The Native American Indian group, the Powhatans, are well known for the story of a girl named Pocahontas. However, many stories about Pocahontas contain false historical information about the girl herself and the Powhatan people. Many people do not recognize that the Powhatan have their own political organization and diversity of traditional practices. In fact, the Powhatans are a confederation of Algonquian tribes from Virginia, which is similar to a nation. They were also known as Virginia Algonquians since the Powhatan spoke the Algonquians language (Sturtevant 299). Powhatan was also the common name of the founder and ruling chief of the Powhatan confederacy (Sturtevant 302). The Powhatan Confederacy was located in an area extending from "36 30' and 38 40' north latitude and 75 35' and 77 25' west longitude" (Rountree 17). This territory included the eastern sea section of Virginia and the "southern half of the Delmarva Peninsula" called the Eastern Shore. The largest and longest Potomac River flows through the territory and flows into the sea (Roundtree 17). Originally, land and water provided the Powhatans with food and subsistence in their daily lives. The beach provided fish and shellfish for food and shells. Shell beads, made from shells, were considered scarce and spiritual objects. In the higher areas there were forests consisting of large oaks, pines, berries, persimmons and plums. The Powhatans could easily harvest these fruits and nuts for their diet. Where salt water occasionally covered the land, there were clams, fish and ducks as a food source. Additionally, Native American Indians used saltwater grass and rushes to weave basket cloth, rope, and menaces (Rountr...... middle of card ...... urial customs regarding the person's status and location . In general, Powhatan "dug deep holes in the earth with very sharp stakes, and, wrapping the corpse in skins, laid it on sticks in the ground and covered it with earth" (Sturtevant 301). in a mat and placed the body on scaffolding with the mat and the remains were then placed in their order with those of others who had previously died" (Sturtevant 301). The Powhatans were believed to have priests. The Powhatan people believed that the priest had great divine powers and communication with the gods (Rountree 100) Powhatan worshiped "everything that was capable of causing harm beyond their prevention such as fire, water, lighting, and thunder..." (Sturtevant 301). religious beliefs were both animism and animatism.