Cabeza de Vaca and his Encounter with the Indian Tribes - Research Paper Example

Cabeza de Vaca and his Encounter with the Indian Tribes How did the Indians’ lifestyles reflect the relationship between the Indians and their environment? The journey and expedition of Governor Pamfilo de Narvaez, followed by around 600 men and five ships along with the officers including Cabeza de Vaca , the Treasurer and alguacil mayor, Alonso Enriquez, the Comptroller, Alonso de Solis, Quartermaster to Your Majesty and Inspector, Juan Suarez, a Franciscan Friar, Commissary and four more friars for capturing and ruling over the provinces beginning from the River of Palms to the cape of Florida is amazing. The incidents that were encountered during this harrowing expedition have been presented by Cabeza de Vaca in this book called The Journey and Ordeal of Cabeza de Vaca. His account of this terrible journey of the southwest part of America certainly leaves us with a feeling trepidation on the one hand and astonishment on the other. The lifestyles of the Indians clearly reflected their ability to survive against the odds and tame their environment. During their first phase of journey, from Spain through Cuba to Tampa Bay, the Governor, decided to move further, into inland areas despite the opposition of Cabeza de Vaca that segregated them from their supporting vessels and left them in miserable conditions without sufficient food and water. However, this is the first time that the fleet confronted the attack of the Indian tribes. During their second voyage that took them to the coast of Texas, the inhabitants in this area were primarily Karankawa Indians. In fact, the survivors and Cabeza de Vaca were the first non-Indians known to hit this coast. The hostile attitude of these Indian tribes towards the foreigners and enslaving Cabeza shows their struggle for survival. Broadly speaking, the Indians were in a constant state of warfare with their environment and knew little about life on the other part of the globe. The only thing that characterized the Indian tribes included their aggression and toughness which can be accounted to the antagonistic environment in which they lived. In one of the instances, Cabeza has stated that “they were bidding us to go”, (31). Moreover, the Karankawa Indians had an intriguing lifestyle and startling food habits. During his ordeal with the native Indian tribes or the period of his slavery, Cabeza was made to harvest a root, which used to be the only food for these tribes during a particular period. As a matter of fact, the survival strategy of these tribes was extremely difficult as there was only one kind of food on which they had to depend for certain times of the year with little or no choices. Although, they lived in the coastal areas, they were forced to continue without water for more than five days in one stretch, a situation that was too hard to survive for Cabeza and his men. For instance, Capoques and Hans like most other islanders had to live on fish and root which women brought from the waters in November and December. When the roots began to grow in one part of the island they had to move to another part to find food, i.e. after February. Thus they adapt themselves to the environment for their food. Three months of each year they got nothing to eat and survived on oysters and bad water. They often had to visit the opposite shore of the main island in order to feed on oysters and stayed till first of April before returning. April was a time of dance and festivity when they ate blackberries at the seashore. The author often wondered how “life could be so prolonged in such protracted hunger” (63). Cabeza and his men had to comply with them in order to satisfy their hunger as they relied on the Indians for food. While wood was hard available, there were abundant mosquitoes. Houses contained mats made of oyster shells to sleep on, or even skins of animals for those who owned them. The inhabitants mainly went naked while women only covered some parts of their bodies with wool that grew on trees and damsels clothed themselves in deer skin. This showed their resourcefulness. They were generous towards one another and they had no chief. They had a custom of weeping for around 30 minutes when acquaintances met after long time. At the death of one offspring the entire village joined in lamenting with the parents. These show that they believed in unity which also helped them fight against all environmental odds together. When a son or brother in family died they did not go out for food for three months despite being hungry. This perhaps helped them prepare their bodies for the odd times of the season when food was scarce. The Indians, who fought with Cabeza and his men in Aute, had mastered in shooting arrows that scared the fleet to such an extent that they had to think of various options to save themselves. The struggle for life was the only aspect with which the Indian tribes were familiar and their tendency to resist the foreigners was a way of living and to defend themselves against all odds. The Capoques and Han were tall and heavy built Indians, skilled in using bows and arrows, and wore pieces of cane on their lower lip and nipples. The Hans had their self devised ways and perception of treatment for ailments. For instance, they believed that passing a pebble across the stomach would reduce pain and heal. The medicine man was highly respected amongst the Indians. On falling sick one would call the medicine man and gave all he had. The ways of healing comprised making incisions over the places where pain has been inflicted, sucking the wound and cauterizing it. As a finishing note, they blew on the spot of treatment and the patient would consider being relieved. Thus with primitive ways of treatment, the Indians still managed to survive and cure themselves of all ailments. The essence of feudalism that existed between different groups of the native Indian tribes provides an account of the urge of each clan to set up their power and supremacy over others. Their foraging efforts about which we have discussed above and tendency of men to fight over one woman are typical and influenced by the belligerence of the environment that sheltered them and taught them the hard-hitting lessons of life. They were conversant with the environmental factors to such an extent that Cabeza and his men were forced to consider them as their guides for exploring the regions that they intended to capture. Thus in all actions related to survival or following rituals, show their ability to deal with harshness of life and tame their environment by simultaneously equipping themselves physically and psychologically though practices. Reference Cabeza de Vaca, Alvar N. The Journey and Ordeal of Cabeza de Vaca: His Account of the Disastrous First European Exploration of the SouthWest. USA. Courier Dover Publications, 2003, Print Read More