Emulate Pocahontas for Halloween or Thanksgiving?

Answer 1

Pocahontas is a legendary figure in American history. This Native American princess is notable for her willingness to use her influence as the chieftain's daughter to spare the life of Englishman John Smith. The 1990s Disney movie focusing on her takes liberties with biographical details but still conveys her inner strength and nobility. Whether you want to portray the Disney version or a more general version, Pocahontas is a great choice for Halloween, as well as Thanksgiving, which remembers the ways in which natives helped settlers to survive in the early days of America's colonization.

To portray Pocahontas, you can either buy a ready-made costume or try to make one. A Pocahontas dress will be simple, most likely brown or off-white in color since most of her clothing would have been made from the skins of animals. You can get that idea across just by using brown cloth. It may be a bit ragged around the edges because of the wear and tear of living in the outdoors all the time.

If you are going to incorporate accessories, try finding some beaded jewelry. This will add color to the costume and will be fairly in keeping with what she might have worn. You could also try hand-making some jewelry using simple materials from around the house such as cardboard or construction paper. A headband can also be a nice accent, particularly if it has a woven pattern on it or is inset with beads.

Another way to convey the idea of Pocahontas is to carry a stuffed animal or two. For instance, in the Disney movie, her sidekick is a raccoon. The real Pocahontas lived among many animals as well. Choosing an animal that might have lived in Virginia at the time is a good way to emphasize her connection with the natural world. You might also include a symbol of peace such as a dove to indicate Pocahontas's desire to keep the peace between her people and the settlers.

Pocahontas is a strong, noble historical figure whom children should be proud to emulate, and she makes an excellent Halloween costume.