Pocahontas: Native American Trailblazer Who Bridged Cultural Gap

Pocahontas in our minds comes out as the adventurous Disney princess whose carefree nature and valour stay alive in the hearts of Disney fans. Pocahontas, however, was a real-life woman belonging to the Powhatan tribe of the indigenous Native Americans. 

She lived around 400 years ago, yet her involvement in bridging the gap between Europeans and Native Americans gave her the remembrance. Daughter of Chief Powhatan, she was captured for ransom by English colonists, eventually leading to her conversion to Christianity under the name Rebecca. 

The Legend of Pocahontas

Colonist William Strachey describes Pocahontas as a childhood nickname meaning "playful one." Her name at birth was Amonute, while her secondary name Matoaka, meant “flower between two streams.”

Disney has glamourized the life of Pocahontas. Her fairytale-like story ignores her life struggles and propagates a supposed love story between her and English Colonist John Smith. 

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The English colonists are shown in a positive light, but they were said to terrorize the children and women of the indigenous tribes. They would rob the people and take food and supplies forcefully. They would also kidnap women from the tribes there and forcefully convert them to Christianity. 

According to the National Park Service, John Smith arrived in Jamestown in 1607 when she was only about ten years old. He was known to terrorise villagers and loot them at gunpoint. In his memoir, Generall Historie, he describes how he was about to be executed by the Native Americans when Pocahontas rushed in and saved his life. This narrative is widely debated.

"two great stones were brought before Powhatan: then as many as could layd hands on him, dragged him to them, and thereon laid his head, and being ready with their clubs, to beate out his braines, Pocahontas the King's dearest daughter, when no intreaty could prevaile, got his head in her armes, and laid her owne upon his to save him from death."

Kidnapping And Death

Pocahontas was kidnapped in 1613, and shortly after, her first husband, Kocoum, was killed. Modern-day Patawomecks believe the couple had a daughter named Ka-Okee, who was raised by the Patawomecks following her father’s assassination and her mother’s abduction.

After her kidnapping, she was taken to England, where she was used as a political symbol, representing a harmonious relationship between the indigenous tribes and the colonizers. She was soon converted to Christianity and baptized with the name Rebecca.

On April 5, 1614, she was married off to tobacco planter John Rolfe, and in January 1615. They had a son named Thomas Rolfe.

In the spring of 1617, Pocahontas was set to return to her homeland. However, during the voyage, she suddenly became ill and died at the age of 21. Despite her family’s plea to bring her body back to her tribe, Rolfe and Captain Argall buried her in Gravesend, England. Her father, Chief Powhatan, died a year later, stricken with grief.

Pocahontas' life exemplifies the struggles Indigenous people endured under English colonisation. Her role in fostering a connection between Europeans and Native Americans secured her remembrance, but her sorrowful journey as a captive highlights the profound sacrifices and hardships she faced.