VIRGINIA TRIBES

US Capitol

Virginia congresswomen propose federal recognition of Patawomeck Indian Tribe

BY: - September 18, 2023

Three Virginia congresswomen are pushing for federal recognition of the Patawomeck Indian Tribe, whose presence in present-day Stafford and King George counties can be traced back to the 1300s and was noted in some of European colonists’ earliest records.  “Our community has always been here, and we have been a strong part of the fabric […]

COMMENTARY

The Indian Child Welfare Act is a cornerstone of Virginia tribal sovereignty

BY: - July 12, 2023

The Supreme Court of the United States last month upheld the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), a federal law designed to protect Native American children and keep them connected to their heritage. Four Virginia Indian tribes that signed on to a brief supporting the ICWA in the face of a challenge to its constitutionality say […]

Members of Mattaponi tribe plan protest during annual tax tribute ceremony

BY: - November 23, 2021

For 343 years, representatives of the Mattaponi and Pamunkey Indian Tribes have been delivering fresh game in lieu of taxes to Virginia governors under the terms of a 1677 peace treaty. This year, some members of the Mattaponi tribe are hoping the pre-Thanksgiving ceremony will deliver something for them: attention to their push for democratic […]