Nansemond

from Strides 2020

Seth M. Whaley

Above: the entryway sign into the Nansemond Indian Nation’s Mattanock Town. Opposite page, clockwise from top: the Nansemond Indian Nation logo (courtesy Nikki Bass); a dancer at a Nansemond powwow; an image of the Nansemond weroances named in the Strachey book; an exhibit at Mattanock Town. Background image: “Indian Village of Pomeiocc,” by John White. (Courtesy Nikki Bass)

BY TRACY AGNEW

Editor

In the area formerly known as Nansemond County, perhaps no name has been attached to more landmarks, schools, businesses and the like than Nansemond itself.

Even though the city eventually came to be called Suffolk, the area made up of 430-odd square miles used to be known as Nansemond County, with the relatively tiny town of Suffolk nestled in the middle.

Nansemond was the tribal name of the first residents of this area, who lived here for hundreds of years, at least, before European settlers arrived. Nansemond was a word meaning “fishing point.”

Many people have heard of Elizabeth Bass, the daughter of a Nansemond king who was baptized Elizabeth upon her marriage to John Bass. But people forget that Bass and other common “Nansemond names” are really English names.

That is why Nansemond Indian Nation member Nikki Bass has done research into true Nansemond names — the names tribal members had before the Europeans arrived.

In a book called “The History of Travel into Virginia,” by William Strachey, Bass located the names of four Nansemond leaders recorded by Strachey and other Europeans who explored the area. Strachey lists them as weroances, a term used for a chief

or leader.

Their names were Weyhohomo, Amapetough, Weyingopo and Tirchtough.

European settlers attacked Nansemond settlements on several occasions. They murdered kings and stole resources, including pearls and copper. One such attack happened at Dumpling Island, a sacred spot for the tribe.

“It’s a traumatic story for our tribe,” Bass said. “This conflict is named as one of the first encounters that led to the first Anglo-Powhatan War.”

Bass said knowing the specific names of four Nansemond leaders is important to her and to other members — and, ultimately, to Suffolk at large.

“I feel it contributes to the story of Suffolk,” she said. “It gives them personhood. It shows it wasn’t just a tribe, it wasn’t just a nation; there were individual people whose lives were torn apart by what happened.”

Because the Algonquian language had no written component, some tribes are not as fortunate to have recorded Indian names.

“Preserving the names is really difficult, because our language was not written,” Bass said. “They’re like treasures. I think the fact their names were captured is a reminder to us that even through upheaval, there are always pieces of history to reach back for and hold onto.”

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