Friday, November 09, 2012

Governor McDonnell Signs Proclamation Designating November as American Indian Heritage Month

 
Pictured from L to R:  Rappahannock Chief Anne Richardson, Nottoway Chief Lynette Lewis Allston, Upper Mattaponi Assistant Chief Frank Adams, Pamunkey Tribal Member Ashley Atkins, Cheroenhaka (Nottoway) Chief Walt Brown,  Upper Mattaponi Chief Kenneth Adams, Governor McDonnell, Mattaponi Chief Carl Custalow, Patawomeck Chief Robert Green, Monacan Chief Sharon Bryant, Chickahominy Assistant Chief Wayne Adkins.
 (Photo courtesy of Michaele White, Governor’s photographer)

RICHMOND—Governor McDonnell ceremonially signed a proclamation designating November as American Indian Heritage Month in the Commonwealth of Virginia yesterday at a ceremony in Richmond.  The signing took place at Virginia’s annual Tribal Consultation Meeting, chaired by the Secretary of Natural Resources, Doug Domenech.

“Virginia has a long history with Virginia’s first people and I was to sign the proclamation designating November as American Indian Heritage Month in Virginia.  Virginia Indians are not only an integral part of our history but continue to be an important part of our society.  This proclamation recognizes that fact,” said Governor McDonnell.

The governor joined the secretary, along with chiefs or their representatives from nine of Virginia’s 11 state-recognized tribes, and leaders of state agencies to discuss government to government issues, ranging from updating the Standards of Learning to the Digital Archive project under way at the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities.

Speaking about the meeting, Secretary Domenech said, “The Commonwealth of Virginia has a unique legal, historic, and political relationship with her eleven state recognized Indian tribes.  And we recognize that consultation with tribes should be meaningful, in good faith, and entered into on a government-to-government basis. We are honored to partner with them.”

Virginia’s Tribes include:  The Chickahominy Tribe, the Eastern Chickahominy Tribe,  the Cheroenhaka (Nottoway) Tribe,  the Mattaponi Tribe, the Monacan Tribe, the Nansemond Tribe, the Nottoway Tribe, the Pamunkey Tribe, the Patawomeck Tribe, the Rappahannock Tribe, and the Upper Mattaponi Tribe.

Text of the proclamation can be found online.  More information about Virginia Foundation for the Humanities Digital Archive project can be found here.

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