Estevanico, a Moroccan explorer and one of the first non-Native Americans to explore the interior of North America, set out on an expedition in 1528 to find the Seven Cities of Gold, a legendary land rumored to be in the New World. The expedition was led by Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, and it began in Florida and traveled through what is now the southwestern United States.
Estevanico was sent ahead of the main expedition to explore and report on the land and its inhabitants. He traveled through what are now the states of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. In Arizona, he encountered the Zuni people, who lived in a large pueblo and had a sophisticated culture. Estevanico also became the first European to see the Grand Canyon, although he did not realize its significance.
Estevanico's reports about the Zuni people and the Grand Canyon helped to increase European interest in the New World. He also played an important role in introducing European diseases to the Native American population, which had a devastating impact on many tribes.