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In The New World, the latest film from director Terrence Malick, it's interesting to note that though Pocahontas' face is the first we see and her voiceover is the first of many we hear, she's never referred to by name. Not once in this cinematic portrayal of Europeans landing on North American soil in 1607 do we hear John Smith, John Rolfe, or any of the other historical figures who interact with the legendary Native American utter the name "Pocahontas." And perhaps that's appropriate, since much is unknown about this woman who went by many names throughout her turbulent 21 years.

History tells us that her given name was Matoaca, but most of her tribe called her Pocahontas, which means "playful one." There are also recorded accounts of her having the names Amonte and White Feather. When she converted to Christianity and was baptized in 1614, she was given the Christian name Rebecca. For as many names as she had, there are as many interpretations of her role in American history: savior, victim, peacemaker, mother of the new world, pawn, ambassador, first Christian convert in America.

15-year-old Q'Orianka Kilcher plays Pocahontas

Though there are many documented accounts of her conversion to the Christian faith, there's widespread disagreement over whether that conversion was voluntary or forced. In Malick's telling of the story, there are differing opinions even among those involved in the project. Q'Orianka Kilcher, the 15-year-old newcomer who portrayed Pocahontas, thought her conversion was an "instinct of survival"—i.e., she didn't have much choice in the matter.

Kilcher, who's of Quechua/Huachipaeri Indian and Alaskan/Swiss heritage, describes herself as a "spiritual person" who was "deeply affected" by playing Pocahontas. "When Pocahontas is converted to Christianity and she lives with the English, it's kind of sad for me because that was the only thing left for her," Kilcher says, implying that Pocahontas' conversion wasn't necessarily by choice. "Her family had cast her out, John Smith had left her, and so she was left really with nothing. She was trying to forget who she was in a way. She had nowhere else to go."

Sarah Green, producer of the film, has a different take: "She absolutely voluntarily chose [to convert]. She was interested in Christianity, and she converted not just to marry John Rolfe and not because she was a victim, but because she was drawn to that." Green does mention that in the film Pocahontas melds her Native spirituality with Christian beliefs, as was often the case for such converts. In many scenes Pocahontas is heard in voiceovers praying to "Mother." While a case could be made for that being Mother Earth, Green notes that in the film, a character representing Pocahontas' deceased mother is sometimes seen "hovering around" the girl: "She actually talks to her mother quite regularly; they have a very active communication."

About a year of research went into The New World's portrayal of Pocohontas' life, but even existing accounts are contradictory. She's probably best known for saving John Smith from her father's club by placing her own body over his as he was about to be struck. Smith was then welcomed by the tribe as a friend, even as family, and he and Pocahontas became good friends—perhaps even romantically. This is the version of the story Disney portrayed in their 1995 cartoon flick Pocahontas, and isn't far from the savior-turned-romantic-interest portrait Malick paints.

John Rolfe (Christian Bale) marries Pocahontas after her conversion to Christianity

This story is disputed by many, as Smith was a known colorful character prone to telling tales. And he didn't give this account of "salvation" until more than a decade later in his Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles, which was published in 1624. It's also widely accepted that the dramatic "rescue" in 1607 was possibly part of an elaborate Native ritual. Regardless of the conditions of Smith and Pocahontas' original meeting, it's known that he was around 28 at the time and she was about 10 to 12.

While much attention is given to Pocahontas' alleged act of saving Smith, the even more compelling—and widely accepted—story is how she acted as a peacemaker and "savior" to the English settlers. After their initial meeting, Smith returned to the newly formed Jamestown, where Pocahontas was a regular visitor, often bearing food, gifts, and important messages. Some believe the food she brought helped the dwindling number of colonists survive their first winter. Between 1608 and 1610 Pocahontas negotiated the release of Powhatan prisoners held by the colonists and often shielded Englishmen from her father's wrath. This is where the Disney telling—and any common knowledge of Pocahontas' story—peters out. Thankfully, Malick includes the rest of the story in The New World.

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Being Pocahontas	Printer view
Fifteen-year-old Q'Orianka Kilcher really got into her first starring role as the young Native American.