The Characters Of The Indigenous People In Mexico, By Cabeza De Vaca

Growing up in an area with a large Mexican community I never really understood how much my culture means to me. I grew up with the stories my dad and grandfather would tell me about my ancestors. My people were the raiders from the hills of Mexico City and that we were a family of warriors. I never held much weight to the warrior part of my grandfather’s stories but I did know that my great grandfather was a fighter. He left Mexico and rode the train up to Denton Texas and sold tamales on the square his entire life. He fought to give my grandfather a better life here. I don’t talk about my dad’s side of the family much, in this day in age being seen as white has more advantages than being seen as Mexican. This thought changed as I came to

All over the world there are many features that make up a culture. Culture can be defined as the characteristics, attitudes, knowledge and beliefs of a group of people, relating to language, cuisine, religion, interaction, lifestyle, and more which is learned through socialization. These aspects of cultures are what distinguishes it from others. It is interesting to explore and learn about new cultures. I will be focusing on the Mexican culture, their religion, death, family life, weddings and ….

It is a known fact that every human being communicates through language, but perhaps a little known fact that we communicate even through the food we eat. We communicate through food all the meanings that we assign and attribute to our culture, and consequently to our identity as well. Food is not only nourishment for our bodies, but a symbol of where we come from. In order to understand the basic function of food as a necessity not only for our survival, we must look to politics, power, identity, and culture.

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,

Cabeza de Vaca is writing to the Spaniards great commandeer, giving reasons for the Indians way of living on how they are to do with man, even more so than they are. The tribes are great communities that look out for each other. They do have some damaging marks but not as shocking as one would have in mind. In this time the male ruler and other persons from Europe

The last reason why Cabeza De Vaca survived was because of his respect for the Indians. Cabeza was allowed to serve as a trader among Indian bands living within 150 miles of the Gulf Coast (Document B). Also, to communicate with Indians for help, he learned 4 Indian languages, including Charrucos, plus sign language (Document B). The Indians regarded him and his friends by saying “we” to the Christians (Document D). That meant the Indians now respected Cabeza and his 3 friends (Document

Cabeza de Vaca respected Natives and the power they had. After being a slave to the Natives for a very long time, he finally gained their trust and greeted them all with respect(Doc B). He went out of his way to take the long way around lots of mountains through a desert just because he heard rumors of unfriendly Natives and wanted to stay out of their way(Doc A). Cabeza de Vaca made sure that any Native he left would see him as a better person than what they originally thought. Since Cabeza was respectful to the Natives he was able to safely cross them, and when Natives weren’t very happy he solved the situation in the best way possible.

Cabeza De Vaca was one of the many explorers to travel from Europe to the Americas. During his expedition, he kept an account of the progress and situations he and his crew encountered. These accounts were to inform, they were factual and don't contain explicit opinions. Cabeza's journal is also in first person point of view. Because of this, we can get to know about his thoughts, morals, personality, and faith.

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

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.

According to a picture in Document C, Cabeza de Vaca respectfully healed a Native Americans open wound on his shoulder. This shows that Cabeza de Vaca had respect for this particular tribe, and if he helped these Native Americans then the tribe could give him resources or help him when he needed it. Document D also shows how Cabeza de Vaca met the Spaniards and, the encounters that he made with them. If Cabeza de Vaca wasn’t as kind as he was, he could’ve possibly died from some of these Indians. Another source that shows he was respectful is Document B. In Document B it shows that from 1530-1535 Cabeza de Vaca learned four Indian languages, including Charuccos, plus sign language. Since he learned these languages, you can communicate with tribes, and make

According to Document B, Cabeza De Vaca learned four Indian languages. Also in Document C, it states that this cure gave us a very great reputation among them throughout the land. It shows that they care on what they think of them, so they learned their language which is a sign of respect. It also shows that since he was a healer he took the time out of his day to heal the people that were wounded who are Native American. This shows that not only did he respect the Native Americans, but the Native Americans respected him. He survived by learning their language and healing their wounded

Many non-Hispanic people tend to think that all Hispanics are Mexican. Mexicans make up almost two thirds of the Hispanic population in the United States, but that does not mean that there is any shortage in diversity among Hispanics. Being Hispanic makes it easy for me to identify the differences in Latin America culture. Hispanics are one of the most racially diverse ethnic groups in the world. Hispanics are light skinned, black with afro textured hair, Indigenous, Asian, Spanish, German, and Italian.

First of all, one of the approaches Cabeza De Vaca took in order to persist was befriending some of, if not most of, the Indians that he encountered throughout his journey. One example of him performing this task is when an Indian tribe brought a wounded man to Cabeza in order for him to cure the badly injured Indian. Cabeza opened the Indian’s chest and took out the arrow that was resting above his heart. By doing this, Cabeza De Vaca and his fellow