NANSEMONDS INDIANS IN VIRGINIA

THESE FOLKS ARE RECOGNIZED BY THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA. THEY DO NOT HAVE FEDERAL RECOGNITION BUT ARE UNDER CONSIDERATION. MOST MEMBERS LIVE IN VIRGINIA, AND SPEAK ALGONQUIAN. THEY WERE MEMBERS OF POWHATEN CHIEFDOM. THEY LIVED ALONG THE NESMOND RIVER AND WERE WARY OF THE ENGLISH WHO CAME IN 1600. THE ENGLISH RAIDED A TOWN AND BURNED HOMES, DESTROYED CANOES, AND FORCED THEM TO GIVE UP THEIR CORN. CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH DEMANDED 400 BUSHELS OF CORN OR THREATENED TO DESTROYED THEIR VILLAGE. THEY GAVE THE CORN AND IT LEFT THEM IN BAD SHAPE FOR WINTER. IN 1609 THE ENGLISH DESTROYED THE TEMPLES AND BURIAL SITES OF THEIR LEADERS. THEY STOLE ALL OF THEIR VALUABLES IN THE HOUSES AND IN BURIALS. BY 1638 A SETTLER - JOHN BASS, MARRIED A NANSEMOND INDIAN WIFE. SOME CLAIM THEY ALL DESCENDED FROM THIS MARRIAGE. THE NANSEMOND WERE AFFECTED BY ENGLISH PRESSURES AND FLED TO NOTTOWAY RIVER. THEY LIVED WITH THE NOTTOWAY INDIANS.

TODAY THE NANSEMOND HAVE 200 MEMBERS WITH NO FEDERAL RECOGNITION. THEY BUILT A MUSEUM AND AN ANNUAL POWWOW. THEY ARE TRYING TO PURCHASE LAND. THEY WANT TO RECONSTRUCT THEIR TOWN. THEY WANT TO PUT A CULTURAL CENTER THERE. THE MAYOR OF SUFFOLK SUPPORTS THIS. THEY HAVE A TASK FORCE THAT IS COMPOSED OF MOSTLY NON INDIANS.

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