Wanchese (chief)
Encyclopedia
Wanchese was the last known ruler of the Roanoke Native American tribe encountered by English colonists in the late sixteenth century. Along with Chief Manteo
he travelled to London in 1584, where the two men created a sensation at court. Hosted at Durham House
by the explorer and courtier Sir Walter Raleigh, he and Manteo assisted the scientist Thomas Harriot
with the job of deciphering and learning the Carolina Algonquian language
. Unlike Manteo, Wanchese evinced little interest in learning English, and did not befriend his hosts, remaining suspicious of English motives in the New World. In April 1586, having returned to Roanoke, he finally ended his good relations with the English, leaving Manteo as the colonists' sole Indian ally.
-speaking people whose territory comprised present-day Dare County, Roanoke Island
and part of the mainland at the time of English exploration and colonization. They were one of the numerous Carolina Algonquian tribes, which may have numbered 5,000-10,000 people in total in eastern North Carolina at the time of English encounter. The smaller Croatan
people may have been a branch of the Roanoke or a separate tribe allied with it.
The Roanoke may have had their capital on the western shore of Croatan Sound
, at Dasamonguepeuk
. This was one of the significant towns noted by the English colonists in the sixteenth century.
that they had explored and what the usefulness of the territory might be to the English
Once safely delivered to England in September 1584, the two Indians quickly caused a sensation at court. Raleigh's priority however was not publicity but rather intelligence about his new land of Virginia, and he restricted access to the exotic newcomers, assigning the brilliant scientist Thomas Harriot
with the job of deciphering and learning the Carolina Algonquian language
. , using a phonetic alphabet
of his own invention in order to effect the translation.
Both Wanchese and Manteo were hosted at Raleigh's London residence, Durham House
. Unlike Manteo, Wanchese evinced little interest in learning English, and did not befriend his hosts, remaining suspicious of English motives in the New World. He soon came to view himself as a captive of the English rather than as their guest. By Christmas of 1584 Harriot was able to converse successfully in the Algonkin language with the two Native Americans, though it appears that Manteo was far more co-operative than Wanchese.
Harriot recorded the sense of awe with which the Native Americans viewed European technology:
Manteo and Wanchese went back to the New World in April 1585, sailing with Sir Richard Grenville
's expedition in The Tyger, reaching the warm waters of the Caribbean in just 21 days.
Records indicate that Manteo and Wanchese also went on a voyage from the New World to England
sometime later in the same decade. Following the voyage, Manteo, Wanchese, and the English returned to Roanoke.
Manteo (Croatan)
Manteo was a Native American Croatan Indian, the chief of a local tribe that befriended the English explorers that landed at Roanoke Island in 1584. In 1585 the English returned to Roanoke, arriving too late in the year to plant crops and harvest food, and Manteo helped the colonists to make it...
he travelled to London in 1584, where the two men created a sensation at court. Hosted at Durham House
Durham House (London)
Durham House, or Durham Inn, was the historic London residence of the Bishop of Durham in the Strand, with its gardens descending to the Thames.-Origins:...
by the explorer and courtier Sir Walter Raleigh, he and Manteo assisted the scientist Thomas Harriot
Thomas Harriot
Thomas Harriot was an English astronomer, mathematician, ethnographer, and translator. Some sources give his surname as Harriott or Hariot or Heriot. He is sometimes credited with the introduction of the potato to Great Britain and Ireland...
with the job of deciphering and learning the Carolina Algonquian language
Carolina Algonquian language
Carolina Algonquian is an extinct Algonquian language of the Eastern Algonquian subgroup formerly spoken in North Carolina, United States....
. Unlike Manteo, Wanchese evinced little interest in learning English, and did not befriend his hosts, remaining suspicious of English motives in the New World. In April 1586, having returned to Roanoke, he finally ended his good relations with the English, leaving Manteo as the colonists' sole Indian ally.
Chief of the Roanoke Tribe
The Roanoke, also spelled Roanoac, tribe were a Carolina AlgonquianAlgonquian languages
The Algonquian languages also Algonkian) are a subfamily of Native American languages which includes most of the languages in the Algic language family. The name of the Algonquian language family is distinguished from the orthographically similar Algonquin dialect of the Ojibwe language, which is a...
