Tidewater: A Novel of Pocahontas and the Jamestown Colony

by Libbie Hawker

  Throughout Thomas’s life, English conflict with the Powhatans escalated. Thomas was torn between two worlds, a fact that touched me deeply as I wrote the scenes with this energetic little boy, so well loved by both his parents.

  Thomas Rolfe inherited a large amount of land from his father and may have been gifted a tract of land by Opechancanough, too—a testament to the duty the Powhatans felt toward Pocahontas and her only child. But with his land ownership came greater responsibilities toward Virginia. In 1644, he entered military service, defending the various forts in the area against Native attacks. No one knows how Thomas felt about training his gun on his own people—individuals who were perhaps even his blood relatives. Maybe by that time, after so long entrenched in the conflict between his two cultures, he was inured to the idea and resolved to preserve his own interests in a world that grew more hostile with each passing year.

  Thomas Rolfe died sometime around 1680, in possession of vast portions of Virginia. Due in part to the value of Rolfe land, the names of Rolfe and Pocahontas are still used to conjure in the Tidewater region. Thomas Rolfe’s descendants—the descendants of Pocahontas—are greatly influential in regional politics and commerce to this day.

  I am deeply indebted to the following authors, whose works I relied on heavily in researching and creating this novel: Helen C. Rountree (Pocahontas, Powhatan, Opechancanough: Three Indian Lives Changed by Jamestown; John Smith’s Chesapeake Voyages, 1607–1609; The Powhatan Indians of Virginia: Their Traditional Culture; Before and After Jamestown: Virginia’s Powhatans and Their Predecessors; Pocahontas’s People: The Powhatan Indians of Virginia Through Four Centuries), David A. Price (Love and Hate in Jamestown: John Smith, Pocahontas, and the Start of a New Nation), Camilla Townsend (Pocahontas and the Powhatan Dilemma), and Frances Mossiker (Pocahontas: The Life and Legend). This last book is an older work and reflects an earlier sensibility about Native Americans, with far more myth than fact. However, it was entertaining and provided some useful insights into English perspectives. I only encourage readers who try it out to take it with a grain of salt.

  A massive load of thanks to Dorothy Zemach, editor of the self-published edition of Tidewater, who kept the semicolons to a minimum. This book is undoubtedly better because of you. Thanks as well to Jodi Warshaw, acquisitions editor at Lake Union Publishing, who looked past Tidewater’s unimpressive indie launch to see its true potential. Kristin Mehus-Roe was my developmental editor for the Lake Union edition, and Michelle Hope Anderson was my copy editor. Both of them did a fantastic, thoughtful, and detailed job with a very long manuscript, and I am grateful for their hard work. Lane Brown created the gorgeous original painting for the self-published edition’s cover—I am convinced that Tidewater never would have found its way to Lake Union without the aid of Mr. Brown’s spectacular art, and for that I will be forever indebted to him.

  Always my biggest and most sincere thanks to my readers. I literally could not do this without you. I am aware of that fact every single day, and I’m absurdly grateful to you.

  Thanks to the many people who are spreading the word about the quality and variety of indie writing: bloggers, Twitter-ers, fellow authors, and readers around the world. You are pioneers, and I hope you feel exactly as awesome as I know you are.

  And thank you, Paul, for everything. I love you.

  —L.H.

  Seattle, Washington

  July 2014

  GLOSSARY

  of Powhatan Words and Pronunciation Guide

  ama: AH-ma. Mother—a word invented by the author, as no recorded incident of the Powhatan word for mother exists (that the author could find).

  Amonute: am-oh-NOO-tee.

  Anawanuske: ah-na-wa-NOO-skee.

  Apocant: APP-oh-cant.

  Appamattuck: app-a-MAT-tuck.

  attasskuss: a-TASS-kuss. Leaf.

  cattapeuk: cat-a-PEE-yuk. Season of fish runs; spring.

  Chawnzmit: CHAHN-zmit. A bastardization of “John Smith.” “Chawnzmit” was first proposed as a possible Powhatan “interpretation” for John Smith’s name by Helen C. Rountree in her book Pocahontas, Powhatan, Opechancanough: Three Indian Lives Changed by Jamestown. I thought it was clever, so I used it, too.

  Chessiopiak: chess-ee-oh-PEYE-ack. The tribe known today as the Chesapeake.

  Chickahominy: chick-a-HOHM-i-nee.

  Chiskinute: chiss-kih-NOO-tee.

  Chopoke: choh-POH-kee.

  Coanuske: coh-a-NOO-skee.

  cohattayough: co-HAT-a-yoh. Late spring/early summer.

  Frawh-say: An invented Powhatan bastardization of Francais; French.

  huskanaw: HUSS-ka-naw. The physical trial of violence and privation that ushers boys into manhood.

  Iroquoian: eer-oh-KWOY-an.

