Powhatan

Powhatan Featherwork

Chief William Terrill Bradby, Pamunkey

We now come to what is perhaps the most interesting topic in the material life of the southern tribes, the woven feather technique. An art so ancient and so elaborate can hardly be expected to have persisted from colonial times down to the present day where the process of deculturation among the conquered tribes has gone so far. But surprising as it is, the Virginia Indians have not entirely forgotten, nor even lost, the art of weaving feathers into the foundation of textile fabrics. The antiquity of the woven-feather technique is attested by virtually all the authors of the old … Read more

Powhatan Pottery

Recent Pamunkey pipes.

First let us look over the material from the Virginia tidewater area. Everywhere here from the southern boundary of Virginia by actual observation, north-ward even through the Delaware valley, the pot-sherds are almost identical in material, decoration and color. Holmes has appropriately called the ceramics of the tidewater “the Algonquian type.” On the Pamunkey, Mattaponi, Rappahannock, James, and Chickahominy rivers it is all the same, the rims, decorations, and ingredients being practically uniform within a certain range of variation.

Powhatan Canoes

Dugout canoe of the Pamunkey in course of construction.

The means provided by the Powhatan tribes for transporting themselves about in their marshy wastes was the dugout canoe. This article describes these canoes, their method of manufacture, and provides pictures of them and their paddles.

Powhatan Fishing Customs

Pamunkey fishermen returning from their nets.

The Powhatan tribes still adhere to some fishing practices worth mentioning. Until not long ago fish fences were employed. These were chiefly for sturgeon, but now this splendid fish is so scarce that whereas thirty years ago from three to six a day during July and August would be taken, now the record is three a season by six boats fishing the same period. Captain John Smith mentions 52 and 68 being taken ”at a draught.” The Virginia explorers noted the great abundance of sturgeon, and we may imagine that the fish contributed largely to the abundance of food of … Read more

A Pamunkey Turkey Hunt

Pamunkey hunter demonstrating method of calling wild turkey with a wing-bone call

A scene from the work of a day of one of the hunters (Paul Miles) will convey a picture of life at Pamunkey and help to give a background for an understanding of living conditions.

Powhatan Hunting Customs

Chickahominy boy with "sora horses" of iron

The marsh and swamp area of tidewater Virginia is extensive. For many miles both banks of the rivers are bordered by lowlands, which are inundated by the tides. In nearly all the rivers this occurs as far as 60 to 70 miles from Chesapeake Bay. Some of these tracts are marshy flats covered with a growth of dock, rushes, and cattails. Others are overgrown with virgin forests of cypress, swamp oak, swamp gum, maple, and red birch. In the picturesque vernacular of the region such are called “low grounds.” In some places the swamps extend continuously from one to three … Read more

The Question of the Maternal Clan

Speck argues against the question of a possible maternal clan in the Powhatan Confederacy, based upon some form of social grouping determined on the mother’s side.

Opechancanough and Don Luis

Opechancanough

Jamestown was founded in 1607 on land recently conquered by the Powhatan Confederacy. Movies about Pocahontas have given the impression that the “Powhatan Indians” were concentrated on the Chesapeake Bay.  They were not. The villages on the coastline of the Chesapeake were the vassals of the Pamunkey Indians, who forged the confederacy. The capital of the confederacy, Werowocomoco, was originally on the north side of the York River, not near Jamestown. Note that the town’s name ends with “moko” which is very similar to the Itza Maya title for king, mako, which was also used as a suffix by Itsate Creek … Read more

The Rickohockens’ Role in Native American Slavery

During the Third Powhatan War (1644-1646) warriors of the Rickohocken tribe, living near the headwaters of the James River, formed an alliance with Powhatan. They massacred all whites that they encountered as they marched down the James Valley. Over 500 white settlers were killed by the Native alliance. The Rickohockens probably would have destroyed the capital in Jamestown had not they run out of arrows. The colonists counter-attacked with firearms and steel weapons. The Rickohockens sued for peace. In order to keep the Rickohockens from attacking the English colonists again, Royal Governor William Berkeley, began making trade contracts with them … Read more

Matchotic Tribe

Matchotic (‘bad inlet.’-Hewitt). A group of tribes of the Powhatan confederacy occupying. the country between Potomac and Rappahannock rivers down to about the middle of Richmond county, Virginia, comprising the Tauxenent, Potomac, Cuttatawomen, Pissasec, and Onawmanient. They numbered perhaps 400 warriors in 1608, but 60 years later, according to Jefferson, had become reduced to 60 warriors. For Further Study Appomattoc Tribe  

Appomattoc Tribe

Appomattoc Indians. A tribe of the Powhatan confederacy formerly living on lower Appomattox River, Virginia. They had 60 warriors in 1608, and were of some importance as late as 1671, but were extinct by 1722. Their principal village, which bore the same name was on the site of Bermuda Hundred, Prince George County, was burned by the English in 1611.  Appomatox was also one of the terms applied to the Matchotic, a later combination of remnants of the same confederacy.

