Why Was Esteban De Dorantes Important to the History of America - Research Paper Example

Esteban de Dorantes Research Question: Why was Esteban de Dorantes important to the history of America? Esteban de Dorantes was the first documented African to reach the North America Southwest with the Spanish. He was one of the shipwrecked that survived the Spanish Narvaez mission. This mission was looking for new trade opportunities and trade routes.. Natives captured all of the survivors. All were executed except for Cabeza de Vaca, Castillothe doctor’s son, Andres de Dorantes, and Estebanwhich were the only survivors of the Narvaez mission. After escaping the Natives, Dorantes and the rest travelled west. Although historians differ on the death of Dorantes, most believe that he was killed by Hawikku Natives in a Zuni village.1 Esteban de Dorantes is important to the history of America because he was the first documented slave to reach North America with the Spanish. There is little or no documentation of Esteban de Dorantes before the Narvaez voyage. He was from African. One source states “Esteban de Dorantes, also known as Esteban the Black, Estebanillo, and Estebanico was from the small mountain village of Azamor in what is now Morocco.”2 The Spanish records also state that Esteban was “a personal slave to Andres Dorantes de Carranza, a Spanish captain on the ill-fated Narvaez expedition sailing for the ‘New World.’”3 Belonging to Andres Dorantes de Carranza changed Esteban’s destiny. Instead of being just a slave, Esteban became the first African slave documented by the Spanish to reach New Spain or currently North America. The Narvaez expedition led by Andres Dorantes de Carranza managed to get to North America before their ship broke up off the coast of Florida.4 The Natives were not friendly. The Narvaez men were harassed into making flimsy boats. Finally the men were hit by a hurricane that killed all but four which were Cabeza de Vaca, Castillo, Andres de Dorantes, and Esteban.5 The Natives captured the survivors. Cabeza de Vaca and Esteban travelled with the Natives for a period. The hostile Indian territories were explored for eight years.6 Esteban learned about the Native people and land. Cabeza de Vaca and Esteban eventually returned to Spain.7 The news of the Natives, resources, and land were taken back to Spain. Esteban was still a slave, despite his owner dying in a hurricane. His new owner was Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza.8 Mendoza heard the tales of golden cities and other riches. “In 1539 Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza dispatched an exploratory party led by Fray Marcos de Niza (of Nice, France) and guided by the African Esteban, a slave who had arrived in New Spain with Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca.”9 Esteban proved to be a valuable asset to Mendoza. He learned how to speak the Native language from the Natives in New Spain and the Natives farther up North. Communicating with Natives was a trait necessary in order to trade and negotiate with the tribes. Mendoza used Esteban as a guide, translator, and scout for his mission led by Fray Marcos. Mendoza did not treat Esteban as a slave.10 His value as a guide for an expedition was more important to the Viceroy. Mendoza thought with Esteban the expedition would be more successful. The more successful the mission, the more successful and rich Viceroy Mendoza would become. He needed full cooperation from Esteban. So on this mission Esteban would be free to scout and guide as he saw fit. Slavery was no longer an issue after he successfully explored parts of North America. The Spanish had New Spain, but were searching for the seven cities of Cibola. This new territory was supposed to be cities of gold and riches. The problem was the Cibola territory could not live up to the hype. Cibola was an area of a warrior Native population and not as much wealth as had been described.11 Today the area of Cibola is the territory around New Mexico. The Spanish had conquered South and Central America. North America would be won in a difficult struggle. Fray Marcos employed Esteban as a lead scout. He would have Esteban go into areas to check out the hostility, Natives, and potential trade opportunities. One source state “the lands of Cibola drew close; Fray Marcos dispatched Esteban and small contingent of Indians to explore ahead. Each day’s findings were to be reported back to Marcos by a messenger carrying a white wooden cross. The size of the cross would indicate the importance of that day’s discoveries.”12 The distances that Esteban were exploring measured one day’s ride on horseback or one day’s walk. Esteban going ahead let Fray Marcos know what dangers or valuables the