Evening star., 1938-07-17
INDIAN RESERVATIONS NEARBY
Motorist May Visit Pamunkey and Maaponi Tribes in Virginia.
Whose Lands Have Never Been Ownedby White Men,

1861 the tribe voted to elect chiefs
instead Of allowing the ONCE 10 be
hereditary. Then. as now, the ancient
pea-and-corn method Of voting was
used. II there were two men for the
ONCE corn was designated for one
candidate and peas for the other.
Corn kernels or peas were accordingly
dropped in the box by the voters,
then counted as ballots.
Eastern Indians never used the
great feathered headdress we regard
as typical Of all Indians; they have
only recently learned to wear them
in imitation Of plains Indians. The
Pamunkey adorned himself with one
eagle feather which he earned through
some act Of valor or kindness. When
. brave CASUALLY q chief won several
such awards he would make a circular
headgear Of them. The eagle feathers
symboli1ed the greatest accomplish
ments. The United States eagle Is q
continuation Of this symbol.
Ask the chief to take a piece of
pottery which the pupils in his pot
terry school have made and translate
for you the Pamunkey bill of rights"
the terms Of the treaty with the
commonwealth Of Virginia ON
given date, the flying of the geese
Thanksgiving the Indians 90 on the
trail to meet white men with the
thought in mind to agree to smoke the
pipe OF peace and present treaty furs
to meet the terms Of the treaty and
wish white men good luck"
CHIEF BRADLEY may then revert
to personal memories and speak
OF his Carlisle days when he was class
mate to Jim Thorpe, Gus WEIGH and
Joe Guyon. At Carlisle the chief also
knew George Bent, Cheyenne sth-
letic instructor in Indian schools,
whom the writer met in Colorado two
years ago.
The chiefs house looks out on the
broad Pamunkey River, which has for
centuries been the provider for the
tribe. Leaving the chiefs house, you
may take the lower road back to the
entrance. This road passes the school
and the pottery school, where the an
cient crafts are kept alive, and the
Baptist Church. At the exhibit house
turn left to former Chief Cooks house
Here Pocahontas will receive you and
show you her display of pottery, sill
verware, beadwork and knickknacks,
which would do credit to the frst
Pocahontas. These articles are for
sale, but you would never know it
from the manner in which they are
shown to you.
Another interesting stop In the
reservation is ex-Chief Miles home.
His specialties are Indian drums and
turtle-shell rattles and general wood
craft. These drums are delicate in
struments and it takes an artist to
beat them correctly. The jolly Miles
will beat the call-to-hunt or the war
cry for you, explaining how the vary
ing tones are caused by the type of
skin. The belly of the deer makess
soft, mellow beat; the back skins
make a sharper. staccato note. While
hunting the deer, a certain tribal
ritual is observed. After the quarry
Is bought down. the brave who shot
him gets one hindquarter, the leader
Of the dogs the other hindquarter,
and the other hunters get their por-
tions by choosing "sight-unseen" while
the deer is being carved.
In the way of recreation among the
Pamunkeys you have fishing, duck
shooting, deer hunting and boating
all with or without Indian guides.
Don't expect snowy pageantry from
| them; they do not play for the tour
ist Some times in May or June they
have a pow-wow, with ceremonial
dances and songs
That sort of thing is supplied by
the Mattaponies every Sunday. They
dress up and put on the show the
tourist expects and sell relics and
souvenirs. The Mattaponi Reserva-
ton is on the Mattaponi River, and
the same sports may be enjoyed there
as on the Pamunkey. with the addi-
tional attraction of motor boats
Chief George F. Custalow is a great
talker and he will amuse you with
! his chatter
The way to reach the Mattaponi
Reservation from the Pamunkey is to
retrace No. 2e3 to No. 80, turn right
to the Virginia historical marker
about the Mattaponies, then turn left
Going home. take the same route you
! fo1IouaI 4or,