Cabeza De Vaca Summary

The Europeans motivations and world views shaped their attitude about the Indians by the life and historical experience of the author, de Vaca. In the case, the discussion of Cabeza de Vaca’s life is used to analyze the European treatment and how things changed at the better part of the Author’s journey. The author explains how the American journey turned out to be the most horrifying event that brought lessons to the Spaniards who had the perception of conquering the America. Starting his mission as a governor, the author explains how their ego as Spaniards had increased. He arrived in Florida with his back up soldiers in 1527 with the objective of controlling over the “New world”. He suggests that the Spaniards were very arrogant as he mentions

his commander, Panfilo de Navez who led the mission of Florida . The Europeans had very bad perception of Indians that led to the killing of 2500 Indians. He says that he watched over the slaughtering of the men, but he had no choice since he was cultured in the European nation. Therefore, the author dwells on the mistreatments that the Indians faced as the Europeans perceived them as low-class humans.
Certainly, the treatment to the Indians was bad given that the slaughtered men were people who brought food to them.

The author witnessed the killing of the 2500 men as he was the appointed Cuban governor during the event. Their encounter with the Indians seems like a revengeful act as that Karma was taking its place. The Indians had shot arrows at the group, which was advancing into their territorial zones. In essence, most of the soldiers got injured during the raid in the forests. Cabeza thought that the zone where they were adventuring, the Apachelen, was an area, which they had already captured under their rule. It is, however, to his surprise that most of his soldiers got killed in the process of reaching out to the imagined gold and

treasure.
Notably, the Spaniards were determined to increase their wealth, which is termed as their motivation towards the journey to the New World. They felt hopeless since most of their soldiers had died due to hunger, diseases, and the attack by the Indians. The journey was marked by unending disaster, especially the parts where the group was invaded by storm. The storm claimed almost all the survivors leaving only three individuals. The Han and Capoque, took hold of Cabeza de vaca as a slave . Cabeza de Vaca narrates his worst encounter, which begins the journey to how Indians had developed the better part of the narration.
The narration of the adventure to the wealth nation turns out to be a sense of wonder infused with curiosity, given the enthusiasm by which the character explains his life experience.

His amazing skills in the healing sector turn out to be the saving factor, which made him reconcile with most of Indians. It is at that juncture when he started developing different perceptions about the Indians. It happened that he was left with the choice of healing their natives. The Indians had the belief of blowing the wounds of the sick as a way of healing. As a rule of survival, Cabeza de Vaca alongside other survivors of the storm was adhered to the rule in order to receive food. It happens miraculously that Cabeza de Vaca managed to heal the sick using spiritual Christian beliefs. This moment was a point of reflection to the Indians when they began to see the wonders of the bearded

