One of the great needs of Desoto was an interpreter. So he sent out two scouting parties to catch some Indians. One of the parties came upon a dozen Indians in an open field. These Indians were really coming to meet the white men, who not knowing this, gave them chase. One of the cavaliers was about to thrust at an Indian with his lance, when he was astonished to hear him cry out in rather poor Spanish "For the love of God and the Virgin Mary do not slay me, I am a Christian, I am Jaun Ortiz." Ortiz was painted and tattooed like the Indians and indistinguishable from them. Ortiz had been among the Indians for 12 years, and could only talk Spanish by mixing it up with Indian. I leave the Fidalgo of Elvas to relate an incident following the capture of Ortiz.

"By command of Ucita, Juan Ortiz was bound hand and foot to four stakes, and laid upon scaffolding, beneath which a fire was kindled, that he might be burned; but a daughter of the chief entreated that he might be spared. Though one Christian, she said, might do no good, certainly he could do no harm, and it would be an honor to have one for captive; to which the father acceded, directing the injuries to be healed. When Ortiz got well, he was put to watching a temple, the wolves, in the night time, might not carry off the dead there, which charge he took in hand, having commended himself to God. One night they snatched away from him the body of a little child, son of a principal man; and, going after them, he threw a dart at the wolf that was escaping, which, feeling itself wounded, let go its hold and went off to die; and he returned, without knowing what he had done in the dark. In the morning, finding the body of the little boy gone, he became very sober, and Ucita, when he heard what had happened, determined he should be killed; but having sent on the trail which Ortiz pointed out as that the wolves had made, the body of the child was found, and a little further on, the dead wolf; at which circumstance the chief became well pleased with the Christian and satisfied with the guard he kept, ever after taking much notice of him.

"Three years having gone since he had fallen into the hands of the chief, there came another, named Mococo, living two days distant from the port, and burnt the town, when Ucita fled to one he had in another seaport, whereby Ortiz lost his occupation and with it the favor of his master. The Indians are worshippers of the devil and it is their custom to make sacrifices of the blood of the bodies of their people, or of those of any other they can come by; and they artirm, too, that when he would have them make an offering, he speaks, telling them that he is athirst, and hat they must sacrifice to him. The girl who had delivered Ortiz from the fire, told him how her father had the mind to sacrifice him the next day, and that he must flee to Mococo, who she knew would receive him with regard, as she had heard that he had asked for him, and said she would like to see him: and as he knew not the way, she went half a league out of the town with him at dark, to put him on the road, returning early so as not to be missed.

Uleleh was the name of this Florida heroine who was four years older than Pocahontas of Virginia, or sixteen, and is said to have been exceedingly fair and graceful. No romance grew out of this adventure, her deed seems to have been due solely to her love of humanity. I see no reason why Uleleh should not be as celebrated as Pocahontas.

Ortiz spent nine years with Mococo, who promised if he remained faithful he would return him to the Christians, and it was in fulfillment of this promise that he was being escorted by a number of Indians, to the whites, when captured.
 

The Tainos And The Pocahontas Story

Source: The Taino People

Pocahontas is anther lie! Many Taino know that Pocahontas was a not even in the picture 200 years, before the original story was being read by some White Man named John Smith. He read the Garcilasco De Vega story, about a captive Spanish man called "Ortiz" and his account of 1528. This account was later published in 1557 in Lisbon, Portugal and later translated into English in 1605. This account by Garcillasco De Vega about Juan (John) Ortiz's encounter with the Taino-Timucua Indigenous Cacique (Chieftist) near Tampa Bay in Bimini (Florida). Her real name was Caciquea Ulele (Chieftist). The use of the word "Barbacoa", a word that survived as "Barbecue" is of the Taino Language, meaning the fire pit.

It seems that the father of Ulele, Cacique Hirrihugua of the Yucayeque (Village) of Ucita, was going to have Juan (John) Ortiz put to death, because the Spaniard Narvaez had cut off his nose and killed his Mother. The daugther Ulele pleaded with her father to spare Ortiz's life. The next day Caciquea Ulele took Ortiz to the nieghboring Guacara Yucayeque (Village) of Cacique (Chief) Moscoso. The rest is nothing but a little white lie told by John Smith or John Ortiz an English manor a Spaniard? The Powhatan people do not have our Taino southern traditions; furthermore we do not speak the Powhatan language of the North-East. We Taino Indigenous Nation of the Caribbean & Florida know the truth of Juan Ortiz. It was not until 500 years later on in November 18th, 1993 that we have made this statement via our supporting evidence of traditional language and customs of the Taino-Timucua people of Bimini (Florida). Please do note that many historians of Florida support these historical facts.