  Japazaws: JAP-a-zawss.

  Kocoum: KOH-koh-um.

  Koleopatchika: koh-lee-oh-PATCH-i-ka. The English noted that Pocahontas had an aunt called “Cleopatra.” This was undoubtedly a bastardization of a Powhatan name, and “Cleopatra” was the closest the English could manage. “Koleopatchika” is an invented name, one that I imagine the English might have misheard as “Cleopatra.”

  kowse: KOW-see. Father.

  Mackinoe: MACK-i-no.

  Mahocks: MAH-hocks.

  mamanatowick: mam-a-na-TOW-wick. “TOW” rhymes with “now.” The title means “Chief of Chiefs.”

  manitou: MAN-i-toh. An ill-tempered spirit; a demon.

  Massawomeck: mass-a-WOH-meck.

  Matachanna: mah-ta-CHAH-na.

  Matoaka: mah’-toh-AH-ka.

  Mattaponi: mat-a-POH-nee.

  Monacan: MON-a-can.

  Musqua-chehip: musk’-wa-CHEH-hip.

  Naukaquawis: nock-a-KWAH-wiss.

  nepinough: NEP-i-noh. “The earing of the corn”—late summer/early fall.

  netap: NEH-tap. Friend.

  Nonoma: NO-no-mah.

  Okeus: OH-kee-uss.

  Opechancanough: oh-pee-CHAHN-ka-no.

  Opossu-no-quonuske: oh-poss’-uh-no-kwoh-NOO-skee.

  Orapax: OR-a-pax.

  Pamunkey: pa-MUHN-kee.

  Paspahegh: PASS-pa-heeg.

  Passapatanzy: pass-a-pa-TAN-zee. The capital city of Pattawomeck territory.

  Pattawomeck: pat’-a-WOH-meck.

  Pepiscunimah: pep’-i-SKUN-ih-mah.

  Pocahontas: pohk-a-HOHN-tuss. A nickname that means, roughly, “Mischief.”

  popanow: POP-a-now. Winter.

  Powhatan: POW-a-tan. More a title than a true name. The federation of tribes is also called Powhatan, in honor of Wahunse-na-cawh, the Powhatan known to history and featured in this novel.

  puccoon: puck-OON. A bright crimson pigment made from a plant. Very difficult to procure, and only available via trade with the southern tribes, it was a visible sign of wealth and status.

  Quiyo-co-hannock: kwee’-yo-co-HAN-nock.

  rahacoon: rah-hah-COON. Raccoon; we get the English name for the critter from the Powhatan word.

  roanoke: ROH-a-noak. Tubular shell beads.

  suckquahan: SUCK-wa-han. Water.

  Taka-way-wemps: tah’-ka-WAY-wemps.

  tanx-werowance: tanx’-WAIR-oh-wanss. A subchief; a chief of lesser status.

  taquitock: TACK-wih-tock: “The fall of the leaf”—the hunting season; fall.

  tassantassa: tass-n-TASS-a. “Stranger.”

  Tsenacomoco: senn’-a-KOH-moh-koh. The whole of the region; the Tidewater.

  Tsena-no-ha: senn-a-NO-ha.

  tuckahoe: TUCK-a-ho. A bland, starchy tuber that grows in marshy areas.

  Utta-ma-tomakkin: u’-ta-mah-toh-MOCK-in. The first syllable is pronounced with the same soft “oo” sound as in “foot.”

  Uttamussak: u’-ta-MUSS-sack. The most sacred temple in the region. The first and second syllables ar
e pronounced with the same soft “oo” sound as in “foot.”

  Wahunse-na-cawh: wah-HUHN-sen-a-caw. The “real” name of Powhatan.

  werowance: WAIR-oh-wanss. Chief.

  werowansqua: wair’-oh-WANSS-skwaw. A female chief.

  Werowocomoco: wair’-oh-wo-KO-mo-ko. The capital city of Powhatan’s empire.

  Winganuske: wing’-ga-NOO-skee.

  wingapoh: wing-GAH-poh. A greeting.

  Wowinchopunck: woh-WIN-choh-punk.

  yehakin: YEH-ha-kin. Longhouse.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Photo © 2014 Paul Harnden

  Libbie Hawker was born in Rexburg, Idaho, and divided her childhood between eastern Idaho’s rural environs and the greater Seattle area. While working toward a career as a novelist, Libbie held an array of jobs, including zookeeper, yarn dyer, and show-dog handler. She loves to write about character and place and is inspired by the striking natural beauty of the Rocky Mountain region and the fascinating history of the Puget Sound. She would choose high mountains, sage deserts, and heavy rain clouds over a sunny, sandy beach any day of the week. When not writing, Libbie enjoys hiking, painting landscapes and portraits with pastel and watercolor, and exploring the western United States. She now lives in Seattle with her husband.