American Heroines -- Pocahontas, What Really Happened?

Good Morning!

Because I write American Indian Historical Romance, I thought it might be nice to take a trip back through time and have a look at the life and times of a true American Princess, Pocahontas. Now before I go any farther, I need to tell you that I'll be giving away a copy of LONE ARROW'S PRIDE to one of the bloggers who leaves a comment today. Also I should do at least one ad for my new book, SENECA SURRENDER, a Berkley Sensation Historical Romance -- it just hit the bookshelves this month -- April.

There has been so much written about Pocahontas (whose name was actually Matoaka -- which means "flower between two streams") that it's sometimes difficult to sort the true from the fiction. This post in no way pretends to "know it all" about this very definite heroine, but I think we might be able to set the story straight -- at least a little.

Now I know for certain I won't be able to fit the entire story into only one post, so be sure to come back on Friday, the 30th to get the entire story of Pocahontas. Now the information that I'm going to give you comes from the book THE TRUE STORY O?F POCAHONTES, by Dr. Linwood "Little Bear" Custalow and Angela L. Daniel "Silver Star." This is the story that has been passed down orally for hundreds of years by the priests of the Powhatan tribe and is the story of Pocahontas as told by her own people. It is the story passed down by the tribe's quiakros -- or the chosen few of the tribe, who have spent their lives in learning. One thing I'm going to say at the start, mostly because it fascinated me, is that Pocahontas did not die of smallpox as is generally reported. She was murdered.

That said, let's continue. She was indeed a princess. She was born to the paramount chief, Chief Powhatan Wahunsenaca. She was born to Wahumsenaca's first wife, his wife of his heart late in life. Her mother died giving birth to her -- and interestingly enough, her mother's name was Pocahontas. Wahunsenaca had truly loved his wife and when she died, he showered the love that he'd had for her, upon his newborn child. Pocahontas means, by the way, "Laughing and joyous one." As mentioned in the book, the story of Pocahontas is a story of love -- not the love between her and John Smith, but rather the story of a father and daughter's love for one another and for their people. Pocahontas had many older brothers and sisters -- many were already married. And so caring for the young child was not a problem. She grew up being nursed by several different women of the tribe, which according to the book, might be one reason why her ties to her people were so strong.

Pocahontas was only 10 years old when the colonists started to arrive in 1607. Because she was the daughter of the paramount chief, she was watched over very, very closely. No running around wild for her. Captain John Smith was 27 years old when he arrived in the New World. The Powhatan tribe was made up of 6 different tribes, with other tribes in its alliance, as well. There were other chiefs, but Powhatan Wahunsenaca was the paramount chief. They all spoke the Algonquain language. Part of the politics of the day was to bring into the tribe an alliance with other peoples and other tribes. Thus, although the Powhatan could have destroyed the colonists at any time, they didn't. Instead, they sought to ally the newcomers to them. Perhaps, looking back on history, this was their true mistake.

John Smith -- about 6 months after their arrival in the New World -- went to explore the countryside. Warriors out hunting for food discovered him and his party and after a skirmish ensued, Smith was taken captive. Because the English used "thunder sticks" to kill the Indians, the people were afraid of them and were beginning to think of the English as though they were a diety. This next is from the book quoted above: "Smith would pretend to come into a village in a friendly manner. When he was in close proximity to the chief of the village, he would put his pistol to the chief's head, demanding a ransom of food in exchange for the chief's release. Smith and his men would proceed to take all the corn and food in the village. As they left, Smith would throw down a few blue beads, claiming to have 'traded' with the Powhatan people."

Doesn't sound like the kind of man a young girl of 10 would fall in love with. Anyway, when Smith was taken to Wahunsenaca, it is uncertain whether Pocahontas met Smith at this time or not. Wahunsenaca asked Smith why the English had come here, to which Smith replied that they had come to escape the Spanish. Now, the Indians of this country had some trouble with the Spanish. already. In fact, the Indians of North America were named, not from the mistaken view of Indians from India, but from the Spanish word, Indio, which means "to walk with God."

But the Indians called the Spanish "Sons of the devil..." At this time Spanish ships would patrol the coasts of the Atlantic coast, sometimes capturing American Indians And so relations between the Spanish and the Powhatan were hostile.

