Weroansquas & Four Centuries of Female Powhatan Leaders
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- Опубликовано: 10 сен 2024
- As power and authority were passed matrilineally in Powhatan society, there have been many strong and significant female Powhatan leaders throughout time. Jamie highlights some of these leaders since the 17th-century in today's video about female leadership in different tribes in the Powhatan paramount chiefdom.
I'm the current Principal Chief of The Powhatan Nation of American Indians. My oldest daughter is currently in the running to be Weroansquaw. Also a Direct descendant of this female Chief from history. ❤️ Well done!
The English would not have been shocked by female leaders since they had just lived until 1601, under the reign of Elisabeth I.
Perhaps not shocked, but likely biased against her. Queen Elizabeth had to take many pains to portray herself as partially masculine and associate herself with the Virgin archetype to unite people and keep herself from coming under a man’s control (she would have lost her power in marriage), so while she was the queen there were many things she had to do to alter her image to convince politicians and the public to accept her. Some tribes were also described as not having property at all when they simply passed property down through the matrilineal line, but colonizers didn’t understand that due to bias.
@@candicefrost4561 Not true. Bloody Mary had been on the throne prior and married King Philip. If there’s any man in the world that she should be afraid of marrying and losing power to it would be the King of Spain. If Queen Elizabeth had married she would have been in charge. If she would have bore a child, then the family lineage would continue in her husband‘s name yes. If anything, it would have been her conniving and manipulative female traits that got her ahead and kept her in power. Look at what she had done to Mary Queen of Scots.
You’re right “portraying herself as masculine” did help. Her aggression toward Spain and push for colonization turned England from a backwater to the to the most dominant empire the world has ever seen.
It's not that they would have been shocked because the thought of a Queen ruling in her own right was deemed "impossible", England had Queens and Queen Elizabeth 1 & Mary yes, but it's that women Chiefs & "Queens" taking charge in their own right, & being able to inherit regardless of gender was NORMAL, pretty common, & not at all unusual in many Native societies.
@@sanjivjhangiani3243 we don't need a lady president
If the history is correct I descend from Cockacoeske and Colonel John West the 2nd. Thank you for the video.
Same
I love this! I'm from Williamsburg and there is so much rich and beautiful history here. I'm trying to connect with my Indigenous ancestors. Are there any information on their religious practices? I’m mixed with multiple tribes (I.e.,Mattiponi, Pamunkey, Chiskiack, and Chickahominy) I'm a descendant from the Powhatan Nation. Including African ancestors and European settlers. My family have a district named after them there (Roberts). My direct ancestors is Cater Braxton and Estelle! I would love to hear more! Williamsburg and surrounding areas runs through my veins! ❤️ Thank you!
Just in time for International Women’s Day. Awesome job Jamie.
Thank you - very informative
You're very welcome!
Can you do more native historical videos please
Yes. We have a number of Powhatan videos in the production queue. Do check back for when we post new videos and check our Powhatan Peoples in Tsenacommacah playlist as well.
My hat's off to the leaders who helped preserve and restore their tribal culture and heritage, but it's the names you gave about the women who found ways to play politics within the colonial and, presumably, American governments that most stand out to me. Something that's often stuck out to me is that you always hear about great warchiefs and chieftains who could politic with the leaders of their own or other tribes, but I've rarely if ever heard about those who could go toe to toe with paid bureaucrats and elected officials and win. In fact, and I know this will sound like "white man savior", I've sometimes thought that what they really needed were people willing and able to educate them in Euro-American laws and politics, so that they could fight and win on battlefields that didn't use blades and guns. Some localized wars were fought over one or a chain of incidents that led to retaliation, others over the discovery of gold on tribal land; now what if the native peoples were able to appoint their own trained lawyers, judges, and representatives who could work out compensation and deals to ensure as mutually beneficial compromises as possible? It's idealistic, to be sure, "white man savior," perhaps, but I feel like the women you discussed here are an example of what happens when underdog leaders fight the right battles and win all while keeping the good of the people they are responsible for in their hearts and minds.
Jamie is a great teacher. Very cool content 👍🏻
My grandma is Iceola Polk 1884 the Powatan ne-gro indian people, forced off their farm ma born in Indian Territory Oklahoma Christian Viola Kelly 1924. Cynthie the Ne-gro Buddha. Seshat.
😂
Perhaps there were years apart in the descriptions.
really interesting!
My grandmother was head of our clan when she passed away my wife became clan chief she go's all morning with different families. The OKs and the not
Love this so much! How would one verify an old report linking our family to the Powhatan tribe? My great great aunt did the research, but I have no contact with her side of the family, as she is long deceased. I would love to see if it’s more than just a family rumor. We used to have the Powhatan reservation close by in Rancocas NJ, but it shut down when I was a teenager. I loved everything about the time I spent there with family. Thank you again for your work to preserve this very important history.
That place in NJ was never a part of the Pamunkey Tribe!
Hi! How do you spell the chiefs name? The first female Chief you were talking about? Thank you!
Her name is often spelled as Opossunoquonuske but multiple different spellings can be found.
Thank you so much! My aunt and I are doing our ancestry and would love to find a historian to talk to.
Cockacoeske is my 10th great grandmother, Pocahontas is my 12th GG, Cleopatra is my 12th GG, Matachanna is my 12th GG. I’m sure there’s more to find out but this is our journey so far.
Do you know of someone we could talk to?
you are a very goodlooking lady
I am descended from Pocahontas through Kaokee Jane and Kaokum.
Yeah, right...😂
@@timwarcloudlineage papers
No wonder they got smoked.
I love the purpose of the video but as an Algonquin women I'm wondering why you both are dressed in Algonquin regalia instead of simply hiring Algonquin people as models to recreate our Indigenous history.
Here at the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation we have staff from different and diverse backgrounds. Indigenous people are from all over the continent and do not all look the same. Our Indigenous staff pour time, energy, and passion into telling the story of the Powhatan people in Tsenacommacah and it can be hurtful when people assume their heritage based on their appearance. We expect staff and visitors alike to treat one another with respect regarding their culture and histories, so please keep this in mind when commenting. Thank you.