#roanoake

The Legend of Virginia Dare

Virginia Dare was born in Virginia Colony, in what is now the state of North Carolina, on August 18th, 1587.

Historically, she is best known for being the first English child born in the New World. Legend is another matter.

Virginia’s parents, Ananias and Eleanor, were a part of intrepid Englishman Sir Walter Raleigh’s expedition to establish the first permanent English Settlement in the New World. They landed on Roanoake Island, and that same year Virginia was born and baptized.

Sir Walter Raleigh had been to the New World before, and on his previous expedition, two natives from the Croatoan tribe named Manteo and Wanchese had agreed to join him on his return trip to England. The two of them there learned English, met Queen Elizabeth, and at the establishment of the colony, they returned home with Raleigh to the New World.

Falling on hard times, the colonists persuaded the governor of the colony, John White, to sail back to England for supplies. He departed only nine days after the birth of Virginia, who happened to be his granddaughter.

White meant to sail back immediately, but due to the invasion of England by the Spanish Armada, he was delayed for three years.

When he finally arrived back on Roanoake island in 1590, on Virginia’s third birthday, all of the colonists had mysteriously disappeared. The colony was abandoned and the only clue to the colonists’ whereabouts was the word CROATOAN carved into a post.

John White was never able to find his family or any of the missing colonists, who were never seen again. It is at this point where history passes into the realm of legend.

It is said that the colonists were attacked by a neighboring tribe, and were forced to flee their village. They survived by joining the Croatan tribe, led by the sympathetic Manteo. Virginia was raised by the tribe and became known as Winona-Ska.

As she grew, she became ever-more beautiful and loved by all. At last she drew the attention of two particular suitors.

One was a handsome young chieftain named Okisko. He was in love with Winona-ska and wished to marry her.

The other was an old witch-doctor named Chico. When Chico made his proposal of marriage to Virginia, she refused him. Chico became very angry, and cast a spell on her which turned her into a white doe.

Okisko did not know what had become of his beloved, but when he heard tales of a strange white doe wandering the ruins of the Roanoake settlement, and realized that his rival suitor was skilled in the dark arts, he put two and two together.

He began immediately to fashion an arrowhead from mother-of-pearl, which a friendly magician had told him would be able to reverse the enchantment.

Meanwhile, Wanchese, the son of Wanchese, also heard tales of this strange doe, and not knowing who it really was, fixed his heart upon killing it in order to win honor as a brave. Wanchese took the silver arrow which his father had recieved as a gift from Queen Elizabeth, and set out to hunt the doe.

The two of them at last came upon the deer at the same time, and drew on her simultaneously. Okisko’s arrow struck, returning her to her human form. Wanchese’s arrow also struck, piercing her heart.

From here the tale diverges widely. Some sources say that Winona-ska died and was buried in the ruins of the old fort, and that from her grave grew the first scuppernong grapevine, from which North Carolina wines are made. Some say that Okisko pleaded with the gods for mercy. He removed the two arrows and threw them into the water, but when he returned, Virginia’s body had disappeared. The white doe later appeared to him, and it is said that it still haunts the region to this day.

Sources: www.ncpedia.org/culture/legend…

Encyclopedia Brittanica