The Pocahontas Myth

Source: The Powhatan Nation

In 1995, Roy Disney decided to release an animated movie about a Powhatan woman known as "Pocahontas". In answer to a complaint by the Powhatan Nation, he claims the film is "responsible, accurate, and respectful." We of the Powhatan Nation disagree. The film distorts history beyond recognition. Our offers to assist Disney with cultural and historical accuracy were rejected. Our efforts urging him to reconsider his misguided mission were spurred. "Pocahontas" was a nickname, meaning "the naughty one" or "spoiled child". Her real name was Matoaka. The legend is that she saved a heroic John Smith from being clubbed to death by her father in 1607 - she would have been about 10 or 11 at the time. The truth is that Smith's fellow colonists described him as an abrasive, ambitious, self-promoting mercenary soldier. Of all of Powhatan's children, only "Pocahontas" is known, primarily because she became the hero of Euro-Americans as the "good Indian", one who saved the life of a white man. Not only is the "good Indian/bad Indian theme" inevitably given new life by Disney, but the history, as recorded by the English themselves, is badly falsified in the name of "entertainment". The truth of the matter is that the first time John Smith told the story about this rescue was 17 years after it happened, and it was but one of three reported by the pretentious Smith that he was saved from death by a prominent woman. Yet in an account Smith wrote after his winter stay with Powhatan's people, he never mentioned such an incident. In fact, the starving adventurer reported he had been kept comfortable and treated in a friendly fashion as an honored guest of Powhatan and Powhatan's brothers. Most scholars think the "Pocahontas incident" would have been highly unlikely, especially since it was part of a longer account used as justification to wage war on Powhatan's Nation. Euro-Americans must ask themselves why it has been so important to elevate Smith's fibbing to status as a national myth worthy of being recycled again by Disney. Disney even improves upon it by changing Pocahontas from a little girl into a young woman. The true Pocahontas story has a sad ending. In 1612, at the age of 17, Pocahontas was treacherously taken prisoner by the English while she was on a social visit, and was held hostage at Jamestown for over a year. During her captivity, a 28-year-old widower named John Rolfe took a "special interest" in the attractive young prisoner. As a condition of her release, she agreed to marry Rolfe, who the world can thank for commercializing tobacco. Thus, in April 1614, Matoaka, also known as "Pocahontas", daughter of Chief Powhatan, became "Rebecca Rolfe". Shortly after, they had a son, whom they named Thomas Rolfe. The descendants of Pocahontas and John Rolfe were known as the "Red Rolfes." Two years later on the spring of 1616, Rolfe took her to England where the Virginia Company of London used her in their propaganda campaign to support the colony. She was wined and dined and taken to theaters. It was recorded that on one occasion when she encountered John Smith (who was also in London at the time), she was so furious with him that she turned her back to him, hid her face, and went off by herself for several hours. Later, in a second encounter, she called him a liar and showed him the door. Rolfe, his young wife, and their son set off for Virginia in March of 1617, but "Rebecca" had to be taken off the ship at Gravesend. She died there on March 21, 1617, at the age of 21. She was buried at Gravesend, but the grave was destroyed in a reconstruction of the church. It was only after her death and her fame in London society that Smith found it convenient to invent the yarn that she had rescued him. History tells the rest. Chief Powhatan died the following spring of 1618. The people of Smith and Rolfe turned upon the people who had shared their resources with them and had shown them friendship. During Pocahontas' generation, Powhatan's people were decimated and dispersed and their lands were taken over. A clear pattern had been set which would soon spread across the American continent. Chief Roy Crazy Horse It is unfortunate that this sad story, which Euro-Americans should find embarrassing, Disney makes "entertainment" and perpetuates a dishonest and self-serving myth at the expense of the Powhatan Nation.

