Esteban de Dorantes
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Estébande Dorantes (c.1500–1539) was a Moorish slave with a significant role in the Spanish exploration of what would be the U.S. state of New Mexico.
Estéban is said to have been born in Azemmour, Morocco around the year 1503. Robert Goodwin points out that "it was usual for a slave to be described in official documents as being from the place where he or she first became the property of a European slave merchant."[1] Goodwin also notes an early mistranslation of the Spanish word "negro" to mean "Moor" has propagated in subsequent descriptions of Estéban's origins.[2] Authors Villanueva and Chris Fumagalli include in their article that during Estéban's early years, his hometown was ransacked and presumably was sold into slavery by the King of Portugal around 1513. Richard Flint describes Estéban's capture "Some historians have suggested that Estéban was born in the early 1510s and that he sold himself into slavery or indentureship to alleviate his own or his family's dire financial circumstances"[3] Early on Estéban must have been trusted by those who were on the campaign. He belonged to the Andrés de Dorantes of Bejar del Castanar of old Castile. He would later join the expedition crew of Pánfilo de Narváez that would leave the southern coast of Spain. This expedition was set forth by the king to "conquer and govern lands and peoples along the Gulf of Mexico from the Florida Peninsula to the modern state of Tamaulipas in Mexico."[4]
It was the aim of the Spanish empire to extend its reign in the colonies and others yet to be occupied. The Narváez expedition would prove to be a complete and utter failure. Esteban was one of only four survivors of the campaign. Estéban became an elite asset to the survivors. Especially Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, who was originally the royal treasurer for the campaign. The plan for the survivors was to reach the coast and from there sail out of present day Galveston Bay. Fifteen survivors were captured by the coastal Indians. The four to escape were Cabeza de Vaca, Castillo—the son of the Narváez expedition's doctor, Andrés de Dorantes, and Estéban.
On their track west, in order to survive, the four acted as healers. The four survivors were told tales and fables of such wealth and glory that they could not help but dream of claiming it for the throne. These men returned to Mexico City and interested the likes of high Spanish officials such as Antonio de Mendoza. Esteban was asked to accompany the new campaign in hope of finding the seven cities of gold. Roberts & Roberts conveyed the idea of such exploration when they write "On the American side of the Atlantic was an Aztec legend which claimed that the Aztec people had come from a land of gold and silver that lay forty days journey to the north. To discover the truth of these stories, Spaniards would have to undertake northern expeditions."[5] The campaign taken on by Mendoza was the last days of Esteban de Dorantes.
Although historians debate on the death of Esteban, a popular idea is that during their journey Esteban rode forward through the Zuni villages of Arizona, days ahead of the others (as he did quite often) he met with the Hawikuh people and was killed not long after. Some[who?] believe that he may have demanded jewelry or displayed healing powers which reminded them of their enemy, the Apaches. Roberts & Roberts describe another example of the possible reasoning for the murder of Esteban when they write "still others suggest that Estevan, who was black and wore feathers and rattles, may have looked like a wizard to the Zuni"[6] In any light, he left such an impression on the Zunis that they tell the legend of the death of "one of the Black Mexicans". Another theory (Maura 2002), defends that Estebanico was never kill by the Zuni, and that he organized a plot of his death with his Indians friends to fool Fray Marcos de Niza and achieve his freedom from the Viceroy of New Spain.[7]
Esteban will be remembered for his contributions of language and "mystical abilities." The Hopi kachina doll Chakwaina is said to be based upon him.[8] He was the first black to explore North America and is remembered for his stories of the Seven Cities of Gold.[9][10][11][12]
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[edit] See also
[edit] Bibliography
Maura, Juan Francisco.Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca: el gran burlador de América. (Second Edition corrected and augmented). Parnaseo/Lemir. Valencia:Universidad de Valencia, 2011.http://parnaseo.uv.es/lemir/Textos/Maura2.pdf
Maura, Juan Francisco. El gran burlador de América:Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca. Colección Parnaseo-Lemir. Valencia:Universidad de Valencia, 2008.http://parnaseo.uv.es/lemir/Textos/Maura.pdf
Maura, Juan Francisco. “Nuevas interpretaciones sobre las aventuras de Alvar Núñez cabeza de Vaca, Esteban de Dorantes, y Fray Marcos de Niza”. Revista de Estudios Hispánicos (PR). 29.1-2 (2002): 129-154.
[edit] References
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This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (June 2009) |
- ^ Goodwin, Robert: Crossing the Continent 1527-1540 The Story of the First African American Explorer of the American South, page 89. Harper Collins, 2008.
- ^ Goodwin, p. 83.
- ^ (Flint, n.d).
- ^ (Flint & Flint, n.d).
- ^ Robert & Roberts, 26.
- ^ Roberts & Roberts, 27.
- ^ Maura 129-154
- ^ Washburn, Wilcomb E.: The Cambridge history of the native peoples of the Americas, Part 1, page 371. Cambridge University Press, Oct 13, 1996.
- ^ Logan, L. W. (1940). Estavancio Negro Discoverer of the Southwest: a critical reexamination. Phylon, 1(4), 305-314. Retrieved March 20, 2009, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/272298
- ^ Flint, R., & Flint, S. C. (n.d.). Esteban de Dorantes. Retrieved March 20, 2009, from filedetails.php?fileID=464http://www.newmexicohistory.org/
- ^ Villanueva, Jose Guadalupe and Chris Fumagalli . "Esteban furthered legend of Cíbola." Borderlands 17 (1998-1999): 6. Borderlands. EPCC Libraries. <http://www.epcc.edu/nwlibrary/borderlands>
- ^ Roberts, C. A., & Roberts, S. A. (2006). New Mexico (, pp. 24-26). Albuquerque: University of New Mexico.
[edit] External links
- Birzer, Dedra McDonald, [1] at blackpast.org
- Maura, Juan Francisco. El gran burlador de América:Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca. Colección Parnaseo-Lemir. Valencia:Universidad de Valencia, 2008.http://parnaseo.uv.es/lemir/Textos/Maura.pdf
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