Review Reviews
War, Gore, Political Lore, and Much More
By Alyson L. Taylor-White
Whether for seasonal gift giving, or
whatever occasion, the following books will make fabulous
choices for almost any reader, whatever his or her level of
interest in Virginia history and the history of our legislative
process.
Pocahontas, Powhatan, and Opechancanough:
Three Indian Lives Changed by Jamestown, by Helen C. Rountree, University of Virginia Press,
www.upress.
virginia.edu, 2005, pp. 292 including index, cloth, black and white illustrations, $29.99.
virginia.edu, 2005, pp. 292 including index, cloth, black and white illustrations, $29.99.
any
of us may be eagerly looking forward to the 2007 400th
Anniversary of the Jamestown Colony, but what few consider is
that those Englishmen who first ventured ashore were met by
folks who had been here thousands of years before them.
The Powhatan people were not led in the
European sense by a king, although the early Jamestown
inhabitants could not understand this and many other things
about their culture. There was an important leader named
Powhatan, and he is pivotal to the early colony’s
history.
His daughter Pocahontas is seen on the
Henrico County seal, and a district in Chesterfield bears her
family name, Matoaka. Pocahontas by the way meant “wanton
one,” and in the parlance of the day probably referred to
her rambunctious nature. Pocahontas might have initiated
dealings with Captain John Smith (whom the natives called
“Chawnzmit.”
Powhatan’s brother Opechancanough
(oh-pee-chan-can-oh) has been virtually ignored by history with
the exception of his role in the 1622 and 1644 bloody massacres
(these were called “great assaults” by the
Powhatan) of the outlying English settlers (squatters and
invaders to the Powhatan).
Thank heavens for someone like Helen C.
Rountree who brings these three individuals to life in her
latest book Pocahontas, Powhatan, and Opechancanough: Three
Indian Lives Changed by Jamestown. She repeats some of her
earlier findings about the way the native peoples hunted,
fished, farmed, and cultivated, as well as what basic things
like marriage and property meant to them. She tells it like it
was, political correctness be damned.
What little we have known about the
native peoples has often been incorrect because earlier
historians tried to Anglicize the native Virginians by
ascribing them with European values and culture to them. For
example, while Powhatan was clearly a powerful leader, he was
not a ruler
in the way the early Jamestownians thought of their Queen. For one thing, Powhatan was expected to work as hard as anyone else, and to provide for his own large family. Another common misconception was that Pocahontas was a “princess.” She was no such thing in her own culture. Since her father had many wives, she was probably one of dozens of offspring in a family wanting the attention of Powhatan. The author suggests Pocahontas got the nickname “wanton one” because of cheeky tricks and jokes she would play in her father’s presence so she could win his attention. Her formal name was Amonute. The author theorizes that Pocahontas was born in 1596, making her about ten or 11 when she first came to the attention of the English.
in the way the early Jamestownians thought of their Queen. For one thing, Powhatan was expected to work as hard as anyone else, and to provide for his own large family. Another common misconception was that Pocahontas was a “princess.” She was no such thing in her own culture. Since her father had many wives, she was probably one of dozens of offspring in a family wanting the attention of Powhatan. The author suggests Pocahontas got the nickname “wanton one” because of cheeky tricks and jokes she would play in her father’s presence so she could win his attention. Her formal name was Amonute. The author theorizes that Pocahontas was born in 1596, making her about ten or 11 when she first came to the attention of the English.
Virginia native people’s power came
down through the mother’s line. The way Powhatan came to
power was through his mother. Ms. Rountree explained that this
does not mean that as a society they were matriarchal. Powhatan
had an older brother who ruled before him, and at least one of
his younger brothers, Opechancanough, also ruled. All of the brothers
had many wives and children, however none of their children
could inherit power from them. In this book we also learn a
great deal more about the complicated family tree of
Pocahontas. When brothers and sisters are referenced, we cannot
assume they are directly related to each of their parents. They
can be half siblings, or they can be related
