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Pocahontas: the Indian Princess
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It can be easily assumed that almost everyone has heard the tale of the American Indian princess, Pocahontas – but is it true? John Smith's tales of Pocahontas have, over time, and with the help of Disney’s inaccurate rendition of Pocahontas’ story, encouraged the evolution of a great American myth. According to this myth, which is common knowledge to most Americans, Pocahontas was the fully clothed, disobedient daughter of Chief Powhatan who saved John Smith from being killed by her father and his warriors and ended up falling in love with Smith. But, was this the real Pocahontas? Was she like the Indian girl from the Disney movie who saved her reservation? Yes and no. Pocahontas was a real woman who had a great impact in the relationship between the foreigners and her people; her notoriety today is based on glorified tales that do not account for the tragedies that befell her.
According to Camilla Townsend, “Long before Pocahontas became an icon, she was a child who walked and played beneath the towering trees of the Virginia woods, and then an adult woman who learned to love--and to hate--English men.” (Preface) Pocahontas was born in 1595 in Werowocomoco, Virginia. Pocahontas's real name was Matoaka. As a child, she was also called Pocahontas, meaning "playful one," and the name stuck. (Pocahontas Biography http://www.notablebiographies.com/Pe-Pu/Pocahontas.html) She had 20 brothers and 9 sisters, not including herself. At an early age Pocahontas was taught how to swim. Like many other children from her tribe, she swam and bathed in crystal clean rivers. She also knew how to use a canoe at a very early age. Pocahontas often liked to go exploring and playing in rivers and forests. She enjoyed gathering different kinds of berries with her friends. She, along with many other girls, learned bead work. They did this so that they could have doll clothing made from beads. Women were depended upon for doing
Page 1
It can be easily assumed that almost everyone has heard the tale of the American Indian princess, Pocahontas – but is it true? John Smith's tales of Pocahontas have, over time, and with the help of Disney’s inaccurate rendition of Pocahontas’ story, encouraged the evolution of a great American myth. According to this myth, which is common knowledge to most Americans, Pocahontas was the fully clothed, disobedient daughter of Chief Powhatan who saved John Smith from being killed by her father and his warriors and ended up falling in love with Smith. But, was this the real Pocahontas? Was she like the Indian girl from the Disney movie who saved her reservation? Yes and no. Pocahontas was a real woman who had a great impact in the relationship between the foreigners and her people; her notoriety today is based on glorified tales that do not account for the tragedies that befell her.
According to Camilla Townsend, “Long before Pocahontas became an icon, she was a child who walked and played beneath the towering trees of the Virginia woods, and then an adult woman who learned to love--and to hate--English men.” (Preface) Pocahontas was born in 1595 in Werowocomoco, Virginia. Pocahontas's real name was Matoaka. As a child, she was also called Pocahontas, meaning "playful one," and the name stuck. (Pocahontas Biography http://www.notablebiographies.com/Pe-Pu/Pocahontas.html) She had 20 brothers and 9 sisters, not including herself. At an early age Pocahontas was taught how to swim. Like many other children from her tribe, she swam and bathed in crystal clean rivers. She also knew how to use a canoe at a very early age. Pocahontas often liked to go exploring and playing in rivers and forests. She enjoyed gathering different kinds of berries with her friends. She, along with many other girls, learned bead work. They did this so that they could have doll clothing made from beads. Women were depended upon for doing