Governor McAuliffe congratulates the Virginia Pamunkey on historic federal recognition

Governor Terry McAuliffe congratulated members of the Pamunkey tribe following Thursday’s announcement that they are the first Virginia Indian tribe to be recognized by the federal government.

“This is a historic day in Virginia. I want to congratulate members of the Pamunkey tribe on their tireless efforts to ensure that they receive the federal recognition that they deserve,” said Governor McAuliffe.

Governor McAuliffe has supported federal recognition of the Pamunkeys and recently sent a letter to the Bureau of Indian Affairs backing their efforts.

The Pamunkey tribe is one of 11 Virginia Indian tribes recognized by the state and is now one of 566 other federally recognized tribes across the nation.

There currently are 203 members of the Virginia Pamunkey tribe. Pamunkey families have lived in southeastern King William County, Virginia, since the 1600s, and the tribe was one of more than 30 that made up the Powhatan paramount chiefdom, estimated to total about 10,000 to 15,000 people at the time of British colonization.

The Pamunkey tribe has continuously identified as an American Indian body since 1900, a crucial element in obtaining federal recognition.

Tribal members provided the Bureau of Indian Affairs with governing documents describing their governance procedures and membership criteria as well as a list of current members who descend from the historical Indian tribe and who are not also members of another federally recognized tribe.

“I look forward to continuing to work with this Administration and our Virginia Congressional Delegation to ensure that the six other Virginia tribes will soon receive the federal recognition that is long-overdue,” said Governor McAuliffe. “I hope this is a positive step in enacting the bipartisan Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act, legislation that would grant federal recognition to six Virginia tribes: the Chickahominy, the Eastern Chickahominy, the Upper Mattaponi, the Rappahannock, the Monacan and the Nansemond. These tribes have received official recognition from the Commonwealth of Virginia but have not yet received federal recognition.”

The bill cleared its first procedural hurdle in March with passage out of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee.