Squanto Warrior's Tale

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Introduction: Squanto: A Warrior's Tale is the film version of the life of a high-born Indian warrior from the Patuxet tribe located in an area that is now Plymouth, Massachusetts. The movie is partly based on fact as well as fiction and was modified to fit the Disney Family movie genre. Squanto: A Warrior's Tale is a story of change within the Native American culture and further analysis of the movie shows evidence of anthropological themes such as religious and cultural beliefs, ethnocentrism, as well as colonialism. Plot: The day after Squanto is married to his bride Nakooma, an English ship arrives, prospecting the area for trade in the name of Sir George, the owner of the Plymouth Shipping Company. Squanto, along with others is captured …show more content…

He was brought to England and delivered to the governor of the fort at Plymouth, who taught Squanto English in order to serve as an interpreter on future explorations. In 1614, Squanto returned to New England with Captain John Smith but was abducted by Thomas Hunt, and transported to Spain to be sold into slavery. Franciscan friars saved Squanto and introduced him to the Catholic faith. In 1619, Squanto finally returned to New England and discovered that his tribe and the majority of other coastal tribes had been decimated by the plague. Later, Squanto served as a guide and translator for settlers. He died in 1622 in Chatham, Massachusetts. The movie portrays Squanto as an easily comprehensible character, yet according to historic documents, he was a highly sophisticated man with great abilities who was rather inscrutable which has later caused his death. The failure to understand Squanto is associated with the greater failure to understand the Indians and their culture. Squanto: A Warrior's Tale takes a humanistic approach to describe the individuality of the Indians, the Explorers, the Monks, or the Pilgrims, emphasizing their …show more content…

In the movie, cultural change is evident in many ways. Squanto: A Warrior's tale describes the clash of two very distinctive cultures: Wampanoag Native American culture and English culture with its different nuances. Enculturation and acculturation are noticeable during Squanto's time in the monastery. Enculturation is a process where a person acquires social norms, values, behaviors, and language from the culture surrounding him. Squanto learned the social norms of the friars and the Christian faith. He learned their values of peace and forgiving, and he was taught English. Acculturation, on the other hand, is more relevant for the time Squanto spent with the friars, as it is a process taking place between two different cultures and both cultures learn from one another and adopt values, language, customs or even clothing. The monks learned Indian values, they learned about his spiritual connection to nature and animals, the value, and comfort of moccasins, how to turn the unknown crop corn into a delicious treat. Squanto's knowledge of the English culture was a great asset for him and the other tribes during his negotiations and cooperation with the settlers. The friars' world view changed with the arrival of Squanto. They learned that the world was much greater with much more diversity than they have ever imagined. Squanto enriched their lives and reaffirmed their

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