THE NATIVE VILLAGE THAT HID HERNANDO DE SOTO’S FIRST CAMP IN AMERICA

They must consider descendant communities.

And they must avoid turning Indigenous history into a treasure hunt.

The most valuable result is knowledge.

An artifact becomes important because of what it tells us about people.

That principle is especially important at a site associated with colonial violence.

THE STORY BEYOND THE CONQUISTADOR

The temptation is to make de Soto the central character because his name is familiar.

But the site suggests another approach.