Rappahannock Tribe Gets Land BaCK AFTER 350 YEARS

After 350 years of displacement, the Rappahannock Tribe has finally returned home. In what the tribe is calling a historic victory for both racial justice and conservation, they have reacquired 465 acres of their sacred ancestral lands at Fones Cliffs, a majestic stretch of bluffs along the Rappahannock River in eastern Virginia.

This is the land where the tribe lived in at least three villages—Wecuppom, Matchopick, and Pissacoac—before being forced away centuries ago. Chief Anne Richardson described the cliffs as a place of immense spiritual and cultural importance, noting that the eagles that gather there are considered sacred prayer messengers.

"We have worked for many years to restore this sacred place to the Tribe," she said.

This landmark achievement in the land-back movement was made possible through a crucial partnership between the tribe, the Chesapeake Conservancy, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The land will be permanently owned by the Rappahannock Tribe and placed in trust with the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland joined the tribe to celebrate the announcement, highlighting its national significance. "The Department is honored to join the Rappahannock Tribe in co-stewardship of this portion of their ancestral homeland,” Haaland stated, emphasizing her administration's support for locally led conservation efforts.

While preserving a crucial habitat for bald eagles and rare plants, the tribe also plans to share its heritage. They intend to build public walking trails and a replica of a 16th-century village where tribal members can educate visitors about their enduring history on the land.