Mito y realidad en torno a Cíbola: las relaciones de fray Marcos de Niza y Pedro Castañeda de Nájera

Abstract

The present work analyzes the expositions written during the mid-sixteenth century by fray Marcos de Niza (Descubrimiento de las siete ciudades) and Pedro Castañeda de Nájera (Relación de la jornada de Cíbola). They are two of the first narrations that describe the Spanish explorations in the northern territories of New Spain. The United States are mainly constructed as a border country by means of the expansion and conquest from the East to the West. Nevertheless, there was a first border at the south of the present United States, the one stated by the Spanish discoverers and conquerers when they where searching for new territories. To that place, they transferred legends and myths, as for example the Cibola myth. The text expects to show in what way the discourses elaborated by the aforementioned authors articulate the horizons of expectations of the Spanish people. Their narrations, written after the experiences lived in the new territories, are adjusted to the hopes and interests of the reader having as a consequence a net of profits, wishes, desires and frustrations that is not always balanced.