Patawomeck Response

I had no idea that if it weren't for the local Patawomeck tribe, the American party would probably have ended before it began. It is no state secret that the first few winters for the colonists were a real pain, and I found it really cool to learn that it was a tribe from our humble county that came to save the day. It is rather unfortunate that the tribe has yet to receive state recognition, but at the same time it is understandable. After the tribe was nearly annihilated in 1666, they pretty much vanished from all English records, making it difficult for them to prove that they had consistently lived on the lands they claim. Also, because of past prejudices toward non-whites, it is only recently that many Virginia Indians have started identifying themselves as Indians. Perhaps if the Patawomeck tribe started calling for state recognition several decades ago instead of just recently, they would be recognized by the state of Virginia today.