Exploring the American Southwest: The Story of Cabeza de Vaca and Estebanico

Little is known about the failed Panfilo de Narvaez expedition of 1527. This failed exploration is the story of European survivors Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca and a slave, Esteban, nee Mustafa al-Zamori, from Azemmour, Morocco. This presentation is based on La Relacion, which chronicles a story of survival, by Cabeza de Vaca. Here he relates their arduous journey of eight years traversing territories from Florida to Texas and how they endured as slaves and healers among various native groups. Ultimately, in 1536 they are rescued by Spanish soldiers. This story concludes with Esteban’s journey north with Fray Marcos de Niza expedition in 1539 to find the Seven Cities of Cibola and his final encounter with the Zuni.