Chandler, my boyfriend, and I watched Disney’s version of Pocahontas to compare the true story to the story depicted in the movie. While some parts seemed quite accurate, other parts are so very wrong that it is hard to accept the movie as something that children watch to learn about the “New World”.
First, we should probably point out
the fact that animals don’t talk. Neither do trees. Sorry Disney, but even
though the Native Americans were very in touch with nature, they could not talk
to other species or inanimate objects.
Another very important fact is that
Pocahontas’ real name is Matoaka; Pocahontas was just a child hood nickname to
describe her sense of adventure.
Just to be clear, she was about 10 to 12
when she first met John Smith. Smith was about 30. We realize that Disney had
to change the ages around so the romance isn’t pedophilia, but in real life,
their relationship was a mere friendship.
There is some debate over whether Pocahontas
actually saved John Smith’s life, as he was an avid liar and the only version
of the tale that is written is in his journal. However, if it did happen, it
was because she was friends with him, not because she was in love with him.
Stories say she did cradle his head in her arms though right before her dad almost
gave the death blow to stop the killing. So props Disney. Afterwards, however,
they didn’t just set him free. Smith had to be a laborer for the tribe until he
was trusted enough to be set free.
In case you haven’t already figured,
Pocahontas did not marry Smith. She actually married Kocoum, who was her
arranged marriage in the movie. During this time, she helped out the British
though, teaching them how to live off the land. For the tribe, she was
considered their translator, and helped them work out agreements to avoid war.
The Native Americans had to resort to this because their population kept
getting wiped out by European diseases.
The British saw how valuable this girl
was, since she was the reason that the Europeans where having a harder time
taking advantage of the Native Americans near Jamestown. The British Crown also
wanted to renew fervor in the settlement of Virginia, by showing there is no
danger in the colony. So, when she was about 17, the British kidnapped her and
tried to convert her to Christianity. While captive, Pocahontas fell in love
with John Rolfe, a very rich tobacco farmer, and they married after she
converted. This caused peace between the settlers and Native Americans. She
then visited Europe and died of a disease after meeting the king and queen.
The movie doesn’t touch on any of that,
as that does not shed a positive light on our own European heritage. It did get
a few things right though. For example, the British did want God, glory, and
gold and were hell-bent on killing some natives. They feared the Native
Americans, and did not have any qualms in killing them for their land. It was
also correct in the fact that there was very little to no gold in Virginia.
We think the thing this movie does the
best is to show the European and Native American perception of trying to share
the land. It shows how Europeans didn’t care who currently owned the land or
whether others were there first, they just claimed it as their own with a flag
and some drums. Even though the Native Americans were on the land first, they
were considered the intruders. The movie nicely showed how the British tried to
clear their conscious of taking so much by saying that they were helping
savages become ready for a high society. The movie kind of lacks in showing the
complexity of the Native American societies, however, which is why many Native
American Study scholars feels so deeply against this movie. The Native
Americans were not cast in a very complimentary light.
PS. The dog of the evil British governor?
That was a true fact. A fashion symbol
of the time believe it or not. He was just that cool.
Sincerely Sydney
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