Pontiac's Speech At Detroit

Pontiac gave his “Speech at Detroit” in 1763 to the Ottawa, Potawatomi, and the Huron Indians. He gave this speech to unite these tribes against the white men that have taken their land and killed their men. At this time, the British had taken over Fort Detroit from the French and the British leaders. While the French before them treated them as allies instead of just subjects like the British did. Soon after this exchange of power, the British had taken most of their land from them. In this speech, Pontiac uses his anecdote to explain how he feels against the English who are destroying their people and way of life; however, it can also explain his sadness for his own culture because the English changed his people so easily.
In his narrative, the Delaware Indian comes upon many obstacles on his journey in search of The Great Spirit. Two obstacles in particular are a “mountain of dazzling whiteness” (223 ¶ 1 line 23) and a woman in white. The color white in these two occasions is used with different meanings. In Native American culture, the color white can be interpreted as purity or light, but it can also represent mourning. Pontiac is

Pontiac, specifically, uses this woman in white to express his wish for the people to get rid of every piece of technology the white men have provided them and return to the lifestyle of their forefathers. She tells the Indian in the story to cleanse himself of this new way of life and return to the old way, which is what Pontiac wants his people to do. This would lead them to not be dependent on the white men and easily revolt against them. Overall, “Speech at Detroit” is a product of Pontiac’s anger toward the English and his anguish toward other Indians assimilating with the white men that continue to disrespect the Indians