Chickahominy (tribe)

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The Chickahominy are a tribe of Native Americans who primarily live in Charles City and New Kent counties in the Greater Richmond-Petersburg area in the U.S. state of Virginia.

The Chickahominy ("The Coarse Ground Corn People", c.f. Ojibwe: zhishigo'aamin "grain cracked by grinding") were an autonomous tribe when the first permanent English settlement was founded at Jamestown in 1607. The Chickahominy were allied to Wahunsonacock, known to the English as Chief Powhatan, and his chiefdom of 30 or so tribes. The Chickahominy were forced to cede much of their land in 1646 after a failed attempt to drive the colonists from Virginia. The tribe's territory consisted of the land along the river that was eventually named after them, the Chickahominy River.

Today, the Chickahominy tribe consists of approximately 750 people living within a five-mile radius of the tribal center and tribally owned land in Charles City County, and several hundred more living in other parts of the United States. The Chickahmoiny's current chief is Stephen adkins.

Wayne Adkins, a member of the Chickahominy Tribe, representing the tribe in the UK.

The Chickahominy Tribe is a Christian tribe, and most attend Samaria Baptist Church, formerly Samaria Indian Church, in Charles City County. The church was built upon tribal grounds and used to serve as a school for the children of the tribe. The church sits directly across from the tribal headquarters.

The tribe was recognized by the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1983. It is seeking federal recognition with other Native American tribes in Virginia. The chief of the tribe is Stephen R. Adkins, who also was appointed to serve as Director of Human Resources for the Commonwealth of Virginia by Governor Tim Kaine. Wayne Adkins, pictured left, is an assistant Chief, along with Glenn Canaday.