For thousands of years, Virginia was occupied by Indian Settlers who had migrated South from Alaska and before that Asia. They were the Eastern Woodland Indians comprised of three tribes of different languages and customs - the Siouan, the Iroquoian, and the Algonquian.
Named after the languages they spoke, the Siouan settled in the Piedmont area of Virginia. The Iroquoian Indians, predominantly made up of the Cherokee Indians, settled in the mountainous valleys of Southeast and Southwest Virginia in the Appalachian Mountains to include the Alleghenies and the Blue Ridge Mountains and in the Tidewater region of Virginia.
The Virginia Algonquians also settled in the Tidewater Region and along the Eastern Shores of Virginia. The Algonquians Tribal Chief, Powhatan, a great leader, ruled over more than three dozen tribes with over 14,000–21,000 tribesman in eastern and the coastal region of Virginia all the wayto Washington DC when the English settled Jamestown in 1607 - most popular being the Powhatan, the Chesapeake, the Accomac, and Pamunkey. Many Historians believe that the native village existed in the vicinity of Richmond or Henrico County. Chief Powhatan and his famous daughter Pocahontas lived among the Pumunkey Tribe, the most powerful in the Powhatan Chiefdom.
Much of Virginia was named in honor of King James I and his children, Elizabeth, Henry and Charles with the James River, originally named in honor of Queen Anne of Great Britain. Also named in honor of Queen Anne were the Rivanna River and Fluvanna County. Powhatan Creek in James City County is the only body of water in Virginia to honor the Powhatan people. In 1777, Powhatan County in Powhatan, Virginia were named in honor of the Powhatan Indian Tribes.
In 1618 Chief Powhatan passed transferring power to his brother, Chief Opechancanough, who fought off the unyielding progess of the English Settlers from Europe and Asia. Unfortunately, both the many battles and plagues brought from Europe and Asia wiped out near all of the Tribe. By the 1700's a blend of indentured servants worked and lived together to develop the land. Many of the first families of Virginia were ancestral descendants of both English and Indian heritage. One of the most famous included the union of Pocahontas and John Rolfe who's son Thomas Rolfe was the ancestor of many Virginians.
Virginia's 11 officially recognized tribes today:
Chickahominy - Charles City County
Eastern Chickahominy - New Kent County
Mattaponi - Mattaponi River/King William County
Upper Mataponi - King William County
Nansemond - Cities of Suffolk and Chesapeake
Rappahannock - Indian Neck/King & Queen County
Monacan Indian Nation - Bear Mountain/Amherst County
Pamunkey - Pamunkey River/King William County
Cheroenhaka (Nottoway) - Courtland/Southampton County
Nottoway of Virginia - Capron/Southampton County
Patowomeck - Stafford Count0
MacCallum More Museum & Gardens in Chase City, Jamestown Settlement in Williamsburg sits as a re-created Powhatan Village, Pamunkey Indian Museum located on the Pamunkey Indian Reservation in King William County, Hampton University, Mariners' Museum in Newport News, the Mattaponi Museum & Minnie HA HA in West Point, the Museum of Culpeper History in Culpeper, Museum of the Middle Appalachians in Saltville,Wolf Creek Indian Village & Museum in Bastian, the Historic Crab Orchard Museum & Pioneer Park in the heart of Appalachia, the Native American Museum at the Occoneechee State Park in Clarksville - all feature Native American life through ancient artifacts, tribal displays and special exhibits.
Upcoming Events
Virginia Beach - Apr. 25 - American Indian Pow Wow - read more...
Piney River - Aug. 22 - Indian Artifact Day at Saunders Brothers Farm Market - read more...
Charles City - Nov. 1 - Virginia Thanksgiving Festival at Berkeley Plantation - read more...