Pocahontas
The story of Pocahontas and John Smith is a well-known story, played out in song, literature and the movies. Yet over the years, the story of Pocahontas has been polished by so many layers of romanticization and politicization as to become almost a new story in its own right.
So, what is the true story of Pocahontas?
Coming to America
The year is 1607.
Shakespeare is writing plays in England and the King James Bible is being worked on.
In the Americas, the Spanish had spent a century empire-building and getting all the gold they could. More recently, other European nations had gained access to the Americas.
So it came to pass that in April of this year, a small group of English settlers arrived what is now Virginia. Their objective was to set up a new English colony, called "Jamestown" after their king, and look for gold.
While the land they arrive at is a forested wilderness, the colonists are not by any means alone. The land was previously settled by tribes of the Powhatan people.
It didn't take long for trouble to start brewing between these new inhabitants and the old.
A young girl and a new people
The chief of the Powhatan people had at least two children, a son and a daughter. The daughter, it is guessed, was born around 1596 and was named Amonute, later to acquire the nickname Pocahontas meaning "playful one."
We don't know much about how Pocahontas came into contact with the colonists. What we do have is an account by John Smith, leader of the colony, how she saved his life.
His story has it that a brother of Pocahontas captured him, brought him to the village and was preparing to bash his head in. In the nick of time Pocahontas (about age 11) rushes in, places her head next to his to save his life. Some have doubted how authentic this story is, but there it is.
What we do know, is that she was a friend to the colonists. In the winter of 1609, the colonists had no food and were battling for survival; to the point of raiding the local Powhatan for food. Tensions between the locals and colonists was heating up.
During this time however, Pocahontas (at most a young teenager) and her attendants saved the colony by regularly bring much-needed food. Imagine, during a time of stress between the two peoples, a young woman takes a courageous part in doing such good deeds to the "enemy."
To me, this says so much about her.
Apparently, she also loved to play with the boys in the colony (there were no girls or women at the colony then). As to her relationship with John Smith, whatever relationship they had was interrupted in 1609 when he, injured by a gunpowder explosion, went back to England. She would be told that he died.
Capture!
In 1609 tensions again began to heat up between Jamestown and the Powhatan. As a part of this tension, some colonials were taken prisoner along with some weapons and tools. In an effort to recover the items, Pocahontas was taken prisoner with the aid of members of the Patawomeck tribe and held as a hostage.
Pictorial depiction of the abduction of Pocahontas
Her father agreed to the release of the colonists, but not the tools or weapons.
Pocahontas was not happy at all about this. Later, she would meet her father and chastise him for valuing her "less than old swords, pieces, or axes."
On the other hand, she was treated very well at Jamestown. In this same meeting with her father she would go on to express how she enjoyed being with the English "who loved her."
Pocahontas' life was moving in another direction
Married life
At this time, Pocahontas became fully a part of the Jamestown community; got baptized ...
met and married a man named John Rolfe (her second husband actually) in 1614.
Their marriage helped bring peace between the feuding parties for the next eight years. The "peace of Pocahontas."
John Rolfe would start a plantation growing the new cash crop called tobacco. Then in 1616, Pocahontas traveled with Mr. Rolfe and other Powhatan back to England. In England, she was very well received and enjoyed some popularity as an "Indian Princess."
Portrait of Pocahontas, 1616
In 1621 she and her husband boarded a boat back for Virginia.
She would never get there. She would get sick and die before leaving England.
Pocahontas lived in an eventful time for both the Americas and Europe. In her short lifetime of 21 years, she not only made an important difference in the very survival of the young Jamestown colony, but established a positive legacy on two continents.
Great films
OK, I don't know of any great movies about Pocahontas or Jamestown. But there are very good movies about women who changed/adapted to a different culture.
Bridge to the Sun
(1961) Based on a true story. In 1935 Gwen Harold from Tennessee meets, falls in love with and marries a Japanese man attached to the embassy in Washington. When war breaks out she decides she and their children should stay with him as he is sent back to Japan. Being an American with half-American children in wartime Japan made for some interesting and moving experiences.
The Inn of the Sixth happiness
(1958) Gladys Aylward is an English woman who, all her life, has felt that she is to be a missionary to China. Against all odds, she manages to make it to China, learns to love the people and fully integrates herself into their society while going a whole lot of good. I believe it is based on a true story.
On the web
This picture/video slideshow features a recreated Powhatan village. No speaking, but has background music, I presume, of the type performed back in the days of Pocahontas.
Jamestown: The First Permanent English Settlement
This video highlights the story of the Jamestown colony from the original concept, through the hard times until it was able to get more established.
Jamestown - John Smith and Pocahontas
A presentation going through the story of Jamestown, John Smith and Pocahontas.
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