Beginning with a brief historical summation to set the scene for the
drama, PURITAN GIRL, MOHAWK
GIRL takes place during the 1700s. The French and English
colonies in the northwest of North America are warring and the Native
tribes are obliged to take sides. Eunice Williams, daughter of the
Reverend in Deerfield, Massachusetts, is seven years old.
The winter is a bitter one and we learn how Eunice and her family pass
the days. One night the drifts of deep snow allow French and Mohawk
soldiers to climb the fence and attack the town. The Williams family
and others are taken captive and set on a forced march to Canada,
watching their town burning as they walk away from all they have
known. I found this sequence could be scary for young readers with
many hardships described. Separated by their captors, the children and
sole remaining parent lead different lives with Mohawks or French. A
rescue effort is soon underway to release Reverend John Williams, but
he only wants to see his children again and ensure their safety. Eunice
is taken by the Mohawks during the confusion and her family cannot
find her.
Arakwente and his wife, Konwatiene, are introduced as Eunice's new
family, along with their children. They teach her how to live the life of a
Mohawk girl. Gradually she gets used to living in a lodge, planting,
hunting, crafting, and wearing their style of clothes. She almost forgets
how she came to live in the village. Over the years, Eunice becomes a
Mohawk, but her father never stops trying to find her.
This rewriting of a true story will surprise many young readers. Life in
colonial towns was not as advanced as today, and everyone had to
work hard to survive. There was not so much to choose between
lifestyles as we might imagine. We also see some of the religions
Eunice is introduced to, including Native America beliefs. When the
colonists could not agree on which was the "right" religion, why should
any be the best over another? Eunice is given different names by
different people throughout the story, so young readers may find it
useful to write these down to be sure of what is happening.
I enjoyed this read and learned a lot about the history and landscape of
the 1700s. I can recommend John Putnam Demos' exciting book
PURITAN GIRL, MOHAWK GIRL to
teachers for a class read, and to young adult readers interested in
history.
As the armed conflicts between the English colonies in
North America and the French settlements raged in the
1700s, a young Puritan girl, Eunice Williams, is kidnapped
by Mohawk people and taken to Canada. She is adopted into
a new family, a new culture, and a new set of traditions
that will define her life. As Eunice spends her days
learning the Mohawk language and the roles of women and
girls in the community, she gains a deeper understanding
of her Mohawk family. Although her father and brother try
to persuade Eunice to return to Massachusetts, she
ultimately chooses to remain with her Mohawk family and
settlement.
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