Facts about Powhatan
The practical determination of whether a person is a refugee or not is most often left to certain government agencies within the host country.
Captain Christopher Newport led the first English exploration party up the James River in 1607 and first met Chief Wahunsunacock, whom they called Chief Powhatan, and several of his sons.
The Pamunkeys were the largest and most powerful tribe of the Powhatan Confederacy.
The name Powhatan is believed to have originated as the name of the village or "town" Wahunsunacock (who has become better-known as Chief Powhatan) was from.
Powhatan County was named in honor of the Chief and his tribe, although located about 60 miles to the west of lands ever under their control.
Wahunsunacock (who has become better-known as Chief Powhatan) and his daughter Pocahontas were from the Pamunkey tribe.
Meanwhile, the English settlers continued to encroach on Powhatan territory.
After the Treaty of Albany in 1684, the Powhatan Confederacy all but vanished.
On a hunting and trade mission on the Chickahominy River, President of the Colony Captain John Smith was captured by Opechancanough, the younger brother of Chief Powhatan.
Today, the term "Powhatan" is taken to refer to their political identity, while "Renape" which means "human beings," refers to their ethnic/language identity.
The original six constituent tribes in Wahunsunacock's Powhatan Confederacy were: the Powhatans proper, the Arrohatecks, the Appamattucks, the Pamunkeys, the Mattaponis, and the Chiskiacks.
When he sailed up the Pamunkey River to trade there, a fight broke out between the colonists and the Powhatans.
By 1665, the Powhatan were subject to stringent laws enacted that year, which compelled them to accept chiefs appointed by the governor.
Both Chief Powhatan himself and his famous daughter Pocahontas were Pamunkeys.
After Wahunsunacock's death, his younger brother, Opitchapam, became chief, followed by their younger brother Opechancanough, who in 1622 and 1644 attempted to force the English from Powhatan territories.
Smith makes it apparent that without Chief Powhatan’s kindness the colony would have starved.
