News
Northam hosts 343rd Annual Indian Tax Tribute Ceremony
Wednesday, November 25th 2020, 1:18 PM EST
Updated:
Photo by the Office of Governor Ralph Northam.
RICHMOND, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- The 343rd annual Indian tax ceremony was held Wednesday.
According to a news release, Governor Ralph Northam hosted a small delegation from the Mattaponi Indian Tribe and the Pamunkey Indian Tribe at the Executive Mansion in Richmond.
Northam issued a proclamation this month designating November as Native American Heritage Month in Virginia.
The ceremony is the oldest continuing nation-to-nation ceremony. Dating back to 1677, this was when the signing of the Treaty of Middle Plantation between a group of tribes and the Virginia Corporation happened and established the first reservations in the United States.
The chiefs of the Mattaponi and Pamunkey tribes honor the spirit of the treaty with a symbolic tax of wild game and hand-crafted gifts. They present the gifts to the governor of Virginia in return for continued possession of their tribal lands. This year’s ceremony did not include these traditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Virginia’s native people enrich our Commonwealth with their vibrant heritage, traditions, and continuing contributions,” Governor Ralph Northam said in the release. “Native American Heritage Month is a celebration of the resilience of our tribal communities, and an opportunity to reflect on how we can better address the unique challenges they face and recommit to cultivating strong government-to-government relations with Virginia’s Indian tribes. Even during these difficult and uncertain times, let us remember that our diverse backgrounds only strengthen the Commonwealth we love.”
This year, Northam has declared Oct. 12 as Indigenous Peoples' Day in Virginia.