Pamunkey Tribe observes anniversary of Pocahontas wedding

Tuesday, April 8, 2014  

The Pamunkey Tribe of Virginia participated in a re-enactment of the 1614 wedding between Pocahontas and English settler John Rolfe.

Wendy Taylor, a 25-year-old tribal member, played the role of the young bride. It's the first time in more than 100 years that a woman from Pocahontas' own tribe participated in the annual re-enactment.

“I think it’s an honor,” Taylor’s mother, Kim Cook Taylor, told The Washington Post.

Despite signing a treaty with the English and securing a reservation, the Pamunkeys lack federal recognition. That will be changing once the Bureau of Indian Affairs finalizes a decision in favor of the tribe.

Other Virginia tribes, whose ancestors helped the English settlers at Jamestown, are seeking recognition through Congress.

Get the Story:
Pocahontas and John Rolfe on their wedding day, 400 years since the first one (The Washington Post 4/8)
Pocahontas' wedding celebrated as a union of cultures at Historic Jamestowne (The Hampton Roads Daily Press 4/6)
The Real Story Of Pocahontas Is Much Darker Than The Disney Movie (Business Insider 4/5)

Senate Indian Affairs Committee approves tribal recognition bills (4/3)
Pamunkey Tribe went to England to document recognition bid (02/04)