Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) is working on a bill that would recognize one of Virginia’s most historic Native American tribes — the Monacan Nation:
The Monacans and five other tribes already long-recognized by the state have been seeking federal recognition since the 1990s.
The status would unlock grants and other services, and also give the tribes legal standing to request the return of cultural artifacts.
“We believe federal recognition is our civil right and a matter of human justice,” said Sharon Bryant, chief of the Monacan Indian Nation rooted in Amherst County.
Thankfully this bill enjoys bi-partisan support from the Virginia delegation, including Senator Warner and Representatives Wittman, Scott, Connolly, and Beyer.
If you want to read more about the Monocan nation, click here to visit their website. Rassawek was the capital of the Monacan tribe at the landing of the Jamestown colonists, with their capital Rassawek at the confluence of the Rivanna and James. The town (and soon to be village) of Columbia was founded there in 1788, succumbing eventually to floods, neglect, and time.
Hopefully the Monacan nation gets the recognition they deserve. It’s been too long.
