In the 1979 song Pocahontas from the album Rust Never Sleeps. Native American enthusiast Neil Young writes famously: "I wish I were a trapper, I would pay a thousand pelts, to sleep with Pocahontas and find out how she felt, in the morning on the fields of green...In the homeland, we've never see.."
I am wondering if anyone with any historical/biographical knowledge can shed some light as to whether or not this commodity figure is accurate for the era and would be sufficient for such a proposition and and I'm curious as to whether a lady of such noteriety would be likely to entertain such an offer if Marlon Brando was on stand-by.
2007-01-02 21:14:16 · 5 answers · asked by zackadoo 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Mythology & Folklore
LOL - okay, I'll take a shot.
It all really depends on what kind of animal pelts were talking about, but the big one that comes to mind is beaver. They were in huge demand through the 17th and 16th centuries for making top hats in Europe, and so a beaver pelt was worth quite a lot of money. And, by the 1800 the beavers had gotten pretty scarce from over-poaching and so I imagine the fee was through the roof.
That'd be a good thing, because Pocahontas was married from a very early age (14, maybe?) - it's got to take a lot to buy a married woman, from a man who was by all accounts a very attentative husband.
However, over the four years (was it?) that Pocahontas and her husband spent with the Lewis and Clark expedition - a long, isolated journey spent in the company of a whole ton of men - there's no mention of trouble between Pocahontas and the men. Seems to me, that's hinting that she can't be bought off. And certainly not with Marlon Brando there either - woowee.
Argh - that was silly. Give me my five minutes back.
2007-01-02 21:30:46 · answer #1 · answered by Cedar 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Unfortunetly,with the coming of the frenchman,white man came the home brew...I love the music and yes as a native american woman I would not allow my father to sell my **** off to some stanky white guy or frenchman for my goods....but !!! stufff like that happens when the whiskey rots the mind...I wouldnt want grass stains on me let alone the touch of some strange man...IT was baad back then..I'm pretty sure it still exists amonst all ppl here in AMERICA..A lady was arrested for selling her lil baby for drugs...neil wouldnt sleep with us if he knew we threw dirt up there to try to stop the invasion.....
2007-01-03 04:42:48 · answer #2 · answered by fire fly 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Liz E was off as Pocahontas was not with Lewis and Clark as the was Sacajawea. as far as the song goes I would imagine the person would never have a chance unless it was in his dreams. there is a proper way to do things and a married lady is a married lady while adultery is frowned upon.
2007-01-03 03:36:56 · answer #3 · answered by Marvin R 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Thanks for the laugh Neil is my favorite artist. Beautiful song, isn't it?
p.s. Like many Canadians, Neil has quite a bit of Native American heritage from his mother, not sure which kind. One has to take his lyrics with humor or you just won't get the man.
2007-01-02 21:19:34 · answer #4 · answered by marie 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The Man is a legend without a doubt!
2007-01-02 21:22:20 · answer #5 · answered by richardwales79 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