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Chickahominy (tribe)
Encyclopedia
The Chickahominy are a tribe of Virginia Indians
who primarily live in Charles City County
midway between Richmond
and Williamsburg
in the Commonwealth
of Virginia
. This area is not far from where they lived in 1600.
The Eastern Chickahominy, who split from the main tribe in the 1900s, live in New Kent County, which is about 25 miles (40.2 km) east of Richmond. Both tribes are among the eleven officially recognized by the state.
-speaking tribe when the first permanent English settlement
was founded at Jamestown
in 1607. They were led by mungai ("great men"), who were part of a council of elders and religious leaders. The Chickahominy's original territory consisted of the land along the river that was eventually named after them, the Chickahominy River
, from the mouth of the river near Jamestown to what is now New Kent County.
The tribe's proximity to Jamestown meant they had early contact with the English. The tribe helped the English during the first few winters by trading food for other objects. They also helped by teaching them how to grow and preserve crops. By 1614 the tribe had signed a treaty with the colonists that said the tribe would provide 300 warriors to fight the Spanish.
Over time, the English began to expand their settlements and crowded out the Chickahominy from their homeland. Following the Anglo-Powhatan War of 1644-46, the tribe were forced to cede their land to gain a peace treaty. The tribe resettled on reservation land set aside by the treaty in the Pamunkey Neck area, alongside another Virginia Algonquian tribe, the Pamunkey
, between the Mattaponi and Pamunkey rivers. They stayed there until 1661, when they moved to the headwaters of the Mattaponi, where their reserved holdings continued to shrink.
The people lost title to the last part of their reservation lands in 1718, but apparently continued to live in the area for some time. Those who did not merge with the Pamunkey and other tribes, migrated to New Kent (who became the Eastern Chickahominy) and Charles City counties, closer to their original homeland. Descendants of these people formed the current Eastern Chickahominy and Chickahominy tribes, respectively. The migrations happened sometime before the end of the eighteenth century. Few records survive that enable defining the date of the migration.
, and his paramount chiefdom, a confederacy of 30 or so Algonquian
-speaking tribes. Some sources say the Chickahominy joined the Powhatan Confederacy in 1616. Others contend they did not become tributaries of the paramount chiefdom until 1677, when Cockacoeske
signed the Treaty of Middle Plantation. The treaty acknowledged her as leader of the Chickahominy and several other tribes.
, including California
, New York
, Oklahoma
and Pennsylvania
. Current tribal lands of about 110 acre (0.4451546 km²) are in the tribe's traditional territory, present-day Charles City County. The tribal center on the land is the location of an annual Powwow and Fall Festival.
The Chickahominy are led by a tribal council of twelve men and women, including a chief and two assistant chiefs. These positions are elected by members of the tribe, by vote. The current chief is Stephen Adkins. He served as Director of Human Resources for the Commonwealth of Virginia in the administration of Governor Tim Kaine
. Wayne Adkins, pictured left, is an assistant Chief, along with Glenn Canaday.
Most members of the Chickahominy Tribe are Christian
, many of whom attend Samaria Baptist Church, formerly Samaria Indian Church, in Charles City County. The church was built upon tribal grounds and used to serve as a school for the children of the tribe. The church sits directly across from the tribal headquarters.
Today, the Eastern Chickahominy have about 132 members and own about 41 acres (165,921.3 m²) of land. A point of pride for the tribe is that members have served in the military as far back as World War I
. The tribe serves the needs of the community through being consolidated as a non-taxable organization. This is supported through contributions and from members who pay dues.
The Thomasina E Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act would grant federal recognition to six Virginia Indian tribes: the Chickahominy Tribe, Eastern Chickahominy Tribe, Nansemond
, Rappahannock Tribe
, Upper Mattaponi Tribe, and the Monacan Nation. In March of 2009, another draft of the bill was presented to the House Committee on Natural Resources. By June the bill had passed the Committee and the House of Representatives. A day after it was voted on in the House, a companion bill was sent to the Senate. The Senate referred this bill to their Committee on Indian Affairs, who approved the bill on October 22, 2009. On December 23, 2009 the Senate added the bill to its Legislative calendar. This is the farthest the bill has gotten in the Congressional process. The bill is opposed by Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK), citing "jurisdictional concerns." The Senator believes requests for tribal recognition should be processed through the Bureau of Indian Affairs, a process the Virginia tribes cannot utilize because of The Racial Integrity Act of 1924 and the dictates of Walter Plecker, the controversial state registrar for the Bureau of Vital Statistics at the time.
