This image of the "Idol Kiwasa" shows a man dressed in a long-sleeved shirt, a cloth skirt, boots, and hat, squatting in the middle of a small structure.
In the English translation of this text, Thomas Hariot describes this image: "XXI. Ther Idol Kivvasa. THe people of this cuntrie haue an Idol, which they call KIWASA: yt is carued of woode in lengthe 4. foote whose heade is like the heades of the people of Florida, the face is of a flesh colour, the brest white, the rest is all blacke, the thighes are also spotter with whitte. He hath a chavne abowt his necke of white beades, betweene which are other Rownde beades of copper which they esteeme more then golde or siluer. This Idol is placed in the temple of the towne of Secotam, as the keper of the kings dead corpses. Somtyme they haue two of thes idoles in theyr churches, and somtine 3. but neuer aboue, which they place in a darke corner wher they shew tetrible. Thes poore soules haue none other knowledge of god although I thinke them verye Desirous to know the truthe. For when as wee kneeled downe on our knees to make our prayers vnto god, they went abowt to imitate vs, and when they saw we moued our lipps, they also dyd the like. Wherfore that is verye like that they might easelye be brongt to the knowledge of the gospel. God of his mercie grant them this grace." Source: Thomas Hariot, "A Briefe and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia." Frankfort: Theodore De Bry, 1590.
[America. pt. 1. German] Wunderbarliche, doch warhafftige Erklärung, von der Gelegenheit vnd Sitten der Wilden in Virginia ... Erstlich in engelländischer Sprach beschrieben durch Thomam Hariot, vnd newlich durch Christ. P. in Teutsch gebracht. Franckfort am Mayn, Gedruckt bey J. Wechel, in Verlegung D. Bry, 1590. North Carolina Collection call number FVCC970.1 H28w.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. North Carolina Collection.
Host
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
path
\ncc\debry\
Local Identifier
FVCC970.1 H28w
Citation
In "Wunderbarliche, doch warhafftige Erklärung, von der Gelegenheit vnd Sitten der Wilden in Virginia . . ." [America, pt. 1, German], Frankfort: Theodore De Bry, 1590, p. 85. North Carolina Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Related Resource
The full text of Thomas Hariot's "A Briefe and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia" is available online through Documenting the American South at http://docsouth.unc.edu/nc/hariot/menu.html
