Week 3

“Catalina lived with me many years; she looked after my health, she warned me of danger, and she guided me in important decisions” (Allende, 88).

Inés’s relationship with Catalina as described by this passage reminds me of Lewis and Clark’s journey through the American West with Sacagwea as their guide. Inés in her narration describes how vital Catalina is to the success of their journey. Similarly,  Lewis and Clark relied absolutely on Sacagawea’s knowledge of the area. Without Sacagawea the entire expedition likely would have failed. Inés also makes it clear in her narration that it would have been unlikely for her to survive the difficult journey through the barren wastelands of the Chilean desert without Catalina’s guidance and friendship. 

            Both of these Native guides were valued, fellowshipped, and welcomed into the adventurers’ caravans, but despite this, shortly after both Valdivia and Lewis and Clark’s expeditions amiable relationships with the indigenous people ceased to exist. Sacagawea is revered in American history textbooks. Her assistance in the 1803 expedition proved essential and unparalleled. Other Native Americans such as Squanto also provided vital help and knowledge to early American settlers, but the American government still violently fought Native Americans in battle, and then later forced them onto reservations. They were treated brutally, and as savages. Catalina was accepted into the conquistadors group, but her presence could not keep the Spaniard’s army from obliterating thousands of natives.

            Why would settlers of the New World destroy entire populations of natives even after some had proved to be trustworthy? I believe that the answer is complicated, but to put it simply it is because they were different. As humans we have a natural tendency to fear things we are unfamiliar with. It is difficult and dangerous to cross social boundaries and attempt to forge relationships with people who are unlike you. It requires faith, trust, and making oneself vulnerable. Fear of people who are different has penetrated the modern culture of the New World. It is evidenced in historic issues such as slavery, civil rights and women’s rights movements. Unfortunately it is also perpetuated in modern society through homophobia, immigration policy, and in some cases even racism.