The Indians know the true story, it was not a tragedy, but a brilliant love story.  The white man was a medical doctor and military officer, and Pocahontas became the queen of America.

She died in Wyoming, the Indian spirits told me, she didn't die in England, she let herself be captured by the British to go to England, to hurt them on their own land, only to return here, to go deep into interior with her White husband, a royal family member

The True Story Behind Disney’s Pocahontas

Written By Meera Baswan

Contrary to Disney’s portrayal of this well-known ‘family film,’ the true story of Pocahontas is not one of a romance, but a tragedy. Pocahontas was one of the first real-life Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW).

Historical Inaccuracies and Whitewashing:

While many may know this historical figure as Pocahontas, to family and those around her, she was known by different names. Her primary name at birth was Amonute, and her secondary name was Matoaka, meaning “flower between two streams.” The heartbreaking life of Pocahontas was one of tragedy and violence - the story of a young girl who was brutally raped, kidnapped, and allegedly murdered by those who were meant to keep her safe.

Disney’s version of Pocahontas centers John Smith, the man Pocahontas supposedly fell in love with. In reality, John Smith came to her town when she was only 9 or 10 years old, while he was 27 years old. Despite Disney’s narrative, the two were never romantically involved. In fact, John Smith was feared by many Indigenous children in the area he was in, and was known to enter villages and hold various chiefs of tribes at gunpoint, demanding food and supplies.

Violence Against Indigenous Women and Girls

The early 1600’s were an incredibly dangerous time period for tribes near Werowocomoco, including Pocahontas’ tribe. When English colonizers arrived in Werowocomoco, they began targeting women and young children, and began sexually assaulting Indigenous girls. Many planned to kidnap Pocahontas, as she was the chief’s daughter. When she was only 15 or 16, the threat of possible kidnapping increased. Sadly, Matoaka ended up being kidnapped and was forced to give up her first child. Her husband, Kocoum, whom she had only been married to recently before, was killed by those who kidnapped her. An English colonist, Captain Samuel Argall sought to find her, thinking that a captured daughter of the chief would prevent attacks from certain Indigenous tribes. Argall threatened the chief that if he didn't relent, he would attack the village. He also told the chief that Pocahontas would only be gone temporarily. This was a promise he quickly broke.