-speaking people whose territory comprised present-day Dare County, Roanoke Island
Roanoke Island
Roanoke Island is an island in Dare County near the coast of North Carolina, United States. It was named after the historical Roanoke Carolina Algonquian people who inhabited the area in the 16th century at the time of English exploration....
and part of the mainland at the time of English exploration and colonization. They were one of the numerous Carolina Algonquian tribes, which may have numbered 5,000-10,000 people in total in eastern North Carolina at the time of English encounter. The smaller Croatan
Croatan
The Croatan were a small Native American group living in the coastal areas of what is now North Carolina. They may have been a branch of the larger Roanoke people or allied with them....
people may have been a branch of the Roanoke or a separate tribe allied with it.
The Roanoke may have had their capital on the western shore of Croatan Sound
Croatan Sound
Croatan Sound is an inlet in Dare County, North Carolina. It connects Pamlico Sound with Albemarle Sound, and is bordered to the east by Roanoke Island; Roanoke Sound is on the other side of the island. Its name comes from the Croatan Indians who once inhabited the area.The Croatan Sound is crossed...
, at Dasamonguepeuk
Dasamongueponke
The Dasamongueponke, or Dasamonguepeuk, is the name given to a Native American tribe and also the name of a village encountered by the English during their late 16th century attempts to settle and establish permanent colonies in what is now North Carolina, known at the time as Virginia...
. This was one of the significant towns noted by the English colonists in the sixteenth century.
Journey to England
Wanchese was among the first Native Americans to travel to England. In 1584 Sir Walter Raleigh had despatched the first of a number of expeditions to Roanoke island to explore and eventually settle the New World. Early encounters with the natives were friendly, and, despite the difficulties in communication, the explorers were able to persuade "two of the savages, being lustie men, whose names were Wanchese and Manteo" to accompany them on the return voyage to London, in order for the English people to report both the conditions of the New WorldNew World
The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
that they had explored and what the usefulness of the territory might be to the English
Once safely delivered to England in September 1584, the two Indians quickly caused a sensation at court. Raleigh's priority however was not publicity but rather intelligence about his new land of Virginia, and he restricted access to the exotic newcomers, assigning the brilliant scientist Thomas Harriot
Thomas Harriot
Thomas Harriot was an English astronomer, mathematician, ethnographer, and translator. Some sources give his surname as Harriott or Hariot or Heriot. He is sometimes credited with the introduction of the potato to Great Britain and Ireland...
with the job of deciphering and learning the Carolina Algonquian language
Carolina Algonquian language
Carolina Algonquian is an extinct Algonquian language of the Eastern Algonquian subgroup formerly spoken in North Carolina, United States....
. , using a phonetic alphabet
Phonetic alphabet
Phonetic alphabet can mean:* phonetic transcription system: a system for transcribing the precise sounds of human speech into writing.** International Phonetic Alphabet : the most widespread such system...
of his own invention in order to effect the translation.
Both Wanchese and Manteo were hosted at Raleigh's London residence, Durham House
Durham House (London)
Durham House, or Durham Inn, was the historic London residence of the Bishop of Durham in the Strand, with its gardens descending to the Thames.-Origins:...
. Unlike Manteo, Wanchese evinced little interest in learning English, and did not befriend his hosts, remaining suspicious of English motives in the New World. He soon came to view himself as a captive of the English rather than as their guest. By Christmas of 1584 Harriot was able to converse successfully in the Algonkin language with the two Native Americans, though it appears that Manteo was far more co-operative than Wanchese.
Harriot recorded the sense of awe with which the Native Americans viewed European technology:
- "Many things they sawe with us...as mathematical instruments, sea compasses...[and] spring clocks that seemed to goe of themselves - and many other things we had - were so strange unto them, and so farre exceeded their capacities to comprehend the reason and meanes how they should be made and done, that they thought they were rather the works of gods than men."
Manteo and Wanchese went back to the New World in April 1585, sailing with Sir Richard Grenville
Richard Grenville
Sir Richard Grenville was an English sailor, sea captain and explorer. He took part in the early English attempts to settle the New World, and also participated in the fight against the Spanish Armada...
's expedition in The Tyger, reaching the warm waters of the Caribbean in just 21 days.
Records indicate that Manteo and Wanchese also went on a voyage from the New World to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
sometime later in the same decade. Following the voyage, Manteo, Wanchese, and the English returned to Roanoke.
Relations with the colonists
In April 1586 Wanchese finally severed his former good relations with the English, leaving Chief Manteo as the colonists' sole Indian ally.External links
- Account of the Roanoke settlements Retrieved April 2011