Home The Video Elders Other Voices Your Letters Books Leonard Peltier NATV E-Mail

Since early 1998, we have been visiting and videotaping the Elders of the extraordinary and still flourishing Native peoples of Virginia, and now have a growing archive of their memories, wisdom, and cultural heritage. The Elders give valuable insights into Virginia’s Native history from earliest European contact until today. We met with the head chief of the Mattaponi, Webster Custalow, whose visionary story of spiritual travail and enlightenment will touch the hearts not just of Virginians, but of all humanity. We also have taped discussions with Rappahannock Chief Ann Richardson, (left) the first Rappahannock woman ever elected to that post by her people. She is making great strides to ensure Rappahannock and other tribal youth obtain an understanding and appreciation of their Indian culture.

We have also interviewed Chickahominy Chief Leonard Lone Wolf Adkins and Hope Richardson Reynolds (right). We will soon be adding poignant interviews with former Mattaponi Chief Curtis Custalow, a man of great personal power and intellect, and also Little Dove Custalow, the exquisitely beautiful spiritual descendant of Pocahontas. Little Dove won considerable acclaim a few years ago when Disney hired her as a consultant on their Pocahontas movie. Later she felt compelled to resign because she objected to Disney’s distortion of her people’s history through the film. In our film we will hear the real story of Pocahontas from a modern-day princess, more animated than any cartoon. Those who think they know Virginia will sit up and take notice upon hearing it told from a Native Virginian point of view by Little Dove and the other Virginia Wisdomkeepers. We find that Native American tribes are not in hiding, only to re-emerge during Powwows, but are actively involved in promoting enterprise and cultural awareness. We also see Native tribes of Virginia engaged in struggles commonly considered restricted to Plains or Western Indians. When Wisdomkeepers of Virginia is completed their voices will finally be heard, in their own Virginia accents, telling their own people’s story. We hope to give the viewer a warm introduction to the lives, histories, and wisdom of Virginia’s Indians to better understand their lives, struggles, and achievements. We will discover a congenial and poignant people who have made an impact in their communities and within the state. Their true story has rarely been told, but it is one Virginians need to hear.