Maria

**Ghinga** (renamed **Maria** by the Portuguese) is a African slave owned by the Governor of Jamestown, Sir George Yeardley. She’s a talented farmer and, therefore, very valuable to her master. She’s very much aware that her enslavement is different from that of some Englishmen, that one day will be free and own their own lands. Her bravery and resistance to assimilation saw her punished at the hands of her master, Yeardley. However, with Pedro by her side and a raft of loyal friends, Maria no longer face his hardship alone and begins to take more daring and audacious efforts to secure a better life for herself. Embracing the beliefs and guidance of her ancestors, Maria finds she has nothing to lose.

## Personality

Proud, defiant and unbendable, Maria refuses to abandon her religion and culture, rejecting the English way of life. She practices her Angolan rituals in secret and regularly refuses to speak English. She has no wish to adapt and still hopes in returning home to her family someday for she misses them terribly, especially her children.

## Physical Appearance

Maria is a slender and beautiful woman. She has ebony skin, dark brown eyes and black hair. She is forced to dress herself like the others lowborn Englishwomen, but still wears her hair braided.

## Throughout *Jamestown*

* Background
* Season Two
* Season Three

When she was captured in Angola by the Portuguese, her daughter was one year old and her two sons a little older. The Portuguese renamed her "Maria".

<tabber>

Maria is cleaning her idols by the river when he hears voices. Verity Rutter cries for help for Alice Sharrow is giving birth. Maria helps them. After Alice’s son is born, Maria recalls her own children and promises to the wind she’ll return to them. Later, Verity visits Maria and thanks her for helping with the childbirth. Maria talks about her own children. Verity says she can have more children in Virginia and remarks that Pedro has taken a like into her. Maria claims she has to return home to her children for they must be waiting for her mother to return. Verity says she was also bought but made a life for her there. Maria shows her branding mark and Verity recognizes she doesn’t have know. Maria states Virginia will never be her home. Later, Maria is praying in the woods when Verity finds her and urges her to stop for they will cut her off head for blasphemy. Maria says no one will stop her from making kiteke to call for her husband. Verity says she will never return home and that her children and husband were surely also taken by the Portuguese. Maria says she says these things because she doesn’t know how it is to lose a child. Verity remarks she’s young and can have more children. Maria strikes her and runs off. The next day, Pedro is working on Yeardley’s farm and Maria asks what he’s doing there. Pedro states Virginia will be kind to them and she will be by his side. Maria frowns upon him. Pedro promises he’ll be like the Englishmen and work for his freedom. After Pedro’s trial, Maria is called by Marshal Redwick that claims to have witnessed her striking Verity Rutter. Verity denies the accusations and states she’s the one who stroke Maria because she insulted her husband. Later, Maria goes to Pedro, while he’s in chains. Pedro promises Maria life in Virginia will be kind to them and they will get their freedom if they wait. Maria says she will curse him every time he says such things.

While on church, Temperance Yeardley and Maria encounter Alice Sharrow and her babe. Maria takes the babe and nurses him. Lady Yeardley asks Maria to return the child but she doesn’t listen and starts singing to him. Temperance, eventually understands Maria’s sorrow for her children for herself has children of her own that are far away in England. Later, when Jocelyn Castell is speaking with Governor Yeardley, she approaches Maria and asks her name. She claims to be called Ghinga. After Pedro's trial, he now belongs to Governor Yeardley. Once outside, Pedro tells Maria his path to freedom is beginning. Meanwhile, Maria and Pedro play in the farm and this makes Maria laugh. Pedro remarks that Maria will love him within one year and starts to sing. During mass, Maria stares fondly at Alice’s babe and Lady Yeardley urges her to pay attention to the ritual. Later, Temperance Yeardley is reading the Bible to them and Pedro tells war stories from Congo and reveals he was a mighty warrior. Maria seems proud of him. Lady Yeardley remarks that when Maria speaks she continues to work while Pedro forgets his labors. The next day, Pedro tells Maria he followed her into the woods but lost sight of her. He asks what she was doing in the woods. Maria doesn’t answer. Pedro states he hopes she doesn’t put herself in danger. Meanwhile, Alice Sharrow’s son goes missing and Alice turns her attention to Maria after Chacrow denied his involvement. Maria denies Alice’s accusations for she’s a mother who lost her children. Later, Maria spots the baby floating down the river in a canoe and calls for the others. That night, Pedro demands Maria to show him what’s in the woods. She eventually agrees and shows him her kiteke. She claims she will never burn her idols nor pray to the Englishmen’s God.

