The Pocahontas Myth

The Pocahontas Myth http://www.powhatan.org/pocc.html

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!n "##$% &oy 'isney decided to release an animated movie about a Powhatan woman known as (Pocahontas(. !n answer to a complaint by the Powhatan Nation% he claims the film is (responsible% accurate% and respectful.( )e of the Powhatan Nation disagree. The film distorts history beyond recognition. *ur offers to assist 'isney with cultural and historical accuracy were re+ected. *ur efforts urging him to reconsider his misguided mission were spurred. (Pocahontas( was a nickname% meaning (the naughty one( or (spoiled child(. ,er real name was Matoaka. The legend is that she saved a heroic -ohn mith from being clubbed to death by her father in "01 2 she would have been about "0 or "" at the time. The truth is that miths fellow colonists described him as an abrasive% ambitious% self2promoting mercenary soldier. *f all of Powhatans children% only (Pocahontas( is known% primarily because she became the hero of 3uro24mericans as the (good !ndian(% one who saved the life of a white man. Not only is the (good !ndian/bad !ndian theme( inevitably given new life by 'isney% but the history% history% as recorded by the 3nglish themselves% is badly falsified in the name of (entertainment(. The truth of the matter is that the first time -ohn mith told the story about this rescue was "1 years after it happened% and it was but one of three reported by the pretentious mith that he was saved from death by a prominent p rominent woman. 5et in an account mith wrote after his winter stay with Powhatans people% he never mentioned such an incident. !n 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 especially since it was part of a longer account used as +ustification to wage war on Powhatans Nation. 3uro2 4mericans must ask themselves why it has been so important to elevate miths fibbing to status as a national myth worthy of being recycled again by 'isney. 'isney even improves upon it by changing Pocahontas from a little girl into a young woman. The true Pocahontas story has a sad ending. !n ""6% at the age of "1% Pocahontas was

treacherously taken prisoner by the 3nglish while she was on a social visit% and was held hostage at -amestown for over a year. 'uring her captivity% a 672year2old widower named -ohn &olfe took a (special interest( in the attractive young prisoner. 4s a condition of her release% she agreed to marry &olfe% who the world can thank for commerciali8ing tobacco. Thus% in 4pril ""9% Matoaka% also known as (Pocahontas(% daughter of hief Powhatan% became (&ebecca &olfe(. hortly after% they had a son% whom they named Thomas &olfe. The descendants of Pocahontas and -ohn &olfe were known as the (&ed &olfes.( Two years later on the spring of ""% &olfe took her to 3ngland where the ;irginia ompany of