the Powhatans were also resistant to change. Because the Southeastern Indians believed that divine powers were invested in the social institutions and the world, they were unwilling to initiate changes unless they were shown to be approved by the gods. Therefore, changes were regarded as a challenge to the divine power, which could lead to social disharmony and destruction (Champagne, Cultural 33).
Powhatans did not display great cultural differentiation. Priests played an instrumental role in a variety of affairs in the society. Because priests were the intermediaries of gods. They were regarded as influential in the weather conditions. They were also considered healers of diseases. Furthermore, they were consulted in times of wars, and also expected to determine the guilt of criminals. No other cultural institutions existed to challenge the supremacy of the priests (Rountree 11).
The Southeastern Indians fused all cultural aspects of life together (Champagne, Cultural 34). Therefore, when a Cherokee Indian was sick, the tribe did not view it as a medical illness, but as the work of wizards and witches using ritual incantations (Champagne, Social 16). Furthermore, in the Cherokee world view, major calamities, such as plagues, defeats in war or social disharmony were caused by the failure of the people to obey the ritual and social order. Unlike the Westerners who sought for the causes in external factors, the Cherokee Indians attributed all disasters to the human failure to adhere to social rituals (Champagne, Social 17).
Because the Powhatan priests were worshipped as the chief agents of the Gods, they were the most resistant to the changes initiated by the Western settlers. They had the most to lose because their powers would be rendered obsolete in Western institutions that put power into the hands of a variety of people and institutions (Rountree 11).
The Powhatans were ruled by a single ruler who presided ove...