Chickahominy Tribe

Chickahominy Indians (from K’chick-ahän-min’-nough, ‘course-pounded corn people.’ ‘hominy people’ Tooker; or from Tshi-ke(jäme(n, a place name meaning ‘swept,’ “cleared,’ and implying a clearing—Gerard). A tribe of the Powhatan confederacy, formerly living on Chickahominy River, Virginia. It was one of the most important tribes in Virginia, numbering 250 warriors, or perhaps 900 souls, in 1608, and was not so directly under the control of Powhatan as the other tribes over which he ruled. In 1613 they entered into an alliance with the English and assumed the name of Tassautessus (sic), or “Englishmen.” In 1669 they were still estimated at 60 warriors, … Read more

Powhatan Tribe

Powhatan Indians: A confederacy of Virginian Algonquian tribes. Their territory included the tidewaters of Virginia, as well as possibly parts of Maryland.

Powhatan Indian Locations

The tribes, in the order of their location on Smith’s map, were as follows: Tauxenent, Fairfax county Potomac, Stafford and King George counties Cuttatawomen, King George county Pissasec, King George and Richmond counties Onawmanieut, Westmoreland counties Rappahannock, Richmond counties Moraughtacund, Lancaster and Richmond counties Secacawoni, Northumberland counties Wicocomoco, Northumberland counties Nantaughtacund, Essex and Caroline counties Mattapony, Mattapony rivers Mummapacune, York rivers (mentioned by Strachey); Pamunkey, King Williameo Werowocomoco, Gloucester counties; Fiankatank, Piankatank rivers; Pataunck (mentioned by Strachey) Youghtanund, Pamunkey rivers Chickahominy, Chickahominy rivers Powhatan, Henrico counties Arrohattoc, Henrico counties Weanoc, Charles City counties Paspahegh, Charles City and James City counties … Read more

Powhatan Indian Villages

The following were Powhatan villages: Accohanoc, Accomac, Acconoc, Accoqueck, Accossuwinck, Acquack, Anaskenoans, Appocant, Appomattoc, Arrohattoe, Askakep, Assaomeck, Assuweska, Attamtuck, Aubornesk, Aureuapeugh, Cantaunkack, Capahowasic, Cattachiptico, Cawwontoll, Chawopo, Checopissowo, Chesakawon, Chesapeak, Chiconessex, Chincoteague, Chiskiac, Cinquack, Cinquoteck, Cuttatawomen (1), Cuttatawomen (2), Gangasco, Kapawnich, Kerahocak, Kiequotank, Kupkipcock, Machapunga (1), Machapunga (2), Mamanahunt, Mamanassy, Mangoraca, Mantoughquemec, Martoughquaunk, Massawoteck, Matchopick, Matchut, Mathomauk, Matomkin, Mattacock, Mattacunt, Mattanock, Maysonec, Menapucunt, Menaskunt, Meyascosic, Mohominge, Mokete, Moraughtacund, Mouanast, Mutchut, Muttamussinsack, Myghtuck passu, Namassingakent, Nameroughquena, Nansemond, Nantapoyac, Nantaughtacund, Nawacaten, Nawnautough, Nechanicok, Nepawtacum, Onancock, Onawmanient, Opiscopank, Oquomock, Orapaks, Ottachugh, Ozatawomen, Ozenic, I’amacocac, Pamawauk, Paumncoroy, Pamunkey, Papiscone, Pasaughtacock, Paspahegh, Paspanegh, Passaunkack, Pastanza, Pawcocomac, … Read more

Powhatan Indian Chiefs and Leaders

Chanco Chanco. A Powhatan Indian of Virginia who gave timely warning to the English of the intended massacre by Opechancanough, in Mar., 1622, thus pre serving a number of lives. Drake, Bk. Inds., 361, 1880.   Opechancanough Opechancanough. A Powhatan chief, born about 1545, died in 1644. He captured Capt. John Smith shortly after the arrival of the latter in Virginia, and took him to his brother, the head-chief Powhatan (q. v.). Some time after his release, Smith, in order to change the temper of the Indians, who jeered at the starving Englishmen and refused to sell them food, went … Read more

Powhatan Tribe Divisions

Appomattoc. A tribe of the Powhatan confederacy formerly living on lower Appomattox River, Virginia. They had 60 warriors in 1608, and were of some importance as late as 1671, but were extinct by 1722. Their principal village, which bore the same name was on the site of Bermuda Hundred, Prince George County, was burned by the English in 1611.  Appomatox was also one of the terms applied to the Matchotic, a later combination of remnants of the same confederacy. Consult Further: Appomattoc Tribe Chickahominy (from K’chick-ahän-min’-nough, ‘course-pounded corn people.’ ‘hominy people’ Tooker; or from Tshi-kĕjämĕn, a place name meaning ‘swept,’ … Read more