|
Mattaponi/Pamunkey Updates
|
|
|
Home
|
Dear Wisdomkeepers, I found your website recently and think it's really great! I also noticed you have posted info regarding the city of Newport News, Virginia's plan to build a new reservoir that would flood ancient tribal hunting and burial grounds, destroy a way of life sacred to the Mattaponi and Pamunkey indians, and also destroy one of last truly pristine freshwater eco systems on the East Coast. The struggle is far from over and here are links to the latest info and contacts as of July 24, 2000. I hope you will help us get this info out as we are now in the dark eleventh hour of this fight that will impact the two oldest indian reservations in America as well as the heritage & history of all native americans. Click on these links for the latest info and contacts: Daily Press: Tribe troubled by reservoir Future of Virginia's most pristine waterway at stake Assateague Peoples of Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Very best regards and thanks for your help in our struggle. Waneshi, Ron Thomas Smith Island Nation
|
| Dear Wisdomkeepers, I am not an official member of any group or tribe although I do support the Mattaponi, Pamunkey and Assateague tribes. I also support the VA chapter of the Sierra Club, Alliance to Save The Mattaponi, and several other grass roots groups dedicated to preserving the eco system of the Mattaponi/Pamunkey wetlands and the reservations and native american culture of the area. I'm just one guy doing what he can to get the word out. Read the entire 4 part series in the DailyPress this week for all the official stats, dates, names, facts, etc., but the basic bottom line is that Va Gov. Gilmore & the town of Newport News want to build a dam that is not needed and if built will flood 2,000 acres and destroy the last of the state's pristine freshwater wetlands and also burial & hunting ground sacred to the Mattaponi and Pamunkey indians, the direct decendants of Pocahontas & Great Chief Powhatan. Ironically, despite being the two oldest reservations in America, even Disney making a historically incorrect animated movie about Pocahontas and her being mentioned in almost all history books, the Mattaponi and Pamunkey Indians still to this very day are not even officially recognized by the Federal Gov't of the USA. And while the state of VA does recognize them as official tribes, it still doesn't seem to have a problem with flooding their way of life out of existence along with land sacred to them and of great historical & ecological importance to all Americans. But don't take my word for it, read the facts from all the officials at: http://dailypress.com Even the US Game & Wildlife Services and the Army Corps of Engineers don't want the dam built for ecological reasons. The only people pushing this through in opposition to all concerned are the city of Newport News and Va Gov. Gilmore. They don't seem to care about the Indians or the ecological impact at all. Thanks for your help. Sincerely, Ron Thomas Smith
|