Dealing with Strangers in Strange Lands Essay

The book, A take down so conflicting, tells of an expedition of 300 men, women, and enslaved Africans who set sheet from S pain in the neck in 1528 under the leadership of Pnfilo de Narvez with the dream of settling Florida. Yet, a hurricane, confused ships, navigational errors, leadership follies, and challenges from Indians well undefended of holding off would-be European conquest added up to a gigantic disaster. Expedition members ended up wander along the Gulf Coast for struggled taking to the water on hand-crafted rafts which finally washed up on the Texas coast, in course of which their song rapidly diminished as they swing victim to drowning, dehydration, starvation, and cannibalism (by their fellow castaways). A unstained four survivors-Cabeza de Vaca, Alonso del Castillo, Andrs Dorantes, and an enslaved Moor cognize sole(prenominal) as Estebanico remained.Throughout this reading, it leave fashion preferably clear that working(a) with the Indians instead of against would have provided a more than viable solution to the Spaniards excerpt predicament. Furthermore, the achievement of the Spanish in North American depended greatly on their relations with the natives. This depart be proven with the embarrassing expiration of Narvaez and the success that Cabeza de Vaca experiences. Eventually, Cabeza and his crew begin to see the Indians as human beings and as a possible alliance in the coarse environment they be trying to conquer.The Spanish ideals of non-christians were very strong. Even the converts were criticized, Such converts were euphemistically referred to as new christians, and were often the range of discrimination in an empire that had become unified on the basis of militant religiousity.1 Such an age of ego swarm the kings to explore territory not only for riches and fame, besides for the possibility of gap the good word. During Cabeza de Vacas stupefying journey, he went from the hunter to the hunted, from the give r to the begger, and from the fertile to the starving. At one point, during a seemingly endless walk in a dessert, Narvaez notices a group of Indians.He is demise of thirst and barely has any food. However, he looks upon the Indians and says, What poor and wretched creatures.2 Even at the lowest point, he still condemns the Indians instead of approaches and begs for well-nigh form of charity. Things got worse. He afterward gave up all hope of survivaland proclaimed, It was no longer time for some men to rule over others, but that each one should do any(prenominal) seemed exceed to save his life.3 Narvaez died a horrendous death lost at sea on a raft carried by the tided. He wanted nothing to do with the Indians, even to the point of death.Such pain seemed to attract the leadership of false-superiority. Only at Cabeza de Vacas lowest point did he cod that the Indians could actually help him and the remaining survivors. He was shipwrecked on a small island with no food or cr ispen. It is here where he stated the succeeding(a) after sightedness its inhabitants, Whether or not they were of great stature, our business organization made them seem like giants.4 His awe was obviously overwhelming and he had no choice but to succumb to some(prenominal) treachery the Indians were to release. To the surprise of the castaways, the Indians brought food and drink to the survivors. They were astonished by the generosity of the Indians.The Indians ultimately adopted and took care of them even through the toughest of seasons. Throughout the remainder of the story, Cabeza depended on the Indians for survival. He even went far enough to state, These are the people most fit for war of all I have seen in the world.5 The Indians carried with them a great weight, for the stranded were sort of useless when it comes to surviving in acidulated conditions. Through persistence and persuasion, Cabeza eventually became a medicine man convinced he was sent by God to cure t hose in need. He worked his way up the ranks and finally came home to an astonished emperor.It is quite obvious that working with the Indians instead of against provided the dress hat solution to the Spaniards issues. Narvaez chose a line of possession and superiority while Cabeza de Vaca chose a path of harsh reality and acceptance. The Indians were taught at cause the laws of nature and how to overcome the most tremendous of environmental circumstances, the Spanish came with little experience but a passion for fame and fortune. The following statement by Cabeza de Vaca sums it all up, Together, Europeans and indigene Americans could make the New World flag spiritual as well as material wealth (218). Surviving in a land so unlike can be strenuous beyond comprehension, there comes a time when the best ideal is cooperation.Source CitedResendez, Andres. A Land so Strange. New York City rudimentary Books, 2007. 1 Resendez, Andres. A Land so Strange Pp472 Resendez, Andres. A L and so Strange. Pp1213 Resendez, Pp 1274 Resendez, Pp 1345 Resendez, Pp 182