The two state-recognized tribes that still maintain reservations, the Pamunkey and Mattaponi
, are not part of this bill. They are trying to gain federal recognition through the Bureau of Indian Affairs
' administrative process.
Native American tribes in Virginia
This page details the history and current status of Indian tribes in the Commonwealth of Virginia.All of the Commonwealth of Virginia used to be Virginia Indian territory, an area estimated to have been occupied by indigenous peoples for more than 12,000 years. Their population has been estimated...
who primarily live in Charles City County
Charles City County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,926 people, 2,670 households, and 1,975 families residing in the county. The population density was 38 people per square mile . There were 2,895 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile...
midway between Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
and Williamsburg
Williamsburg
Williamsburg may refer to:*Williamsburg, former name of Kernville , California*Williamsburg, Colorado*Williamsburg, Florida*Williamsburg, Dunwoody, Georgia*Williamsburg, Indiana*Williamsburg, Iowa*Williamsburg, Kansas*Williamsburg, Kentucky...
in the Commonwealth
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. This area is not far from where they lived in 1600.
The Eastern Chickahominy, who split from the main tribe in the 1900s, live in New Kent County, which is about 25 miles (40.2 km) east of Richmond. Both tribes are among the eleven officially recognized by the state.
History
The Chickahominy ("The Coarse Ground Corn People", c.f. the name was given by the Ojibwe: zhishigo'aamin (meaning, "grain cracked by grinding") were an autonomous AlgonquianAlgonquian languages
The Algonquian languages also Algonkian) are a subfamily of Native American languages which includes most of the languages in the Algic language family. The name of the Algonquian language family is distinguished from the orthographically similar Algonquin dialect of the Ojibwe language, which is a...
-speaking tribe when the first permanent English settlement
British colonization of the Americas
British colonization of the Americas began in 1607 in Jamestown, Virginia and reached its peak when colonies had been established throughout the Americas...
was founded at Jamestown
Jamestown, Virginia
Jamestown was a settlement in the Colony of Virginia. Established by the Virginia Company of London as "James Fort" on May 14, 1607 , it was the first permanent English settlement in what is now the United States, following several earlier failed attempts, including the Lost Colony of Roanoke...
in 1607. They were led by mungai ("great men"), who were part of a council of elders and religious leaders. The Chickahominy's original territory consisted of the land along the river that was eventually named after them, the Chickahominy River
Chickahominy River
The Chickahominy is an river in the eastern portion of the U.S. state of Virginia. The river rises about northwest of Richmond and flows southeast and south to the James River...
, from the mouth of the river near Jamestown to what is now New Kent County.
The tribe's proximity to Jamestown meant they had early contact with the English. The tribe helped the English during the first few winters by trading food for other objects. They also helped by teaching them how to grow and preserve crops. By 1614 the tribe had signed a treaty with the colonists that said the tribe would provide 300 warriors to fight the Spanish.
Over time, the English began to expand their settlements and crowded out the Chickahominy from their homeland. Following the Anglo-Powhatan War of 1644-46, the tribe were forced to cede their land to gain a peace treaty. The tribe resettled on reservation land set aside by the treaty in the Pamunkey Neck area, alongside another Virginia Algonquian tribe, the Pamunkey
Pamunkey
The Pamunkey nation are one of eleven Virginia Indian tribes recognized by the Commonwealth of Virginia. The historical tribe was part of the Powhatan paramountcy, made up of Algonquian-speaking tribes. The Powhatan paramount chiefdom was made up over 30 tribes, estimated to total about...
, between the Mattaponi and Pamunkey rivers. They stayed there until 1661, when they moved to the headwaters of the Mattaponi, where their reserved holdings continued to shrink.
The people lost title to the last part of their reservation lands in 1718, but apparently continued to live in the area for some time. Those who did not merge with the Pamunkey and other tribes, migrated to New Kent (who became the Eastern Chickahominy) and Charles City counties, closer to their original homeland. Descendants of these people formed the current Eastern Chickahominy and Chickahominy tribes, respectively. The migrations happened sometime before the end of the eighteenth century. Few records survive that enable defining the date of the migration.
The Powhatan paramount chiefdom
The Chickahominy were at times allied with the Chief PowhatanChief Powhatan
Chief Powhatan , whose proper name was Wahunsenacawh , was the paramount chief of Tsenacommacah, an alliance of Algonquian-speaking Virginia Indians in the Tidewater region of Virginia at the time English settlers landed at Jamestown in 1607...
, and his paramount chiefdom, a confederacy of 30 or so Algonquian
Algonquian languages
The Algonquian languages also Algonkian) are a subfamily of Native American languages which includes most of the languages in the Algic language family. The name of the Algonquian language family is distinguished from the orthographically similar Algonquin dialect of the Ojibwe language, which is a...