"Did Smith Plagiarize Pocahontas Tale? Florida Account Predates Famous Encounter" By Bill Kaczor, Associated Press writer  (http://www.s-t.com/daily/07-95/07-11-95/0711APpocahontas.HTML ) When the Indian chief ordered the execution of a European captive, the chief's daughter persuaded him to spare the white man's life. Does that sound like the story of Captain John Smith, the Jamestown colonist, which has been retold in the popular Walt Disney movie "Pocahontas"? Actually, it happened in Florida nearly 80 years before Smith set foot in Virginia: the European was Spaniard Juan Ortiz, and the Indian maiden was known as Ulele. Many historians doubt that young Pocahontas ever saved Smith's life and some contend the Englishman probably made up the story after reading previously published accounts of Ortiz's ordeal. Not until after Pocahontas died in 1617 did the story show up in a revised account of Smith's adventures. Some historians dismiss Smith as a "blowhard" and self-promoter. One biography is titled "The Great Rogue." "It's something nobody can prove one way or the other," said historian William Coker. "But on the other hand the evidence, I think, leans pretty heavily in favor of him borrowing the story." In 1528, Timucuan Indians (of the Uzita village) captured Ortiz and three other Spaniards who were searching for missing explorer Panfilio de Narvaez near Tampa Bay. "The first thing they did was . . . use them for target practice," said Dr. Coker, an emeritus professor of history at the University of West Florida. Three of the Spaniards were killed by arrows but Ortiz survived, he said. Hirrihugua, chief of the Uzita village, had a score to settle with the Spanish because Narvaez had cut off his nose and killed his mother by throwing her to a pack of dogs. The chief saved Ortiz for a special torture called "barbacoa," a word that survives as "barbecue." Ortiz was strung up over a fire to be roasted alive but Ulele pleaded with her father to spare his life. The chief's wife joined in the appeal and he relented. However, the chief again threatened to have Ortiz killed. Before his sentence could be carried out, Ulele helped Ortiz escape to the village of a neighboring chief, Mocoso. Ortiz lived there in relative peace until he encountered Hernando de Soto's expedition 11 years later. Ortiz, covered with tattoos as was the Timucuan custom, joined the Spaniards as an interpreter. He and de Soto both died during the winter of 1541-42 in present-day Arkansas, near the Mississippi River. A de Soto survivor known as the Gentleman of Elvas included the Ortiz rescue in his account of the expedition published in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1557. An English translation was printed about 1605. A Spanish account by Garcilasco de la Vega appeared in 1601. "Lisbon and London were on good terms," Mr. Coker said. "There's no question in my mind that copies of the book in Portuguese, Spanish and English were in London early on and early enough for Smith to have made a thorough study of them." Smith encountered Pocahontas in 1607 and returned to England two years later. Pocahontas married another colonist, John Rolfe, in 1614 and they moved to England in 1616. She died a year later. Smith's tale of rescue, never written about by any other colonists, does have supporters. Some say he may have left out the rescue initially to avoid scaring away potential colonists. Others say his first writings were heavily edited, possibly deleting the Pocahontas story. But Helen Roundtree of Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., has another reason for doubting the Pocahontas rescue story. It claims that Pocahontas' father, Powhatan, planned to bash out his brains with stones. The Indians of that time and place would have used a slower, more torturous method of death, she said. The Juan Ortiz Story So, if John Smith actually did make up the entire episode about Pocahontas saving his life, from where did he get the idea? Recently, historians have mentioned the incredible true story of a young Spanish sailor named Juan Ortiz as the possible origin of the Pocahontas legend. But in order to understand the story of Juan Ortiz, one must first become familiar with the exploits of Panfilo de Narvaez, a Spanish conquistador who led a doomed attempt to explore and conquer Florida in the early 16th century. Panfilo de Narvaez, a veteran Spanish soldier in the early years of conquest in the Caribbean, was a favorite of Charles V, the king of Spain. In June 1527, de Narvaez set sail from Spain with 600 men and five ships on a mission to conquer and govern Spanish land claims from the Rio Grande to Florida. After stops in the Caribbean, he sailed with 400 men and eighty horses. On Good Friday, April 15th, 1528, de Narvaez's ships landed near present-day Clearwater on the Pinellas peninsula, on the west side of Tampa Bay. After raising the flag of Spain and taking possession of all of the surrounding land in the name of his king, de Narvaez and his men encountered members of the nearby Uzita tribe. Following them to their village, de Narvaez's men discovered some crude gold ornaments. Immediately, the Spaniards began a campaign of torture and enslavement of the peaceful Uzita tribe. In the search for gold and silver, natives