of who the natives were and, more importantly to Restall, who the Spanish were. He does an excellent job of questioning the who, what, and where of the personalities and motives of the men involved in conquest. These questions are heartily answered in a well-written and easy to read history book.

“A Land So Strange” is a book any history enthusiast would enjoy. Beautifully written by Andres Resendez he is able to show the epic journey of Cabeza de Vaca through a book. Cabeza de Vaca a Spaniard scholar who shipwrecked in Florida in 1528 with a group of about 300 Spanish men, explorers, and slaves who accompanied him along the way. Having hopes to claim and settle in Florida but unexpectedly consistent events; like nature, natives, and loss of navigation turned their mission into an unexpected journey. Andres Resendez wonderfully words these unexpected events with a pleasant amount of detail that any reader could picture the journey of eight years of challenges leaving only four survivors Cabeza de Vaca, two other Spaniards, and an African slave who ended up wanting to just go back home. Regardless of these events he is considered one of the best explorers who survived the unimaginable and lead even with the lack of supplies and men to get their way back home. The journey was humbling by the fact he had to survive with what was around him and pushed through because of his curiosity to know more. This book is informative and practical because the author was able to illustrate his words that created a story based upon facts and understanding of the main characters experience that allowed one to see the passion Cabeza de Vaca in his expedition.

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

Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca and his companions, Andres Dorantes, Alonzo del Castillo Maldonado, and Estevan were the sole survivors of a four hundred men expedition. The group of them went about the friendly Indian tribes preforming miracles of healing, with the power of Christianity. At one time five sick persons were brought into the camp, and the Indians insisted that Castillo should cure them. At sunset he pronounced a blessing over the sick, and all the Christians united in a prayer to God, asking him to restore the sick to health, and on the following morning there was not a sick person among them. De Vaca and his companions reached the Pacific coast where the Indians, showed signs of civilization, living in houses covered with straw, wearing cotton clothes and dressed skins, with belts and ornaments of stone, and cultivating their fields, but had been driven therefrom by the brutal Spanish soldiery and had taken refuge in the mountains, de Vaca and his comrades, being regarded as emissaries from the Almighty, exercised such power over these untutored savages that, at their bidding, the Indians returned to their deserted habitations, and began again to cultivate their fields, the assurance being given them by de Vaca and his companions that henceforth they would

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