men.
The mission that led to the sparing of Indians whom the Spaniards had wanted to kill enraged many. The worst part is that the author practiced his Christianity religion to the Indians; thus, the Indians were converted to Christianity. Cabeza de vaca wanted the Europeans to realize the importance of embracing the Indian community to live harmoniously. He explains the chapters of lives that enabled him become a hybrid mixture rather than a European. The journey to the America had humbled him to become the slave of the nation. Moreover, he suggests his love to the native land despite the enslavement he had been objected to. It is due to this love that made him spare the Indians despite the Europeans perceptions about them. He also had the power of commissioning the slaughtering, given that he was the governor of the Paraguay. Nevertheless, he showed them mercy. His kind hearted custom was criticized by the Spaniards who only used the Indians as slaves and sex organs. He prohibited such acts and preached gospel to them winning more souls to the Christianity kingdom. In the end, he won the heart of Spanish king who released him after 8 years of imprisonment. The king had noted the importance of his work. The Indians were equal beings similar to them, and through championing for equality, the author gained fame.
The discussion of how the Europeans were objective observers is also worth highlighting. First, it will be clear if the meaning of objective observer is expounded. Objective observer can be related with the fact that one’s scientific utility is dependent to the person observing. For this case, the Europeans are taken as objective observers given that their general perceptions about the Indians seem to be what they expect, but it is not true when they focus their attention and begins to know them even more . Cabeza de Vaca explains this phenomenon using his field of experience in the native land of America.
In essence, the Spaniards trip to Florida was based on the potential they had noted in the region. They saw the potential of increasing their territorial borders or as a way of colony. This subjected them to the pressure of wanting to gain more. Consequently, Cabeza de Vaca sets out his journey to the new world to explore new ventures. Meanwhile, they had noted the cheap labor through which could boost their productivity. The cheap labor was enforced being the Indians who could be subjected to their oppression acts in order to achieve their demands.
Another instance of objective observation is noted in the Cabeza de Vaca narration about the visit to the Apalachen. During the event, he, among other soldiers passed through the forests invaded by the Indians. Despite the Indians’ arrows that left many wounds to their bodies, they still never gave up on their journey to Apalachen. Cabeza de Vaca explains how they imagined the worth of the land; expecting treasure palaces and vaults of gold . Besides, he suggests that, besides the pain felt during the Indians invasion, they still had the determination of the goodness of the area. Unfortunately, they arrived to find some different result; the area had been dominated by thatched houses and dried corn stores. To their disappointment, they left the area matching their way to the coast where they lost even more of their soldiers.
Furthermore, the author’s journey is touching in the sense that he had to walk up to 6000 miles barefoot to fulfill his ambitions of getting command in the North America. His determination persuaded him to act in a manner that seems unimaginable. In the process of claiming territory, he was unsuccessful, which again never deterred him from reaching up to his potential. He eventually won the appointment as the Paraguayan governor. This is an act of determination. Also, at the instance where they decide to make up some small kind of boat, a flotilla, following their disappointment at the Apalechen, they become creative enough making use of the available items to make the flotilla. They used it to voyage across the Gulf Coast, which went for months encountering disasters along the way. They had been fleeing from the Indian attackers who came from hunting. It is so unfortunate that the flotilla went on capsizing many soldiers after the incumbent of a storm.
The authors’ miraculous healings can also be viewed as a case of objective observation. During his capture by the Han and Capoque people, he had been told to heal the sick using the medicinal techniques of the Indian medicine men. He blew them but also recited the Ave Marias creeds that eventually led to the wellness of the patients. The act astonished many people who had gathered around.
The observations that are depicted on Europeans can be used to judge them rather than how they perceived the Indians. For instance, they only saw the goodness of using the Indians as slaves. The latter shows their selfish centered behaviors. They only wanted to use the American natives for their benefits. They never cared or seemed concerned about their interests. It is so sad that the author narrates how he saw the killing of the 2500 Indian men who were probably fighting for their freedom. It is very brutal to make such number of killings, especially to the people who served them. The same people that were killed are the same people that brought food to the Spaniards.
The Europeans were adventurers and opportunists. As the author explains, his journey to the new world was marred with a lot of new experience. They had opted to capture Florida and make it their territory. This shows how much they were opportunists, taking chances to their benefit. He brought up 580 men with him for the event. Another scenario of opportunism is depicted at their journey to the Apalachen where they expected to find a lot of fortunes. They were focused on the journey despite the disasters they encountered in the process. The author suggests how many gold and well-built palaces they were anticipating and curious to see. Their opportunism, however, led them astray.
The detention of the author due to his kind heartedness also shows how brutal the Europeans were to the Indians. This happens to the extent that they could convict one of their own due to an act of treason according to them. Cabeza de Vaca had adopted the life of the foreign world . Despite his horrifying experiences, he still had the guts to preach peace to the Indians. He condemned the European acts of mistreating the Indians, which landed him into trouble. A conviction of 8 years shows how serious they took the matter.
The fact that the Europeans travelled miles to meet their demands show how much determined they were. As noted earlier, they were determined at reaching to the land of fortunes where they expected gold. The level of determination is also evidenced at the scene of death that claims the 580 soldiers. Furthermore, Christianity can also be discussed here judging from the fact that it is something they believed in and ought not to be shared amongst other groups. They were defending their religion, especially as seen in the detention of the author due to his practice of the latter to the Indians.
Moreover, the author is enlightened to hear the good news about some of their members, the bearded men, had been seen, which makes him yearn to see them. He, therefore, plans ways by which he can make them escape but ends up being captured again in the end. This shows how Europeans were very defensive in nature. Their love for each other was very strong that even after 8 years of separation, they still felt the urge to meet their own people and save them from the Indian tribal culture oppression.
In conclusion, the Europeans treated the Indians with cruelty given that they felt unequal to them. The ruthless acts involving killings, slavery, rapes among others, this enraged the Indians thus they also suffered under their native lands. However, through Cabeza de Vaca, they realized that the Indians were somewhat different from their perception about them.