History of the Pamunkey Tribe	George Major Cook Chief 1885 - 1930

      The Tribe has maintained its own continuing governing body. The governing body consists of a chief and seven council members elected every four years. The Chief and Council perform all tribal governmental functions as set forth by their laws. All of these laws are governed by the Tribe, itself.

      The Pamunkey Tribe has been recognized by the Commonwealth of Virginia as an Indian Tribe since colonial times. The reservation was confirmed to the Tribe as early as 1658 by the Governor, the Council, and the General Assembly of Virginia. The treaty of 1677 between the King of England, acting through the Governor of Virginia, and several Indian Tribes including the Pamunkey is the most important existing document describing Virginia's relationship towards Indian land.

      The Pamunkey Indian Reservation, on the Pamunkey river and adjacent to King William County Virginia, contains approximately 1,200 acres of land, 500 acres of which is wetlands with numerous creeks. Thirty-four families reside on the reservation and many Tribal members live in nearby Richmond, Newport News, other parts of the States and all over the United States.

      Today, the Pamunkey Indians are deeply involved in preserving their surviving culture and natural resources. The Pamunkey Indian Museum was built in 1979, and three documentary videos have been produced. All portray the ways of life and history of the people. Much of the surviving Pamunkey culture is indebted to a subsistence lifestyle centered around pottery making, fishing, hunting and trapping. Now as the old ways are passing, the Pamunkey Indians are still looking to their natural resources as a way to make a living.

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