Episode 12: Why Should You Destroy Us, Who Have Provided You With Food?

This week we dive into one of the first recorded Native American speeches Chief Powhatan's (Wahunsonacook) speech to John Smith of the Virginia colony. John Smith, unlike the Disney depiction from Pocahontas, was not friendly towards the Powhatan natives. He raided and threatened them continuously. Powhatan responded to his actions with this powerful speech.These words were first recorded in Samuel G. Drake's Biography and History of the Indians of North America, from Its First Discovery, which was published in 1853. The excerpt read in this episode is from the book Great Speeches by Native Americans edited by Bob Blaisdell for Dover publishing.Learn Powhatan:Wahusonacook - wah.hoo.sun.ah.cookOpitchapan - uh.peht.chah.pahnOpekankanough - uh.peh.kahn.kah.nohCatataugh - kah.tah.tah.oh