Pedro presents the bangles he ordered from James Read to Maria and tells her they represent her family. Maria becomes enraged and throws the bangles into the ground claiming them to be pieces of metal that don’t have the power to express her family. Pedro says he thought she would want to declare her love for her family proudly. Later, however, Maria is wearing the bangles. Pedro asks Temperance Yeardley what’s the word of the sound they make. Lady Yeardley replies it’s “jangle” and Pedro smiles at Maria that it is a beautiful word. Lady Yeardley asks Maria where did she get such charming bangles and she replies they were a gift from Pedro. At night, Maria finds a luxury embroidery pillow inside her shack. While Maria and Pedro are playing through the fields, Maria goes into hiding in their shack. Once inside, she finds new luxury items and becomes terrified. Temperance Yeardley asks Maria if there was any problem between Pedro and her on the field and Maria states they were just fooling around. Pedro informs Lady Yeardley that Maria made a magnificent pipe and says he’ll get it but Maria stops him and states she’ll fetch it herself. Maria brings the pipe and claims she made it for Lady Yeardley. Temperance thanks her and promises her she will treasure it. Pedro asks why she would lie and Maria shows him the items that were placed in their shack. Late at night, Maria visits the tavern and shows Verity Rutter the objects and says someone placed them in her and Pedro’s shack to blame them for stealing. Verity promises her she’ll take care of it and takes the items.

Sir George Yeardley informs Jamestown the Spanish can invade them at any time so they must prepare for attack. Maria and the other women help bringing food and provisions inside. While Pedro is preparing to battle, Maria looks at him with pride. Meanwhile, tales that Samuel Castell has rise from the grave spread over Jamestown. Maria overhears Alice Sharrow telling Jocelyn Castell to place metal spikes on Samuel’s grave in order for him not to get out. Late at night, Maria visits Jocelyn and says she has to take off the spikes from the grave for it’s a suffering to a spirit to be quiet when he needs to speak. Jocelyn follows her lead. Meanwhile, Maria encounters Alice. A tornado hints Jamestown and the townsfolk believe it to be Samuel’s spirit doing. Alice, Maria and James Read head to Jocelyn’s house. James Read takes Jocelyn in his arms and the storm calms down. The next day, Pedro asks Maria if she’s the one who took the spikes from the grave. She tells him it was Jocelyn at her advice.

One night, Maria wakes up Pedro with a kiss. He follows her outside and Maria says that Pedro has always tried to impress her until he conquered her trust. He tells her she’s the most beautiful woman. They make love. At Yeardley’s farm, Temperance Yeardley says she expects Pedro to follow her husband’s orders to “breed” with Maria. She’s heartbroken and feels a deep betrayal, believing that Pedro only made love to her because he was following Yeardley’s orders. Pedro confirms that the governor spoke to him. Out of anger, Maria stabs Pedro on the stomach and runs away into the wilderness. Maria watches from a distance while Verity Rutter hides food for her on the woods. Maria watches as Pepper Sharrow and Mercy kiss in the woods. She nearly falls from the tree and Chacrow tries to save her, but she crashes to the ground. The Pamunkey warrior takes her back to the Sharrow’s plantation and Alice Sharrow hides her inside the house. Henry Sharrow returns home and learns about Maria. Alice tries to stop him. Before he can get to her, Maria escapes through the window. Maria visits Verity at the tavern and thanks her for coming after her with food. She reveals she kept the knife with her for so long because she knew she would have to use someday but never for once thought it would be on Pedro. James Read arrives and tells them Pedro has escape and he goes search for him. James takes Pedro to the tavern and he reunites with Maria. She apologizes and asks why he didn’t tell her about Yeardley’s order. Pedro says he wasn’t able to think about their master when she was kissing him. They agree to turn themselves in to Yeardley. While Pedro and Maria attempt to return to Yeardley's farm, they run into Henry Sharrow. He puts them in chains and drags them into town to deliver them to the governor. Pedro urges the governor to forgive Maria, swearing it was an accident and she run away out of fear. Temperance plays along with their lie. Yeardley, however, wants to punish Maria and brands his initial on her face with a hot iron for her to always remember who owns her. Back at Yeardley’s farm, Lady Yeardley heals Maria’s face. Pedro turns back the pillow and asks her to be kind to them.

At Yeardley’s farm, the governor is enraged for he had grand plans for Edgar Massinger’s farm. He tells Nicholas Farlow and Thomas Redwick it’s time they take more territory from the natives. Redwick is ready to rally a militia but Farlow asks for caution. Maria overhears the conversation. Yeardley recalls they can’t attack the Pamunkey because the Virginia Company wants peace. Yeardley wants to stage an attack on Jamestown and blame it on the Pamunkey. While washing clothes at the river, Maria tells Alice Sharrow about Yeardley’s plans. Temperance Yeardley approaches and asks Alice to leave Maria be for she has suffered enough. At Yeardley’s farm, the governor promises Pedro that he has great plans for him. Pedro and Maria sing about being free and having their own piece of land.

<tabber>

Maria is having trouble sleeping. She has a vision of Sir George Yeardley with a severed head on one hand and an axe on the other. She also seems her Angolan ancestors in the tobacco fields. She gets up and looks outside to find them there, leaving a key. Maria wakes up terrified. She goes outside and finds the key from her dream lying on the ground. The next morning, she’s praying by the river to the Angolan gods. Temperance Yeardley arrives and Maria tells her about her night visions. Temperance says she must put aside such devil-touched thinking’s because she’s a Christian now. Maria says the key is from her house in Jamestown. Pedro tries to prevent Maria from saying anymore but she reveals to Temperance her vision of Yeardley and the severed head. Lady Yeardley is distressed by her words and hushes her to be quiet because of her husband’s arrival. Maria gives her the key and urges her to seek the truth. Back in Jamestown, the assembly is joined to talk about Silas Sharrow promises he shall have his head on a spike. Lady Yeardley and Maria exchange worried looks. Later, Lady Yeardley believes in Maria and asks if the vision can be stopped. Maria doesn’t know. Pedro begs Lady Yeardley to keep it a secret from the governor. Temperance agrees. Maria and Pedro arrive at Jamestown and see Nicholas Farlow’s head on display. Maria is terrified.

Yeardley asks Maria if she spoke to her ancestors. Pedro says Maria’s visions are nothing more than childish dreams. Yeardley says he’s done with Pedro’s insolence and therefore will send him, without Maria, to live and work in his new lands by the river. At Yeardley's farm, Pedro approaches the governor and Temperance carrying an axe and is stopped by Maria, who tells the governor he wants his permission to sharpen his axe. Yeardley gives Pedro his dagger and commands him to grind it. At Jamestown, Willmus Crabtree praises Maria's beauty. He tells her that if she was in England every man alive would fall to her feet. Maria goes to the tavern and asks Verity Rutter to help her hiring sailors so she’ll leave to England. Verity warns Maria’s plan won’t work because someone will catch her. Maria says the governor will send Pedro away and that Pedro will kill Yeardley because that happens. Verity still says no. At the wharf, Mercy approaches Maria, grieving how many ships keep coming. Mercy is angry more people, especially – beautiful - women, keep arriving to Jamestown. Maria says she used to curse the ships because they brought her there now they give her hope. Meanwhile, Temperance calls for Maria. She asks her to use her visions to return Yeardley to his former modest and better self. Maria wants Pedro to stay with her in return. Maria is praying to the Angolan gods when Pedro interrupts her. He tells her not to offend their ancestors by asking them to do Yeardley’s biding. Maria tells she prays for Pedro not Yeardley and says she’s afraid he’ll kill the governor. Maria tells him about her plans to escape to England. The next day, Yeardley commands Pedro to say goodbye to Maria because they’ll travel to his new lands by the river where Pedro will live and work. Maria and Pedro kiss goodbye and he promises everything is fine. At Yeardley’s farm, Maria goes to Pedro alongside the other African slaves and says they all wish for them to go because it will give them hope. Pedro finally agrees to go to England with Maria. At St. George's feast, Maria and Pedro wait for the opportunity to escape. Meanwhile, Maria and Pedro leave the feast and board the Golden Lion, hiding behind deck. Yeardley is looking for Pedro and asks him to raise the flag. Verity overhears and fearing Maria and Pedro's escape is known Verity seeks to warn them. They return but Pedro assures to Maria they haven’t been defeated. Yeardley tells Pedro to hoist the flag. Pedro refuses and very publicly asks the governor to allow him to stay with Maria. Yeardley eventually agrees.

Maria is washing clothes by the river when she hears a horse neighing. She follows the sound and founds the golden horse. Maria calls for Mercy to come and see. Temperance Yeardley goes with them. The three women are at awe with the horse. At the farm, Yeardley commands Pedro to go with Maria tomorrow and catch the horse on his behalf. He also swore them to secrecy. At Yeardley’s farm, Temperance tells Maria that she’s aware of her trying to escape to England. She promises she’ll ask her husband to give her and Pedro some cattle for them to breed. Maria urges Temperance to go to the doctor. Meanwhile, Maria and Pedro search for the horse. Pedro doesn’t believe they’ll catch it. Maria claims they are not Yeardley’s servants, they are his slaves. Meanwhile, they run into James Read. They reveal they don’t want to find the animal because Yeardley believes Maria saw the horse by magic. Pedro wants Yeardley to stop plaguing Maria. But James keeps pursuing the horse. They manage to track the horse on a field but he runs away because of Tamlin Appleday.

Later, James Read steals the horse from the Sharrows. Pedro says that if Maria delivers the horse to Yeardley then the governor will believe everything she tells him after that. Henry and Pepper arrive to retrieve the horse. James says it belongs to Maria. Henry informs that the horse will allow Silas to return to the farm and be hunted no more. Pedro recalls it was Henry who delivered them to the governor so he might put a brand upon her cheek. Maria, however, chooses to give the horse back to the Sharrows. Later that night, Maria has a vision of blood running down the wall of her cabin. She is worried that a lot of people are going to die in the future. Pedro hauls a cart around Jamestown, collecting buckets of urine. He reunites with Maria and calls himself the “prince of piss”. Jocelyn Castell notices that Yeardley has Pamunkey labors. Maria says the other farms have too. Jocelyn is not pleased since she’s the one who suggested it and made dealings with the Pamunkey and has none working in her farm. Maria has a vision of blood dripping down Jocelyn’s head. Later, Meredith Rutter approaches Pedro and Maria and begs them to call upon Verity to forgive him because he’s afflicted by injustice. They turn their back on him.

At Yeardley’s farm, Maria and Pedro are resting. Maria says that if they accept the way things are perhaps they’ll know peace. Pedro playfully says Maria will bow to Yeardley because she loves it. They are laughing when Christopher and Verity arrive. The doctor tells them the governor has written in his will that Maria and Pedro are to be passed on to his children upon his death. They realize they will never be free. Pedro says that even if he kills Yeardley, the governor will own them beyond the grave. Verity asks what can be done. Christopher promises he’ll write to England to the Virginia Company but Maria doesn’t trust in English promises. Pedro thanks Christopher for his wish to help them. At his shack, Pedro is collecting his belongings. Maria comes in and reveals she’ll poison Yeardley’s mind to drive him to madness. Pedro believes he might reach for Yeardley’s soul and change his mind. However, his plan fails. Pedro talks to Maria about the timepiece and explains its purpose. Pedro says he doesn’t know if the pocket dial came into his life to teach or torment him. Maria says there is a way to undo Yeardley but it’s not hope nor kindness. That night, Maria starts her plan to drive Yeardley to madness by commanding him not to sleep because his dreams will abuse him. In his farm, Yeardley asks about Pedro. Temperance says Jocelyn asked him to accompany her to prospect new land along the river. Maria tells the governor it has her ancestors who demanded for Pedro to go upriver with Mistress Castell.

At Yeardley’s farm, Maria holds an idol while Yeardley has a nightmare. Temperance meets with Maria and says her husband sleeps in a deep draught. Maria says they must continue with their plan until Yeardley no longer bares it. Temperance and Maria continue with their plan of driving Yeardley into madness by giving him drug induced nightmares. Temperance wants her husband to renounce his position as Governor of Virginia. Meanwhile, one of the mariners who brought Maria and Pedro arrives at Jamestown to meet with Yeardley. Maria overhears the conversation. The mariner chases after Maria in order to murder her. She’s saved by the Sharrows when Henry shots the man. The Sharrows arrive to Jamestown with the mariner’s corpse. Redwick doesn’t recognize the dead man. Silas implies Yeardley does but the governor denies. Henry informs the man was pursuing Maria and wanted to kill her. The governor asks Maria why the man was chasing her and she fakes ignorance.

Maria has a vision of doom. Pedro asks her what’s wrong. Maria says something is wrong but she doesn’t know what it is. Maria and Pedro watch as more African slaves arrive to Jamestown to work on Yeardley’s farm. Pedro is heartbroken. Maria says he knows what to do. Pedro goes to the African men and introduces himself and promise he’ll be a teacher to them. Maria observes the Pamunkey workers talking among themselves and senses something is wrong. At Yeardley’s farm, the workers are eating and Pedro is telling stories. Maria senses something is wrong. The Pamunkey workers stab Pedro and the others. Maria runs with Pedro and says they must get away. Pedro chooses to remain behind because he doesn’t run from a fight. Maria survives the Pamunkey attack because she took refuge within Jamestown.

## Gallery

 Appearances

 Episode 8 | **Appears**

 Episode 8 | **Appears**

## References

1. ↑ Episode 2.01
2. ↑ Episode 2.01
3. ↑ Episode 2.07
4. ↑ Episode 2.02
5. ↑ Episode 2.01
6. ↑ Episode 2.03
7. ↑ Episode 2.03