Pocahontas Cessation

The deconstruction of long-held myths about Native American culture and traditions lies at the heart of Julie Buffalohead’s artistic practice. Here, a group of woodland creatures conspire to capture the toy version of Pocahontas and John Smith as portrayed in the Disney animated feature “Pocahontas.” The cartoon perpetuates the notion of Pocahontas (born Matoaka, c. 1596-1617) as a compliant and sexualized Indian princess accommodating the white man’s colonization of North America. In truth, the recurring story of a young Pocahontas bravely saving the life of Englishman John Smith from execution by her father, Chief Powhatan (Wahunsenaca), is not supported by oral or written histories, and was likely the romanticized invention of Captain Smith. Pocahontas was, however, captured and held for ransom by the English during Anglo-Indian hostilities in 1613. While living among the English, she converted to Christianity and married tobacco farmer John Rolfe, and later traveled to England where she died in 1617.