territory held. Natives would interact better with Esteban and Indians. The white man was scary and militant. Esteban and his fellow scouts were closer to the Native’s color. On the search for Cibola, Fray Marcos sent Esteban ahead to the Hawikku’s land. The Hawikku’s land was inhabited by the Zunis people. Esteban came to a walled village.13 Like the Spanish explorers, Esteban preferred the strong warrior approach. The strong warrior approach had worked in New Spain, so Fray Marcos and Esteban used it with the Zunis people. This approach might have worked, but Esteban crossed a tribal taboo. “Esteban’s claim that he came from a land of white men, as well as his demand for women and valuables did not sit well with the Hawikku leaders and he was reported to have been killed as he boldly attempted to enter the village.”14 The Hawikku leaders found the demand for women offensive. This is due to the “matrilineal society.”15The Hawikkus might have let Esteban have their valuables, but their women were sacred.16 Esteban’s death impacted the Hawikku’s and the Spanish. The Hawikkus believed the “killing of Esteban forever immortalized him within Zuni ceremonialism through reference and portrayal but also in a larger historical context.”17 Upon his death the Zunis recorded orally the encounter of Esteban and his death. Esteban symbolized the white man’s approach. The ZunischangedafterEsteban’s death by facing the reality of the advancing white man. The Spanish reacted differently from Esteban’s death. Fray Marcos decided to return to Spain. There are no reports that Fray Marcos actually interacted with the Hawikkus. Spanish reports show that he quickly departed for Spain.18 Fray Marcos probably was frightened by the violence of the Zunis. His decision to return home was made from a position of weakness. The Hawikkus had killed his scout, which happen to be Viceroy Mendoza’s slave. Fray Marcos was put into a bad position either way. If he continued, all party members could be killed. If he returned to Spain empty handed, the Viceroy would be upset. It was a no win situation either way. Fray Marcos knew that he could not admit defeat to Viceroy Mendoza. He returned with reports of Cibola being bigger than Mexico City.19 He must have mentioned the violent death of Esteban. Mendoza would have wondered about Esteban. The conversation between Mendoza and Fray Marcos is unknown. It is known that “a year later on July 7, 1540, Francisco Vásquez de Coronado arrived on the plain of Hawikkus with a well-armed expedition of Spanish horsemen and foot soldiers and a large entourage of Indian porters, followers, and livestock.”20 The battle between the Coronado and the Hawikkus was intense. The Spanish conquered the Zunis.21 Coronado sent a report back to Spain. The soldiers turned on Fray Marcos. Fray Marcos ended up being ostracized for exaggerating the wealth and potential value of the seven small Native villages.22 Fray Marcos was sent to the “Monastery in Xochimilco until his death in 1558.”23 The importance of Esteban can be found in the documentation by the Spanish and the rituals of the Zunis. Esteban came from Morocco. The term Moor came from Morocco.24 Esteban was the first documented slave or African to travel to North America. In North America Esteban influenced a whole culture. His death became ceremonial for the Zuni people. Esteban’s introduction to the New Mexico area started a war. After the Spaniards won, they returned the village to the Hawikkus. It was around ninety years before the Spanish would come back to that region.25 Esteban had found the walled city, the Spanish conquered the walled city, and then the Hawikkus was restored to the walled city. Esteban’s adventures in North America changed two cultures. The Spanish documented Esteban’s voyages as one of the first Africans to reach North America. The death of Esteban created a ceremonial aspect for the Hawikkus. War that followed the year after his death was related to Esteban’s demise. The Spanish search for gold, wealth, and riches was also because of Esteban’s death. Esteban’s death caused two cultures to have conflict. If Esteban would have approached the Zunis differently, maybe the outcome would have been different. Esteban’s documented voyage created a legend. Bibliography Carter, William B. Indian Alliances and the Spanish in the Southwest, 750-1750. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, 2009. Flint, Richard. No Settlement, No Conquest: A History of the Coronado Entrada. New Mexico: University of New Mexico Press, 2011. Kennedy, Tom R., and Dan Simplicio. “First Contact 1539.” New Mexico Office of the State History. Accessed 12 February 2012 from http://www.newmexicohistory.org/filedetails.php?fileID=22125 Read More