Pocahontas

Hello. My name is Amonute, but you might know me by my nickname, Pocahontas. It means ‘playful one,’ and it was a perfect name for me. I grew up in a land of green forests and sparkling rivers that you now call Virginia. My father was the great Chief Powhatan, the leader of many tribes, and our village was named Werowocomoco. I loved my home. I would run through the tall trees with my friends, pretending we were swift deer. We swam in the cool river on hot days and helped our mothers plant corn, beans, and squash in the gardens. In the evenings, I would sit by the warm fire and listen to the elders tell stories of our ancestors. They taught me about the spirits of the earth and how to be strong, kind, and brave. My world was filled with the sounds of nature and the love of my family.

One day, when I was still a girl, something new and strange appeared. Giant ships with sails as big and white as clouds arrived on our shores in the year 1607. Men with pale skin and funny beards came off the boats. I was very curious. They started building a village for themselves and called it Jamestown. My father and the other leaders were watchful, but I wanted to see who these people were. I met one of their leaders, a man with bright eyes named Captain John Smith. He was brave like our warriors. My father held a great ceremony to show his power as chief and to welcome Captain Smith into our world. I played a special part in it. My father said, 'We want peace, not fighting.' My actions showed that we wanted to be friends. After that day, I often visited Jamestown. I would bring them baskets of fresh food from our gardens because they were having a hard time finding things to eat. I tried to help our two different worlds understand one another.

But things were not always peaceful. As the years went by, there was sometimes mistrust between my people and the English settlers. One day, I was taken to live with the English. At first, I was sad and confused to be away from my family and my home in the forest. But I am a chief’s daughter, so I knew I had to be strong. I learned their language and their ways, and I taught them some of ours. During this time, I met a kind and gentle man named John Rolfe. He grew tobacco, a plant that was very special to my people. We fell in love, and on April 5th, 1614, we were married. Our marriage was like a promise of peace. For many years after, my people and the settlers lived together without fighting. We had a beautiful baby boy, and we named him Thomas. He made my heart feel full, like the sun shining after a long rain.

In the year 1616, my husband, our son, and I sailed across the giant ocean to visit England. It was a world so different from my own. Instead of tall trees, there were tall buildings made of stone that seemed to touch the sky. The cities were loud and crowded, but I was not afraid. I dressed in their fine clothes and was treated like a princess. I even met the King and Queen. I wanted to show them that my people were smart, strong, and deserved respect. My journey was important, but sadly, I became very sick before we could sail back home. I passed away in England in March of 1617. My life was not very long, but I hope my story teaches you that it is always good to be curious and brave. Always try to build bridges of friendship between people, because even if we look different, we all share the same world.