Mattaponi Indian Tribe and Reservation (via Mattaponi Cultural Foundation)

What happened

The Mattaponi Indian Tribe's official website describes the Mattaponi as one of the original core tribes of the Powhatan chiefdom. It says the tribe agreed to articles of peace with the English colonists in 1646, later ratified in 1677, and that since 1646 the Mattaponi have presented an annual tribute to the Governor of Virginia. The website names Mark T. Falling Star Custalow as chief and Brandon G. Thundercloud Custalow as assistant chief.

On land, the tribe's Our Land page says the reservation lies in present-day King William County, Virginia, along the Mattaponi River. It says the reservation "was established in 1658 and confirmed in 1658," and covers approximately 150 acres. The page says the land is mostly wooded, that the river is still used for fishing and traditional practices, and that "we continue to work towards protecting and preserving it for future generations." The page repeats the year 1658 for both events, so the confirming date may contain a typo.

The site's Donate link goes to a Zeffy page for the Mattaponi Cultural Foundation, not the tribe itself. ProPublica lists that foundation in West Point, Virginia, under EIN 92-1042421, with tax exemption issued in November 2022. A donor should know the foundation is a separate legal entity from the tribal government.

The tribe's pages describe no land return or purchase.

Good to know. The Donate link goes to the Mattaponi Cultural Foundation, a separate organization from the tribal government. Reservation dates and acreage are the tribe's own statements.

Summarized with AI assistance from 4 sources and checked against their words; not yet reviewed by historians or by the nations. Report an error