It means a “playful one.” Matoaka was the daughter of the leader of Powhatans living nearby Jamestown. She was approximately 11 years old in 1607 and got engaged in aiding the settlers by delivering food to Jamestown. She was prone to dialogue with newcomers, contrary to her father, who lost patience with greedy settlers in late 1609. However, during the 1613 armed conflict between Jamestown and the Powhatans, she was captured, baptized, and converted to Christianity.
