A Grain by Another Name | Corn, Maize & Poketawes

Zea mays is a crop grown the world over and known by many names. Let’s return to our Paspaheigh Town at Jamestown Settlement to learn the Powhatan word for Zea mays and to also learn why corn was an imprecise term in 17th century English usage.

Check out our video on Corn in Powhatan Society --    • Recipe Rewind | Corn in Powhatan Society  

William Strachey’s book The Historie of Travaile Into Virginia Britannia is a very important primary source and Strachey’s Powhatan word list can be found at the end of the book. Reprints of the book are available through many book sellers, and an online edition of The Historie of Travaile Into Virginia Britannia including his Powhatan word list can be found on Google at -- https://books.google.com/books?id=fYY...

In past videos we have examined passages from Strachey’s book. His account of a Powhatan mock battle --    • Going to the Source | William Strache...  

We’ve also examined Strachey’s account of a Powhatan and English trade encounter in previous videos, one from a Powhatan perspective –    • Going to the Source | The Powhatan Ec...  
and one from an English perspective –    • Going to the Source | William Strache...