Colonial Relations

After reading Pocahontas and the Powhatan Dilemma written by Camilla Townsend, and Mary Jemison’s account on her experience among Native Americans during the French and Indian War, it was apparent that relations between the European and Native American people had been very poor throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Europeans returning from the New World in the early seventeenth century created a positive image of the Natives in order to cover up the poor dynamic between the two peoples. In an effort to convince Europeans that Native Americans were capable of adapting to their culture the English shipped Pocahontas, a royal diplomat of the Natives to England as a symbol of good nature. Though successful with their decoy for a matter of years, the effort failed to conceal the major fall out between the two peoples which occurred during the years following Pocahontas’s burial. Pocahontas’s partially English son returning to the New World to fight against the Natives and Mary Jemison’s account on her violent capture during the French and Indian War display the huge conflict between the Natives and Europeans.

In the year 1616, Europeans who had been settling the New World attempted to conceal their poor relations with the Natives of the New World by bringing the Powhatan princess, Pocahontas to London where all could observe her. They recognized how she carried herself and conclude that she and her people were capable of adapting to the English culture. It was important to the Virginia Company that people formed a respectful impression of the Native people so that citizens would invest in the future of the company. A good interpretation of European and Native relations by the people of Europe meant more financial support for travel. More financial support would lead to additional opportunity for colonization. Pocahontas’s trip to London was seen as a gracious gesture to the European people. She took instruction in the Christian faith and was baptized with the name Rebecca. She was also making tremendous progress in learning the English language. By adopting European culture she demonstrated to the people of Europe how Europeans and natives could co-exist peacefully. She symbolized a people who welcomed new culture and were open to changes. In regard to Pocahontas’s purpose during her appearance in Europe Townsend states, "She was to them a model, a stick figure, representing a race that was either barbaric or charming, or both, depending on their perception, but never simply human" (Townsend, p.143). The colonists and members of the Virginia Company used her to mask a more fragile relationship with the Natives. Before Pocahontas’s visit Europeans were under the impression that Natives were violent “savages” who were incapable of conducting themselves civilly. During Pocahontas’s visit Samuel Purchas an English cleric, he described her demeanor; “But still she carried her self as the Daughter of a King, and was accordingly respected, not only by the company . . . but of the divers particular persons of Honor, in their hopeful zeal by her to advance Christianity” (Townsend, p.142). She was adored by English royalty and civilians for her behavior as well as her conversion to Christianity. However, this presentation was not an accurate representation of the relations between the Natives and the Europeans in the New World.

Although Pocahontas succeeded in presenting the perfect “princess” facade to the people of Europe, conflict did not seize to manifest through out the years to follow. Her well mannered persona allowed for the people of England to believe that Natives were willing to adopt European culture and therefore insinuated that Natives in the New World were on peaceful terms with the settlers. After Pocahontas’s death, ill relations became