It's said that Wahunsenaca truly liked John Smith. It was his plan to bring Smith into the tribe and make him part of the tribe, in an effort to consolidate their friendship against the Spanish. Then if the Spanish did come in, they would be faced with the English-Powhatan people. According to Pocahontas' people, "Although Smith alleged years later that Pocahontas saved his life during the 4 day ceremony in the process of his being made a Powhatan 'werowance,' his life was never in danger. His life did not need saving." A 'werowance' was a commander -- male. Also, at this time, Pocahontas was a child, and children weren't allow to attend these ceremonies.

After the ceremony, not only was Smith considered to be a member of the Powhatan tribe, but the entire English colony was considered to be members, too.

In fact, when Smith retuned to the English fort, it was the English who tried to kill him. He was put on trial and was sentenced to death. It was Christopher Newport's arrival in the colony that saved Smith.

Because the English were now considered part of the tribe, Wahunsenaca sent envoys with food to the Jamestown colony. Because he now trusted Smith, he allowed his favorite daughter, Pocahontas, to accompany the envoy. Although she was closely watched and chaperoned during these excurtions, the colonists became familiar with her, and they associated Pocahontas with the food, not the powerful chief who was in fact sending it. Thus, the rumor that Pocahontas brought food to the colonist against her father's will, is disspelled.

What Pocahontas was at this time was a symbol of peace. She wasn't a spy as some historians have like to believe. It was during the summer of 1609 that relations between the Powhatan tribe and the English began to deteriorate. Smith entered into villaged rudely and with full arms, demanding and taking food. In some instances, he left the Powhatans with no food for the winter. As a matter of fact, this is the speech perserved that Wahunsenaca said to Smith.

"Why do you take by force (that which) you may quickly have by love? Or to destroy them that provide you food? What can you get by war when we can hide our provision and fly to the woods?" Yet Smith continued to force arms upon the villages in order to take all their food stores, again leaving a few beads as though he had traded for the supplies. Maybe he was simply a bully and it's all he knew. Smith continued to allege that Wahunsenaca wanted to kill him. However, if this were true, it would have been done without apology or explanation. Yet, it wasn't. Why? Because Smith was considered to be part of the tribe.

Danger came to the Powhatan tribes in the form of rape. In Powhatan society, the children went naked in the summer an dwomen were bare-breasted. It was part of their dress, and did not excite themen in particular because it was such a common sight. Rape was not perpmitted in Powhatan society. Often the women of the tribe would offer themselves to the English to prevent them from raping their children. Because the English had guns, this was all they could do. Whenever the English would come to the village, the elders would often take the children and hid them in the woods. As more and more English colonists arrived, the atrocities began to grow. Children were often taken to be slaves to the English. The women were simply raped. The Powhatan became shocked at the behavior of the English and set up guards to determine when they were coming to their villages. For their own part, the English kept expecting some sortof retribution by the Powhatan. Neither Wahunsenaca nor Pocahontas had seen Smith since 1609 and they were told that he was dead. Wahunsenaca discontinued allowing Pocahontas to go to Jamestown. It was no longer safe.

Well, this is the first installment of the Powhatan side of the story of Pocahontas. On Friday, I'll conclude this story by telling of Pocahontas' coming of age. Her marriage to Kocoum, her abduction and her subsequent marriage to John Rolfe. And last but not least, her murder.

Why was she murdered? Who did the deed? Facts, all of them, carefully preserved by the members of the Powhatan tribe through all these centuries.

I hope you've enjoyed this excursion into history and a look at this very brave heroine. The enormity of her bravery and what she gave up and its cost to her, we'll go over in Friday's post, okay?

So, what do you think? Did you already know this? Or does this shed a different light on history? It's said, that what is written of history is written by the victors. This has, indeed, been true in the case of Pocahontas, and much of the dealings between the American Indians and the colonists. Thank heaven for oral tradition and for keeping the truth alive against all odds. And thank heaven we live in a place and time with the truth can come out.

So come on in and leave me a comment. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Oh, and don't forget, pick up your copy of SENECA SURRENDER today!