Effect of Christianity on Cabeza De Vaca and the Natives

The Effects of Christianity on Cabeza de Vaca and the Natives

On June 17, 1527, Cabeza de Vaca set sail on the order to conquer and govern the lands from the Rio Grande to the cape of Florida. However, during his journey he encountered much devastation such as the wrecking of his ship which resulted in his separation from the majority of his Christian companions. Praying to God after every ordeal, Cabeza routinely sought after his Christian religion to guide him through his unexpected journey. While traveling through the interior of America, he also encountered many native tribes which inhabited the land. While most of the Spanish conquistadors in the sixteenth century spread their religion through warlike ways and rearranged societies for the sole purpose of their own economic gain, Cabeza thought that kindness was the only way to win the hearts of the natives and without clothes or any material possessions, he upheld his promise and beliefs. After being enslaved by the natives Cabeza moved from tribe to tribe with the hope of finding his fellow Christians while praising and thanking God that his life was spared. Moving from tribe to tribe as a medicine man Cabeza still lived by his Christian teachings and implemented them into the way that he communicated with the natives, ultimately converting many tribes into Christianity. The religion of Christianity directly influenced the way in which Cabeza de Vaca interacted and felt toward the natives, thus throughout the duration of his time traveling across the interior of America, Cabeza was able to continually practice his religious beliefs while also being able to convert many Indians to his religion at the same time.

The main question which the explorers of North America had in respect to the natives was if the Indians were able to understand the concept of Christianity and religion. The majority of the explorers placed the natives in a class subhuman to Europeans which deserved to be enslaved. Cabeza makes not a racial distinction, but an ideological one by saying that there were only Christians and non-Christians (Petty 2). This ideology is why he states that "Clearly, to bring all these people to Christianity and subjection to Your Imperial Majesty, they must be won by kindness, the only certain way" (Covey 123). As for the question of whether the Indians could understand the concept of religion and God, the answer is yes due to their own religious practices separate from Christianity. Cabeza learns that the natives worship a God named Aguar in whom "They said they believed he created the whole world and everything in it" (Covey 131). Cabeza interpreted this as an indication of a readiness for the acceptance of Christianity (Petty 2).

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 of kindness erased any thoughts that the Indians would kill cabeza.

Instead of slaughtering Cabeza, the natives made him their slave. This enslavement made his survival possible and changed his view of the Indians for good. Cabeza would often thank God for sparing his life and allowing him to become a slave to the natives which would enable him to move from tribe to tribe. This movement was possible because a slave in an Indian tribe had the same duties as a woman. Women were responsible for the transportation of wood, hauling of water, and digging for roots in the cane swamps (Petty 4). Cabezza would say "The women toil incessantly" (Covey 61). With his womanly privilege he was able to communicate between two warring tribes which allowed him to trade where others might not have been allowed to. During times of war women were sent to make negotiations (Petty 4). With his slave status, Cabeza was allowed to travel with the women which gave him a greater understanding of the environment and terrain which lay ahead of his journey as he traveled westward in search of fellow Christians.

While traveling from tribe to tribe Cabeza encountered a village on an Island which gave him a chance to break free of his slavery status. It is on this island where he learned to become a medicine man which ultimately gave him prosperity in the Indians eyes. When first presented with the natives' way of curing the ill, the Europeans "Scoffed at their cures" (Covey 64), but after food was held from them until they learned how to heal, the men were forced to obey. While Cabeza learned the healing technique he also managed