were made to serve as guides and burden bearers. When the tribe's chief proved unwilling or unable to reveal the location of any treasure, he was forced to watch as his mother was torn to shreds before his eyes by fierce war dogs that accompanied the Spaniards. De Narvaez then ordered the nose of the chief to be cut off in order to get him to tell of hidden gold. As a result, the chief made up a story of how a great tribe to the north, the Apalachee, ruled a great kingdom of riches in the Tallahassee Hills. With visions of treasure and glory equal to that of his contemporaries Pizarro and Cortes, de Narvaez and his soldiers began a long march north toward the Panhandle. Because of his brutal treatment of the Uzita people and other natives that were encountered along the way, the de Narvaez expedition would damage Spanish-Indian relations for decades. They left behind a legacy of violence and trickery. Upon reaching the Tallahassee Hills, de Narvaez would find only poor farming villages. Ordered to return to Cuba for provisions and come back to outfit the band of conquerors, de Narvaez's fleet returned to Tampa Bay, but found no sign of the expedition that was still marching through Apalachee territory. After searching for their captain and his men up and down the Gulf Coast of Florida, they ended their search and returned to Cuba. De Narvaez's wife soon hired a group of sailors to find her husband. Upon reaching Charlotte Harbor, the agreed-upon rendezvous point for de Narvaez and his ships a year earlier, the rescuers were heartened by what appeared to be a note placed on a stick on a deserted beach. Thinking that it may have been a note left by de Narvaez or a member of his expedition, several men rowed a boat to shore to investigate further. One of these men was the eighteen-year-old Juan Ortiz. The note was a trap that had been set, of all people, by Hirrihigua, the same chief who had watched his own mother be ripped to shreds by de Narvaez's dogs…the same chief whose nose had been cut off because he would not reveal the source of his tribe's gold. Needless to say, Hirrihigua, in his anger, sought revenge on Juan and the other captured Spaniards for his earlier treatment at the hands of de Narvaez. First, he made one of the hostages run around the village square while Indians shot arrows into his body; then, he had the others tied to trees and used for target practice. For Ortiz, though, Hirrihigua had a special torture in mind, since he believed the young Spaniard to be a son of the despised de Navaez. Hirrihigua had Juan tied to a barbacoa (a smoking and drying rack for foods and hides, a word that survives today as "barbeque") and placed over a fire to be slowly cooked to death. However, Hirrihigua's wife and two of his daughter's begged for the young Spanish boy's life, throwing themselves at the feet of the chief. Begrudgingly, Hirrihigua relented. Suffering greatly from his burns (which scarred him for the rest of his life), he was attended by the village's medicine man. Picture A-4-4: A reenactment of Ortiz being placed on a barbacoa. Although Juan was spared that day, he was made a slave and given the most despised jobs, such as keeping animals away from a temple that doubled as a burial place for the village's dead. It was understood that if a predator took even one body, Ortiz's death sentence would be carried out. Meanwhile, Hirrihigua's hatred toward the young boy continued to grow. Many times he had Juan tortured and threatened to carry out his death sentence, only to be persuaded by his wife and daughters to stop. The chief's eldest daughter, Ulele, decided that she and her mother and sisters could no longer protect Juan from her father's rage, so she helped him escape to the village of a neighboring village ruled by Ulele's fiancé, Mocoso. Ortiz lived in relative peace for the next ten years under the protection of Chief Mocoso. Hirrihigua, meanwhile, was so enraged by his daughter's betrayal that he forbade her to ever marry Mocoso. In 1539, another expedition, this one led by Hernando de Soto of Spain, explored the interior forests and swamps of Florida. Some of de Soto's men encountered a tattooed man; thinking that he might be a hostile native, they prepared to run him through with their weapons. Imagine their surprise when the man made the sign of the Cross and spoke Spanish to them! After eleven years living among the natives in Florida, Juan Ortiz had finally been found by the expedition of Hernando de Soto. Having learned the different native languages after years of captivity, Ortiz served de Soto as a guide and interpreter during de Soto's travels around Florida and the Southeast. Both Ortiz and de Soto died near the Mississippi River in the winter of 1541-42, but not before Ortiz had told his story to one expedition member known only as the Gentleman of Elvas. The only thing known about this man was that he was a Portugese adventurer who survived the expedition, returned to Portugal, and published an account of the de Soto expedition, including a description of the Ortiz rescue, in 1557…twenty-three years before John Smith was even born! An English version was published in 1605. Two years later, John Smith met Pocahontas, and the rest is…history.

THE FIRST "POCAHONTAS" STORY: