History
Today
Today there are eleven tribes in Virginia and two small reservations. There are 2,500 people on the tribal registers, and the census figures show another 15,000 people of Indian ancestry living across Virginia. Two tribes, the Pamunkey and the Mattaponi, have small reservations in King William County. Their state reservations date from the 1600s. Nine other incorporated groups are officially recognized as Indian tribes by the Commonwealth of Virginia. They are the: Cheroenhaka (Nottoway) in Southampton County; Chickahominy Indian Tribe in Charles City County; Chickahominy Indian Tribe -- Eastern Division in New Kent County; Monacan Indian Tribe in Amherst County; Nansemond Indian Tribal Association in the City of Chesapeake; Nottoway Indian Tribe of Virginia in Southampton County; Patawomeck Tribe based in Stafford County; Rappahannock Indian Tribe in Essex, Caroline, and King & Queen Counties; and the Upper Mattaponi Indian Tribe in King William County.
Many activities among Virginia's Indians continue to build a strong sense of identity among the tribes. Tribal centers have emerged as symbols of unity, similar to the role-played earlier by Indian schools and churches. Tribal dance groups are commonly seen at the increasingly popular tribal Pow Wows, which enable Virginia Indian tribes to meet with the public and demonstrate crafts, dances, and share oral histories.
Tribe |
Year Recognized |
Location |
| Cheroenhaka (Nottoway) | 2010 | Southampton County |
| Chickahominy | 1983 | Charles City County |
| Eastern Chickahominy | 1983 | New Kent County |
| Mattaponi | 1983 | Mattaponi River, King William Co. |
| Monacan Indian Nation | 1989 | Bear Mountain, Amherst County |
| Nansemond | 1985 | Cities of Suffolk and Chesapeake |
| Nottoway | 2010 | Southampton County |
| Pamunkey | 1983 | Pamunkey River, King William Co. |
| Patawomeck | 2010 | Stafford Co. |
| Rappahannock | 1983 | Indian Neck, King & Queen Co. |
| Upper Mattaponi | 1983 | King William County |
Source: Virginia Council on Indians. 22 May 2003. Commonwealth of Virginia, Richmond. 20 January 2005. http://indians.vipnet.org/.
The Virginia Council on Indians
In 1982, the General Assembly created a subcommittee consisting of eleven members to undertake a comprehensive study of the historic dealings and relationship between the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Virginia Indian Tribes. The joint subcommittee report resulted in the formation of the "Commission on Indians". The Commission was later changed to the Virginia Council on Indians. The Virginia Council on Indians is an advisory board to the Governor and the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Council's duties include studies and research regarding the Indian Tribes in the Commonwealth, and making recommendations to the Commonwealth on issues regarding Virginia Indians. The Virginia Council on Indians submits to the Governor and the General Assembly an annual executive summary of its interim activity no later than the first day of each regular session of the General Assembly. Findings and recommendations of the Council are submitted to the Governor and the General Assembly 60 days prior to the convening of the session of the General Assembly held in each even numbered year. The Council is affiliated with the Secretary of Natural Resources and is currently comprised of 16 members, appointed by the Governor.
Source: Virginia Council on Indians. 22 May 2003. Commonwealth of Virginia, Richmond. 20 January 2005. http://indians.vipnet.org/.
State Recognition of the Virginia Indian Tribes
When the Commonwealth of Virginia extends "tribal recognition" by an Act of the General Assembly, the recipient is always known as a tribe, that is, an Indian-descended group that has functioned in specific ways over time (*). Indian-descended groups are not officially tribes until they are recognized by the General Assembly.
According to the Code of Virginia (§ 2.2-2629), the Virginia Council on Indians "shall establish criteria for tribal recognition and shall recommend to the General Assembly and the Governor in its biennial report those groups meeting the criteria that should be given official state recognition." The Council should receive the documents comprising a petition for recognition to carry out this function.
The criteria that must be satisfied by a petitioning group in order to qualify for recommendation by the Council for Virginia state recognition can be summarized as follows:
- Showing that the group's members have retained a specifically Indian identity through time
- Descent from an historical Indian tribe(s) that lived within Virginia's current boundaries at the time of that tribe's first contact with Europeans
- Ability to trace that tribe's continued existence within Virginia from first contact down to the present
- Providing a complete genealogy of current group members, traced as far back as possible
- Showing that the community has been socially distinct - at least for the 20th century, and farther back if possible - from other cultural groups, preferably by organizing separate churches, schools, political organizations, etc.
- Providing evidence of contemporary formal organization, with full membership restricted to people genealogically descended from the historical tribe(s)
State Recognized Tribes of Virginia
Chickahominy
When Jamestown was founded, the Chickahominy Tribe lived in villages along the Chickahominy River from the James River to the middle of the current county of New Kent. The Chickahominy were part of the Algonquin speaking peoples who lived in North Carolina and Virginia at the time of first contact. The English found that the Chickahominy Republic, although allied with the Powhatan Confederation, was basically independent with a small council of eight Mangai (great men) serving as leaders. The Chickahominy possessed 200-250 warriors, 600-900 persons, and many villages located along the lower Chickahominy River.
Because of their proximity to Jamestown, the Chickahominy people had early contact with the English settlers. As the settlers began to establish settlements beyond Jamestown, the Chickahominy were crowded out of their homeland. The Chickahmonies sided with the English colonists in the Treaty of 1614, when it agreed to provide 300 warriors to fight the Spanish. The eight Mangai of the Tribe were regarded as noblemen of King James. The Chickahominy Republic was ravaged by raids in 1623 and in 1627. Later, the Chickahominies were moved to what is now King William County, but in 1718 they were forced from that reservation. Afterwards, they returned to their original territory in present-day Charles City and New Kent counties. They eventually settled in King William County near the Mattaponi Reservation, but that land was also lost to the English. The Tribal families began a gradual migration that led them back to New Kent County, and finally, to Charles City County. They settled several miles from one of their original villages in an area known as the Chickahominy Ridge, halfway between Richmond and Williamsburg. The families purchased land to live on and established Samaria Baptist Church, which still serves as an important focal point. They also purchased land near the church for Tribal use.
The Tribe constructed a tribal center on this land and each year hosts a Fall Festival and Pow-wow here, with people in attendance from all over the United States. The Tribe is led by a chief, two assistant chiefs and Tribal Council of both men and women. At the time of the settlers' arrival, the Chief's position was hereditary, being passed through the mother's bloodlines. Today, the tribe uses the election process to select the Chiefs and Council members.
There are approximately 1,000 Chickahominy people living within a five-mile radius of the Tribal Center, with several hundred more living in other parts of the United States. Today, the Tribe is based in Charles City County. The Chickahominy Tribe is one of Virginia's largest state recognized tribes. It is governed by a Board of Directors. It incorporated in 1901 and, shortly after, founded an Indian school and Samaria Indian Baptist Church. In 1978, they built a tribal center and were recognized by the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1983. By providing 225-acres as living space for young families, the tribe encourages its youth to remain in the tribal community. Each September, the Tribe hosts the Chickahominy Fall Festival and Powwow, featuring crafts, drumming, singing and dancing. The Tribe even has its own dance group -- the Chickahominy Redman Dancers.
Contact Information:
Chief: Stephen Adkins
8200 Lott Cary Road
Providence Forge, VA 23140
Visit their Web site at http://www.chickahominytribe.org/.
Source: Virginia Council on Indians. 22 May 2003. Commonwealth of Virginia, Richmond. 20 January 2005. http://indians.vipnet.org/.
Chickahominy Eastern Division
European contact with the tribal ancestors of the modern day Chickahominy Indians & the Chickahominy Indians, Eastern Division is recorded as early as 1607. They shared their history until a disagreement among the Chickahominy Indians regarding land development and religious organization caused them to part. In 1921, the New Kent County band of the Chickahominy organized into its own tribal government under Chief E. P. Bradby. In September 1922, they founded their own church, Tsena Commocko Indian Baptist Church located just outside of the Providence Forge area. The tribe built its own school for grades one through seven and this building served the Native community as both a school and church until a separate church building was erected. They incorporated, as a tax-exempt organization in 1935 to serve the educational, religious and shared needs of its people. The tribe maintained its original government and is governed by Tribal Council. The Chickahominy Indians Eastern Division was formally recognized by the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1983.
The Chickahominy Indians, Eastern Division, are located in New Kent County approximately twenty-five miles east of Richmond, Virginia. They are a small group organized for religious, educational, and benevolent reasons. The tribe, incorporated as a non-taxable organization to serve the needs of the community, is supported through contributions and dues-paying members. The population is approximately 150 persons.
Contact Information:
Chief Marvin Bradby
Chickahominy Indians Eastern Division
12111 Indian Hill Lane
Providence Forge, VA 23140
Visit their Web site at http://www.cied.org.
Source: Virginia Council on Indians. 22 May 2003. Commonwealth of Virginia, Richmond. 20 January 2005. http://indians.vipnet.org/.
Mattaponi
This King William County tribe of some 100 members lives on a reservation along the Mattaponi River near West Point, Virginia. The tribe traces its history back to the Powhatan chiefdom that greeted the settlers in 1607. At this time, the Mattaponis, along with other original Powhatan tribes, were visited by Captain John Smith. In those early days, the people made their living completely from nature's resources. Before the first settlers reached this land, these Indians worshipped the Great Spirit, who was their God in the heavens above the sun, the moon and the stars. The reservation dates back to 1658 and is one of the oldest in the United States. While many other tribes have disappeared, the Mattaponis have persisted as a result of their strong traditions, ceremonies, and leadership qualities, which have held the tribe together. Now they worship as Southern Baptists, and have their own church on the Mattaponi Reservation.
In 1646 the Mattaponi began paying tribute to an early Virginia governor. This practice continues to the present day, as on the fourth Wednesday of November the tribe presents game or fish to the governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Today, the Mattaponis' pride in their cultural heritage is greater than ever. They have a museum, a trading post, and craft shop in the heart of their village. Crafts people make pottery, baskets, feathered headdresses, and costumes in traditional fashion.
Contact Information:
Chief: Carl "Lone Eagle" Custalow
1467 Mattaponi Reservation Circle
West Point, VA 23181
Visit their Web site at http://www.uppermattaponi.org.
Source: Virginia Council on Indians. 22 May 2003. Commonwealth of Virginia, Richmond. 20 January 2005. http://indians.vipnet.org/.
Monacan
Bear Mountain in Amherst County has been the home of the Monacan people for more than 10,000 years. Artifacts from hundreds of local archaeological sites revealed that during this time, Indian people thrived by gathering and hunting the area's rich natural resources. The earliest written histories of Virginia record that, in 1607, the James River Monacans (along with their Manahoac allies on the Rappahannock River) controlled the area between the fall line near Richmond and the Blue Ridge Mountains. The most western of Virginia's recognized tribes, the Monacans are outside the original Powhatan chiefdom and bring together the Siouan/Tupelo language and culture. The Monacans, over 900 strong, are currently preserving their heritage and ancient customs. St. Paul's Mission on Bear Mountain was chosen as the site for a museum and culture center. The property has always been considered the spiritual center of the Monacan efforts to reestablish their identity. The tribe has regained the summit of Bear Mountain with a plan for regrowth and agricultural management. They hold an annual Homecoming and Bazaar the first Saturday in October at Bear Mountain.
Contact Information:
Chief Kenneth Branham
Monacan Tribal Office
P.O. Box 1136
Madison Heights, VA 24572
Visit their Web site at http://www.monacannation.com.
Source: Virginia Council on Indians. 22 May 2003. Commonwealth of Virginia, Richmond. 20 January 2005. http://indians.vipnet.org/.
Nansemond
At the time of the founding of Jamestown in 1607, the Nansemond Indians lived in several towns along both sides of the Nansemond River, in what is today the city of Suffolk. Their werowance (chief) lived near Dumpling Island on the Nansemond River in the vicinity of Chuckatuck. At that time, the tribe had a population of approximately 1,200 persons with 300 bowmen.
The early English raided the Nansemond villages and began the open hostilities between the two communities. As increasing numbers of Europeans poured into the Nansemond River area to appropriate the rich farmland, the tribal members relocated their reservation and tribal lands several times, relinquishing their last reservated lands in 1791/1792. Currently most Nansemond Indians still live in the Chesapeake/Suffolk area. The tribe holds their monthly meetings at the Indiana United Methodist Church, which was founded in 1850 as a mission for the Nansemond Indians. The church is adjacent to the site of earlier tribal schools, on land donated by a tribal ancestor. The Nansemond, one of the remaining descendant tribes of Powhatan's paramount chiefdom, have a population of approximately 300 members. They currently have plans for a tribal center/museum and living history area on ancestral lands along the Nansemond River.
Contact Information:
Chief Barry Bass Nansemond
3427 Gallbery Road
Chesapeake, VA 23323-1403
Visit their Web site at http://www.nansemond.org.
Source: Virginia Council on Indians. 22 May 2003. Commonwealth of Virginia, Richmond. 20 January 2005. http://indians.vipnet.org/.
Pamunkey Indians
The Pamunkey Indians were the most powerful of the tribes in the great Powhatan paramount chiefdom, which consisted of approximately 35 tribes with an estimated population of 10,000 people under the leadership of Chief Powhatan. His territory encompassed the entire coastal plain from south of the James River to near Washington, DC. The tribe is exceedingly proud of their lineage and enjoys telling how bravely their ancestors resisted the encroachment of the white settlers.
The legendary Pocahontas is said to have lived among the Pamunkey on the rich, bountiful coastal plains of Eastern Virginia. They have occupied the 1200-acre island-like peninsula on the Pamunkey River that comprises their current reservation, uninterrupted since pre-Colonial times. The Reservation is located in King William County. However, gradual diminishment in the size of the original reservation (10,000 acres were ceded to the College of William & Mary) meant that the Pamunkey could not survive solely by their traditional methods of hunting, fishing and light agriculture. Thus, the Pamunkey people took up the more modern and intensive farming methods of their neighbors.
The Pamunkey have tenaciously maintained a distinct tribal identity that centers on the land. It has retained their shared heritage as the aboriginal inhabitants of Virginia. They live in houses and mobile homes scattered about their farms on the reservation, with the surrounding forested hunting land shared by all.
Before the Civil War, the Pamunkeys were threatened with the termination of their Reservation and Treaty Rights by Virginians who wanted a society with a caste system of white masters and non-white servants. This belief left no room for the free Virginia's indigenous inhabitants. The Pamunkey responded by establishing a more formal tribal government and a Board of Trustees, made up of friendly non-Indians, as a bulwark. When the 1920's brought forth another explosion of race-mania in Virginia, with segregationists clamoring to legally classify all citizens as either white or "colored," the Pamunkey again fought to maintain their separate identity, going so far as to set up their own schools.
Today the Pamunkeys have a vigorous tribal life. An eight-member Council, elected every four years, governs the Reservation. The Reservation participates in inter-tribal activities and Federal programs such as the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) funded by the Department of Labor and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) building projects. The Tribe issues licenses for member-owned cars and Reservation land is exempt from Commonwealth taxation. In 1971, the Tribe used the Federal Indian Non-Intercourse Act to secure an agreement from a railroad company to compensate them for land taken in 1885.
The Pamunkey enjoy the distinction of being one of the tribes east of the Mississippi who have practiced the art of pottery making continuously since aboriginal times. The tribe, of approximately 100 persons, is located on the Pamunkey Indian Reservation in King William County, near West Point, Virginia.
Contact Information:
Chief William Miles
Pamunkey Indian Museum
289 Pamunkey River Road
King William, VA 23086
Visit their Web site at http://www.baylink.org/Pamunkey/.
Source: Virginia Council on Indians. 22 May 2003. Commonwealth of Virginia, Richmond. 20 January 2005. http://indians.vipnet.org/.
Rappahannock
The Rappahannocks first spoke to Captain John Smith in 1608 at their kingstowne, "Cat Point Creek" on the banks of the river bearing their name. They had thirteen villages on the south side of the river and two on the north side. By the late 1600's, the Rappahannocks were moved off the river and consolidated on to one reserve. Around 1705, the Rappahannocks were driven from their lands at the Portabago Indian town and relocated to a 3,474-acre reserve at Indian Neck in King & Queen County, Virginia, by order of the Colonial Council. The reserve was located on their traditional winter hunting grounds between the Mattaponi and Rappahannock rivers. Descendants of the Rappahannocks have remained in the area until present day. They became the subject of scholarly research and field studies from the late 1800's to the 1950's by the Smithsonian Institute, which produced several books and articles.
In an effort to formalize their tribal government, the Rappahannocks incorporated with the State of Virginia in 1921. They were officially recognized as one of the historic tribes of the Commonwealth of Virginia by an act of the General Assembly on March 25, 1983. With the support of approximately 300 members, the Rappahannocks initiated plans to build a cultural center and museum. In 1995, they began construction of the cultural center project, and completed two phases by 1997. Phase three, a planned museum, is in the planning stages and will be completed for the 2007 ceremonies commemorating the 400th anniversary of America.
In 1998, they elected the first woman Chief to lead in Virginia since the 1700's, Chief G. Anne Richardson. In the same year, they purchased 119.5 acres to establish a land trust, retreat center and housing development. The housing project is underway and plans are being formulated for the retreat center. The Rappahannocks host their traditional Harvest Festival and Pow Wow annually on the second Saturday in October at their Cultural Center in Indian Neck, Virginia. Their mission is to preserve Rappahannock culture, social and political structures while educating the public on the rich contributions they have made and continue to make to Virginia and the nation.
The Rappahannock Indians originated from the area known as Richmond County. Captain John Smith first noted their presence as early as 1608. The Tribe subsequently migrated to their present location in King and Queen, Caroline and Essex Counties. The Tribe maintained an Indian school until 1964 and taught Indian history in the early 1960's to visitors at Jamestown Park in Williamsburg.
Today, the older generation of Rappahannocks maintains their heritage by teaching the younger members traditional crafts, and educating them in the history of their Tribe. The Tribe also maintains a dance group, "The Rappahannock American Indian Dancers," that perform both locally and abroad. For several years the Tribe has sponsored an Indian Heritage Day with representatives from the Richmond area to help educate the public about Virginia's Indian Tribes. The Tribe encourages its members to participate in the mainstream of American society, but it does emphasize the responsibility of each generation to keep its heritage alive.
Contact information:
Chief Anne Richardson
Rappahannock Indian Tribe
HCR 1, Box 402
Indian Neck, VA 23148
E-mail: Rappahannocktrib@aol.com
Source: Virginia Council on Indians. 22 May 2003. Commonwealth of Virginia, Richmond. 20 January 2005. http://indians.vipnet.org/.
Upper Mattaponi
The Upper Mattaponi tribe is a group of urban, non-reservated Indians whose origin can be traced to both the Mattaponi and Pamunkey Reservations. The Upper Mattaponi are a people of high morals and strong ties to Christianity, and their community is centered around the Indian View Baptist Church. Adjacent to the church, the Upper Mattaponi built the Sharon Indian School in about 1919. The school was renovated in 1952 and closed in 1964. In 1985, the King William County Board of Supervisors agreed to return the school and two acres of land to the tribe. This structure is now used as a tribal center and meeting place for approximately 100 members. The Upper Mattaponi sponsor an annual spring festival to promote the culture and history of Indian people.
The Upper Mattaponi Indian Tribe is located primarily in King William County. The Tribe originated from several Powhatan Tribes, including those of the Mattaponi and Pamunkey Reservations. The group settled in the Upper Mattaponi River area, near the site of the Chickahominy Reservation. When the Chickahominy left the Reservation in the 1700's, the Upper Mattaponi remained. The Upper Mattaponi struggled to maintain a separate identity in Virginia. To help with this, an Indian school was operated by the Tribe throughout the late 1800's and most of the 1900's for the education of its children.
Focal points of the tribe are Indian View Baptist Church and the one-room Sharon Indian Schoolhouse, located on Route 30. The Tribe built both. The schoolhouse was erected in 1919, deeded to the School Board in 1922 for accreditation through the seventh grade, and then closed in 1964. The King William County Board of Supervisors agreed to return the school and two acres of property to the Tribe in 1985. The school property was received by the Upper Mattaponi in 1987. The Tribe received state recognition in 1983 and a Tribal Council governs it.
Contact information:
Chief Kenneth Adams
Rt. 1, Box 182
King William, VA 23086
Visit their Web site at http://www.uppermattaponi.com.
Source: Virginia Council on Indians. 22 May 2003. Commonwealth of Virginia, Richmond. 20 January 2005. http://indians.vipnet.org/.