-speaking tribes. Some sources say the Chickahominy joined the Powhatan Confederacy in 1616. Others contend they did not become tributaries of the paramount chiefdom until 1677, when Cockacoeske
Cockacoeske
Cockacoeskie was a 17th century leader of the Pamunkey Tribe of Native Americans in what is now Virginia in the United States....
signed the Treaty of Middle Plantation. The treaty acknowledged her as leader of the Chickahominy and several other tribes.
Chickahominy today
Today, the Chickahominy tribe consists of approximately 840 people who live within a five-mile (8 km) radius of each other and the tribal center, in an area known as Chickahominy Ridge. Several hundred more live in other parts of the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, including California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
and Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. Current tribal lands of about 110 acre (0.4451546 km²) are in the tribe's traditional territory, present-day Charles City County. The tribal center on the land is the location of an annual Powwow and Fall Festival.
Tim Kaine
Timothy Michael "Tim" Kaine is a Virginia politician. Kaine served as the 70th Governor of Virginia from 2006 to 2010, and was the chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2009 to 2011...
. Wayne Adkins, pictured left, is an assistant Chief, along with Glenn Canaday.
Most members of the Chickahominy Tribe are Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
, many of whom attend Samaria Baptist Church, formerly Samaria Indian Church, in Charles City County. The church was built upon tribal grounds and used to serve as a school for the children of the tribe. The church sits directly across from the tribal headquarters.
Eastern Chickahominy
The Chickahominy Tribe Eastern Division shared a history with the Chickahominy until the 1900s, when the former group decided to organize their own tribal government. The reason for the split was travel difficulties going to Charles City County for tribal meetings, according to some. Others say the split happened because of disagreements over religious practice and land use. Even so, family ties keep the two tribes intertwined.Today, the Eastern Chickahominy have about 132 members and own about 41 acres (165,921.3 m²) of land. A point of pride for the tribe is that members have served in the military as far back as World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The tribe serves the needs of the community through being consolidated as a non-taxable organization. This is supported through contributions and from members who pay dues.
Federal recognition
The Chickahominy were recognized by the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1983, but are not federally recognized. Since the 1990s, the tribe has been seeking federal recognition through an act of Congress.The Thomasina E Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act would grant federal recognition to six Virginia Indian tribes: the Chickahominy Tribe, Eastern Chickahominy Tribe, Nansemond
Nansemond
The Nansemond have been recognized as a Native American tribe by the Commonwealth of Virginia, along with ten other Virginia Indian tribes. They are not Federally recognized but are one of six Virginia tribes without reservations that are included in a bill for Federal recognition under...
, Rappahannock Tribe
Rappahannock Tribe
The Rappahannock are one of the eleven state-recognized Native American tribes in Virginia. They are made up of descendants of several small Algonquian-speaking tribes who merged in the 17th century.-17th century:...
, Upper Mattaponi Tribe, and the Monacan Nation. In March of 2009, another draft of the bill was presented to the House Committee on Natural Resources. By June the bill had passed the Committee and the House of Representatives. A day after it was voted on in the House, a companion bill was sent to the Senate. The Senate referred this bill to their Committee on Indian Affairs, who approved the bill on October 22, 2009. On December 23, 2009 the Senate added the bill to its Legislative calendar. This is the farthest the bill has gotten in the Congressional process. The bill is opposed by Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK), citing "jurisdictional concerns." The Senator believes requests for tribal recognition should be processed through the Bureau of Indian Affairs, a process the Virginia tribes cannot utilize because of The Racial Integrity Act of 1924 and the dictates of Walter Plecker, the controversial state registrar for the Bureau of Vital Statistics at the time.
The two state-recognized tribes that still maintain reservations, the Pamunkey and Mattaponi
Mattaponi
The Mattaponi tribe is one of only two Virginia Indian tribes in the Commonwealth of Virginia that owns reservation land. The larger Mattaponi Indian Tribe lives in King William County on reservation lands that stretch along the borders of the Mattaponi River, near West Point, Virginia.The...
, are not part of this bill. They are trying to gain federal recognition through the Bureau of Indian Affairs
Bureau of Indian Affairs
The Bureau of Indian Affairs is an agency of the federal government of the United States within the US Department of the Interior. It is responsible for the administration and management of of land held in trust by the United States for Native Americans in the United States, Native American...
' administrative process.
External links
- Chickahominy information from Virginia Council on Indians
- Chickahominy Indians, Eastern Division information from Virginia Council on Indians
- Official Site of the Chickahominy Tribe