MY EYES. DONALD HOW COULD YOU????
Serious note though, the 'facts' about Pocahontas aren't entirely accurate
-She was more likely 10 or younger than either 11 or 12 when the settlers came. Some reports claim she was 8.
-In theory she saved him from execution, but there is some evidence this may actually have been a ritual and symbolic 'saving', and that he wasn't actually in danger.
-She didn't treat him like a pet or slave, she spent a lot of time at the English camp and reportedly viewed him as more of a father figure, there are reports that when she arrived in England and met him, realising he wasn't dead, she called him 'father'.
-She didn't elope. She was kidnapped by the English because her father had stolen some of their guns and they wanted them back.
In the culture of that particular tribe children of the chief were actually nowhere near as important as the chief's brothers and sisters, who were next in line for the 'throne' (I know it's not a throne but you get the point ;-p) so children of the chief weren't actually as key as the English assumed they would be, so consequently the chief told the English they could keep Pocahontas as he'd rather keep the guns. Nice bloke.
Consequently as the English didn't actually harbour any ill feelings towards Pocahontas they released her, but understandably she didn't want to go back to her father (who sounds a bit of a dick tbh) so she converted to Christianity, stayed at the English camp and married John Rolfe legitimately.
-She then returned to England with John Rolfe, and as was stated gained wide celebrity as evidence that the native americans could be 'tamed' and 'civilised' (I know it's bloody awful, but that was the attitude of the time) although some women did try and cast aspersions on her characters on reports that when the settlers first arrived she would play near them naked (as children of the tribe would normally do at that age so that failed). They also cited that she had been married to Kocoum (think that's the spelling but don't hold me to that) before marrying Rolfe, but the 'marriage' wasn't actually considered valid.
Pocahontas was also reported to have met the king, unaware of who he was, and is rumoured after the exchange with the king to have turned to her husband and said something along the lines of 'who was that boring man?' ;-p
-It is true Pocahontas died at 21 and there is some evidence that as she was dying she tried to get back to her own people, although this is mostly hearsay. She did however leave behind a son, and there are some who claim to this day to be distant relatives of Pocahontas.
*stops geeking out*
Oh wait, you can also see Belle in Hunchback of Notre Dame during the Out there song.
*really stops geeking out now*
|