Rappahannock Tribe Reacquires Sacred Land Taken By English Settlers

The Rappahannock Tribe has acquired 465 acres at Fones Cliffs, a sacred site to the tribe on the eastern side of the Rappahannock River in the Northern Neck of Virginia, the tribe announced Friday.

Fones Cliffs, north of the town of Tappahannock, is where the Rappahannock Tribe first defended its homeland against English settler Captain John Smith during his explorations in 1608. The tribe was eventually forcibly removed from Fones Cliffs after 1649 by English settlers, who took control of the area.

Prior to the battles with the English settlers, the Rappahannock Tribe lived in at least three villages on the Cliffs: Wecuppom, Matchopick and Pissacoack.

"We have worked for many years to restore this sacred place to the Tribe. With eagles being prayer messengers, this area where they gather has always been a place of natural, cultural and spiritual importance," Rappahannock Tribe Chief Anne Richardson said at Friday's event.

Friday's event was attended by U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, who said the Department of the Interior is "honored to join the Rappahannock Tribe in co-stewardship of this portion of their ancestral homeland."

"This historic re-acquisition underscores how Tribes, private landowners and other stakeholders all play a central role in this administration's work to ensure our conservation efforts are locally led and support communities' health and well-being," Haaland said.

The land will offer opportunities to the tribe to expand its Return to the River program, which trains tribal youth in traditional river knowledge and practices and conducts outreach and education for other communities interested in the Rappahannock River.

The Rappahannock Tribe is a federally recognized sovereign nation headquartered at Indian Neck in King & Queen County in Virginia. Areas surrounding the Rappahannock River are the ancestral homelands of the tribe.


https://patch.com/virginia/fallschurch/rappahannock-tribe-reacquires-sacred-site-taken-english-settlers