Donald Trump rallied supporters yesterday with this verbal
assault against Sen. Warren: “Pocahontas is at it again!”
Here, then, is the historical account of Matoaka—the woman who
is the story behind the false legend of Pocahantas (quoting below without
alternation):
In 1995, Roy Disney decided to release an animated movie
about a Powhatan woman known as "Pocahontas". In answer to a
complaint by the Powhatan Nation, he claims the film is "responsible,
accurate, and respectful."
We of the Powhatan Nation disagree. The film distorts
history beyond recognition. Our offers to assist Disney with cultural and
historical accuracy were rejected. Our efforts urging him to reconsider his
misguided mission were spurred.
"Pocahontas" was a nickname, meaning "the
naughty one" or "spoiled child". Her real name was Matoaka. The
legend is that she saved a heroic John Smith from being clubbed to death by her
father in 1607 - she would have been about 10 or 11 at the time. The truth is
that Smith's fellow colonists described him as an abrasive, ambitious,
self-promoting mercenary soldier.
Of all of Powhatan's children, only "Pocahontas"
is known, primarily because she became the hero of Euro-Americans as the
"good Indian", one who saved the life of a white man. Not only is the
"good Indian/bad Indian theme" inevitably given new life by Disney,
but the history, as recorded by the English themselves, is badly falsified in
the name of "entertainment".
The truth of the matter is that the first time John Smith
told the story about this rescue was 17 years after it happened, and it was but
one of three reported by the pretentious Smith that he was saved from death by
a prominent woman.
Yet in an account Smith wrote after his winter stay with
Powhatan's people, he never mentioned such an incident. In fact, the starving
adventurer reported he had been kept comfortable and treated in a friendly
fashion as an honored guest of Powhatan and Powhatan's brothers. Most scholars
think the "Pocahontas incident" would have been highly unlikely,
especially since it was part of a longer account used as justification to wage
war on Powhatan's Nation.
Euro-Americans must ask themselves why it has been so
important to elevate Smith's fibbing to status as a national myth worthy of
being recycled again by Disney. Disney even improves upon it by changing
Pocahontas from a little girl into a young woman.
The true Pocahontas story has a sad ending. In 1612, at the
age of 17, Pocahontas was treacherously taken prisoner by the English while she
was on a social visit, and was held hostage at Jamestown for over a year.
During her captivity, a 28-year-old widower named John Rolfe
took a "special interest" in the attractive young prisoner. As a
condition of her release, she agreed to marry Rolfe, who the world can thank
for commercializing tobacco. Thus, in April 1614, Matoaka, also known as
"Pocahontas", daughter of Chief Powhatan, became "Rebecca
Rolfe". Shortly after, they had a son, whom they named Thomas Rolfe. The
descendants of Pocahontas and John Rolfe were known as the "Red
Rolfes."
Rolfe, his young wife, and their son set off for Virginia in
March of 1617, but "Rebecca" had to be taken off the ship at
Gravesend. She died there on March 21, 1617, at the age of 21. She was buried
at Gravesend, but the grave was destroyed in a reconstruction of the church. It
was only after her death and her fame in London society that Smith found it
convenient to invent the yarn that she had rescued him.
History tells the rest. Chief Powhatan died the following
spring of 1618. The people of Smith and Rolfe turned upon the people who had
shared their resources with them and had shown them friendship. During
Pocahontas' generation, Powhatan's people were decimated and dispersed and
their lands were taken over. A clear pattern had been set which would soon
spread across the American continent.
Chief Roy Crazy Horse
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