Many Upper Mattaponi people live in King William County. The Tribe has strong ties to Christianity and their community is centered around The Indian View Baptist Church, built in 1942.
Next door to the church is the Sharon Indian School. Originally built in the early 1900’s, it was replaced with a more modern structure in the 1950’s. As the only public Indian school building in the state of Virginia, it now serves as the Tribal Center.
The Tribe sponsors an annual Spring Festival and Pow-Wow to promote the culture and history of Indian people.
Today the Upper Mattaponi own 32 acres of land and are a proud and humble people of strong character and values, with much optimism and hope for the future. The tribe was officially recognized by the Commonwealth of Virginia on March 25, 1983, but continues to struggle for Federal acknowledgement:
- S.2694 Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act of 2002, introduced to the 107th Congress on June 27, 2002.
- S.1423 Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act of 2003, introduced to the 108th Congress on July 17, 2003.
- S.480 Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act of 2005, introduced to the 109th Congress on March 1, 2005.
Chief Kenneth Adams was the first Indian to graduate from King William High School in 1965. He has served in the U.S. military and fought in Viet Nam in 1967. Today, he is an active spokesperson for the Tribe and instrumental in their efforts to achieve Federal recognition as evidenced by his testimony at the S.2694 hearing on October 9, 2002.
Nearby Reservations
The Mattaponi Indian Reservation sits on the banks of the Mattaponi River, one of the most pristine rivers in the Eastern United States. Facilities on the reservation include living quarters, a small church, a museum, the Fish Hatchery and Marine Science Center and a Tribal building that was formerly the Reservation school.
The Pamunkey Indian Reservation is situated on the Pamunkey river adjacent to King William County Virginia and contains approximately 1,200 acres of land — including 500 acres of wetlands with numerous creeks. Thirty-four families reside on the reservation and many Tribal members live in nearby Richmond, Newport News, other parts of the States and all over the United States. Today, the Pamunkey Indians are deeply involved in preserving their surviving culture and natural resources. Much of the surviving Pamunkey culture is indebted to a subsistence lifestyle centered around pottery making, fishing, hunting and trapping. Now as the old ways are passing, the Pamunkey Indians are still looking to their natural resources as a way to make a living. The reservation is the home of the Pamunkey Indian Baptist Church; built in 1866, it is the oldest Indian Church in the state of Virginia.
10 Comments
Good Morning, I have a framed copy of Chief Seattle’s Speech of 1855 that was published in the Seattle Sunday Star on October 29, 1887. The frame is 2′ widex 3′ tall. I will donate if school can use. 3701295
Hy
I am interested in history, culture and languages of Southeast indian tribes.
I am for preservation of native customs and languages.
My proposal is that Native languages in Oklahoma should be made official, beside english.
We here, in Europe are preserving our languages, even minority ones.
I think that You should preserve Your languages through teaching languages in school, newspapers on native languages, radio and TV shows on native languages…etc.
It would made revival of native languages.
Also, I am for affirmative policy towards Indians.
Today, what we need is affirmative action for Native americans.
Native americans should have free of charge healthcare and better oportunities for finding a job.
Also, government of particular state should encourage Indians to born more children, so they could become plurality in that state. That means that Natives in Oklahoma should become the largest ancestry group, not majority, but largest ancestry group.
When they become that, that policy would be abolished.
What is Your opinion?
Miljenko
We are visting Williamsburg 29th May from England and want to come to the
Pow Wow – do you have directions to the event
Thanks
I am interested in the Mattaponi view on history of Pocahontas. What resources would you have most faith in? I am a member of the Houma Nation of the Louisiana recognized tribes. I have worked with native youth for many years. I am considering a project undertaking different famous indians. I am particularly interested in Pocahontas as children of all cultures and ages celebrate her additionally due to Disney. I recognize the likelihood that since she was abducted she was likely abused. However along with truth I would like to emphasis her representation of the joining of two nations and her desire for peace if possible. Any direction to what the Mattaponi view is on the best resources would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Melanie
Hi Melani.
Thanks so much for your interest in Pocahontas and the Upper Mattaponi.
While i’m not a spokesperson for the tribe in any capacity, I can tell you that some of us were pleasantly amused when a maternal relative was chosen as the model for Disney’s version of Pocahontas. Although Disney’s portrayal of my curvaceous blue-eyed cousin as a young woman was relatively authentic, I think your research will lead you to a significantly different truth. My Pocahontas was a tom-boyish adolescent during the era I believe you’re most interested in.
Contrary to what Hollywood would have us believe, most Native American women were and still are strong-willed, independent individuals (if you don’t believe me, just ask my husband) — and I’m confident that Pocahontas was no exception. I think you would be correct in assuming that she led a difficult life, but I’m sure she was quite the hand-full for Mr. Rolfe.
I think your best source of information would be Helen Roundtree. She’s a highly regarded anthropologist and native american historian who has been researching the history of the Virginia tribes for quite a few years now. She’s written some wonderful books which will give you what I believe is an accurate portrayal of our history, current culture and how my ancestors’ lives were changed by the events that took place in Jamestown. Pocahontas, Powhatan, Opechancanough is one of my personal favorites.
I don’t have her direct contact information, but you may be able to track her down through Old Dominion University where she is a Professor of Anthropology.
I would like to here the story about what happened with Mattachanna and Uttamattamakins after their return. I went to Europe and visited my husbands family after being married a year ( I did not speek the language at all). I know that this can be quite a life changing experience. I think that the stories of Mattachanna and Uttamatamakins and others that went to Europe and returned and how they reacted and how their descendant may have been raised differently would tell a great deal about the experiences that they had and their outlook about the coming of the Europeans. This always seems to be overshadowed by the story of Pochantas. Is there a way to get the true histories of these historic people and their desendants?
I’d suggest you contact the Mattaponi Indian Tribe to see if they can refer you to someone who might be able to answer your questions. You might also be intterested in reading The True Story of Pocahontas: The Other Side of History.
P.S. This site is for the Upper Mattaponi Indian Tribe. While they two tribes live is close proximity, they are not the same tribe.
Sir or Madame,
As a Virginian and a history buff, I’d like to thank you for the website. Maintaining it is probably tough. My query is about First Nations craftsmen -women. Is there a registry, website or organization that maintains a list of craftsmen -women, of Virginia tribal descent? Although many websites purport to be “Native-American”, and I suppose many are, it is very difficult to find any who are descended from the clans and tribes of Virginia, or ply their crafts here in the Commonwealth. Specifically, I seek a leathercrafter to create a custom pair of mocs in the tradition style of the Virginia tribes. Any help, guidance, or suggestions is greatly appreciated. Even the Virginia Council on Indians doesn’t produce one. I should think that they, of any state organization, would compile that list as a way to promote and advance recognition of the First Nations tribes. Thank you. I look forward to your powwow if held.
Dear Chief Kenneth Adams,
I was wondering if your nation has a Home Delivered Meal Program for your seniors that receives funding from the Federal Government under Section VI C of the Older American Act. The reason I am asking is my company works very closely with non profit meal programs through out the country. I look forward to hearing back from you.
Sincerely,
Bill Reisfeld
My distant great, great, great, great, etc, grandfather once operated a tavern near there from 1737 to 1755. Was wondering if there were any local recollections of his time in that area.
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[...] with a tradition dating back to the 1600s. Each Thanksgiving tribal members from the Mattaponi and Pamunkey journey to the Executive Mansion in Richmond, Virginia – home of the [...]