Did Pocahontas Save John Smith?

From John Smith's The generall historie of Virginia: "...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 Kings dearest daughter, when no intreaty could prevaile, got his head in her armes, and laid her owne upon his to save him from death..."

This passage was written in 1624 for an event that Smith claimed to have taken place in 1607. Over the centuries, a general disagreement has rippled throughout the historical community whether he actually spoke the truth. Apparently, Smith's first claim of the now famous rescue was referenced in a letter to Queen Anne in 1617, which would have been before Powhatan's and Pocahontas's deaths.

In the mid-nineteenth century, historians began to question the validity of his report based on the length of time that had passed between the event and Smith's documentation. Later in the century, another historian claimed Smith had lied about his eastern European travels based on Hungarian resources.

Since then, scholars have argued back and forth whether Smith spoke the truth about the Pocahontas rescue. In the 1990s, historian J.A. Leo Lemay wrote that Smith was generally considered to be an honest man and had no reason to lie. This statement is very interesting when Pocahontas, then Rebecca Rolfe, met Smith for the last time in 1617 just before her death. She was upset with him because she had been told that he had died many years before and went on to say "because your countrymen will lie."

While her statement doesn't specifically say that Smith was the one to tell his comrades to fabricate his death, he frequently lied to the Powhatan people during his time in Virginia. True, he was a military person and some would argue his misstatements were necessary for strategy.

Interestingly enough, Smith had more than his fair share of romantic adventures. When fighting the Turks in Hungary, he was captured and sold into slavery. Smith claimed "the beauteous Lady Tragabigzanda" had fallen in love with him and helped him escape. Lady Callamata gave him "succor" after his flight from captivity, and Lady Chanoyes "bountifully assisted" him when he had escaped pirates and was driven ashore in France.

Some historians say Smith may have told the truth about Pocahontas, but believe it may have been a ritual that he misunderstood. Anthropologist Helen Rountree, one of the leading scholars on Powhatan culture, gives credible arguments that Pocahontas, a girl of approximately eleven, was never at the event where Smith alleged she rescued him as it was an adult affair. She contends that Smith's life was never in danger. The Mattaponi, Pocahontas's tribe, also claim through their oral history that Pocahontas was never present for the same reasons.

Since there will never be any way to prove or disprove the argument (barring time travel), each person will have to arrive at his/her own conclusion. I think it's quite obvious which side of the argument I believe.

Kim Murphy
www.KimMurphy.Net

The New World

I must make a confession. I've watched the movie The New World twice. On the first occasion, I had no preconceptions. Except for the usual Pocahontas myth, I knew little about the history, and I loved the Virginia scenery. Drawn to the accuracy of recreating Jamestown, I was impressed that the movie also didn't seem to dismiss the Powhatan as "Savages." Although extremely slow moving, I enjoyed it.

So why would I sit through watching an overly long movie a second time? Simple. Since my first viewing, I've extensively researched the era. Forearmed with some knowledge of the actual history as well as having learned more about the Powhatan, I wanted to see what I had missed in the first viewing.

The story of The New World begins with English colonists landing at Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607. It focuses on the love story of John Smith and Pocahontas. Because this story has been repeated so many times in history classes and through a Disney cartoon (one that I have not seen), most people are familiar with some aspects. As I mentioned earlier, the myth is perpetuated yet again in this film. Pocahontas was around eleven years old when the colonists first came to Jamestown, so unless people are willing to admit that Smith was a pedophile, there was no love story. Oops, there goes the plot!

Pocahontas is also portrayed saving Smith's life. This is a much disputed point among scholars, which I'll save for a future blog as it's a topic in itself. The movie continues on at a rambling pace and shows the Starving Time, which occurred in Jamestown during the winter of 1609-10. In reality, Smith had returned to England in the fall of 1609, never to return to Virginia.

Later, viewers see Smith punished for opposing the abduction of Pocahontas. Mind you, the real Smith was in England, and Pocahontas, by this time, had married a Powhatan warrior by the name of Kokum. Smith did claim in his writings that he had been against the abduction, but it was from a distance and long after the fact.

After the abduction, Smith leaves for New England, having other colonists tell Pocahontas that he has died. Again in reality, Smith did sail for New England, but he sailed from England, not Virginia. In the movie, Pocahontas grieves until she is saved by the love of John Rolfe. The plot closely resembles a poorly written romance novel.

After Pocahontas marries Rolfe, she's thrilled at dressing and behaving like the English. Eventually, she has a son, and the happy family sails for England, where she's entertained by royalty. Nothing is said about how she was on exhibition to show that the Indians could indeed be "civilized." And when she meets Smith again, which actually took place, the producers didn't see fit to show how angry she was with him. The colonists had told her that he had died when he left Virginia, and several hours passed before she composed herself enough to speak with him. The real confrontation was glossed over for a fairytale meeting, so that she realized Rolfe was her true love, and they could live happily ever after. The truth is she died, and shortly after, Rolfe abandoned their son in England.

Was the movie all bad? No. The Virginia scenery was lavish and breathtaking. The attention to details in the rebuilding of the Jamestown fort was fantastic. Even the Powhatan town was great. However, there was no depth to the Powhatan themselves. The men's hairstyles were correct, as well as the fact that the men painted themselves when they went into battle or performed rituals. But they were shown painted in most of the scenes as if they never took it off. Heaven forbid, showing the women attired correctly was out of the question. Someone might be offended by a bare breast.

The battle scenes seemed staged, which of course, they were, and they never truly showed off the Powhatan warriors' abilities with their bows. Contrary to what most believe, Powhatan archers held superior weapons to the colonists' matchlock rifles. I was also bothered by the unrealistic, jerky arm movements of the Powhatan, which more resembled chimpanzee motions than anything human.

All in all, The New World perpetuates the Native American myths and stereotypes, not only in retelling the story of Pocahontas, but the fact that they needed to be "civilized." The beautiful scenery was land free for the taking. Why else would the movie have been called The New World when for the many inhabitants already living in the Americas it was anything but new? My heart goes out to the descendants, wondering if they will ever be allowed to tell their side to the story.

Kim Murphy
www.KimMurphy.Net