FRANKLIN—The General Assembly passed legislation this week officially recognizing one Indian tribe in Virginia and advanced similar bills extending recognition to two Southampton County tribes.

The House on Thursday approved bill H.J. 150, a joint resolution for the state to recognize the Patawomeck Indian Tribe in Stafford County, by a vote of 95-0. The legislation was introduced in January by Del. William Howell (R-Fredericksburg).

Two additional joint resolutions, H.J. 32 and H.J. 171, passed the House on Monday extending state recognition to the Nottoway Indian Tribe of Virginia and the Cheroenhaka (Nottoway) Indian Tribe of Southampton County, respectively. The bills — which were respectively passed by votes of 91-6 and 84-9 and were introduced by Del. Roslyn Tyler (D-Jarratt) in January — advanced to the Senate Committee on Rules on Tuesday.

Similar legislation was passed in the Senate for the latter two tribal groups. Joint resolutions S.J. 12, introduced by Sen. Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth), and S.J. 127, introduced by Sen. Frank Ruff Jr. (R-Clarksville), both passed the Senate on Tuesday by votes of 40-0. Both bills now advance to the House Committee on Rules.

Chief Walt “Red Hawk” Brown of the Cheroenhaka (Nottoway) Indian Tribe of Southampton County praised the advance of the legislation.

“I think recognition is imminent,” Brown, who also represents the Newsoms District on the Southampton County Board of Supervisors, said Wednesday. “It looks like the traditions and the culture that are here in Southampton County pertaining to the (tribe) are finally going to be blessed with the state saying, ‘Yes, you are who you say are.’ ”

Chief Lynette Allston of the Nottoway Tribe of Virginia was also pleased by the news.

“Recognition is all about acknowledging identity,” she said Friday. “We will now be identified for who we are. This was lost in time. I think people always knew there were Nottoway people in the county, but somehow over the years that became an afterthought or a forgotten thought. It’s nice to be able to say we are the Nottoway people from the area.”

Allston’s tribe is based in Capron but has members in Southampton, Sussex and Surry counties.

Allston added, “This will allow other native communities throughout Virginia to begin to come forward and present themselves so they too can be identified.”

Eight other tribes have been recognized by Virginia: the Pamunkey and Mattaponi in the 1600s, the Chickahominy, Eastern Chickahominy, Rappahannock and Upper Mattaponi in 1983, the Nansemond in 1985 and the Monacan Indian Nation in 1989.

Brown said he testified before the Senate Rules Committee twice this week to advance the legislation there.

“The reason we sought state recognition is for the state to finally come to the reality that the (tribe) has been here before Southampton County was (separated) from Isle of Wight County — and even before Isle of Wight became a county,” Brown said. “Our history dates back to 1580.”

The three tribes have also been promised seats on the Virginia Council on Indians, a state committee that in May rejected recognition for the Nottoway Indian Tribe.

Asked what state recognition means to his tribe, Brown said: “It gives you the authority to do your crafts as Indian, without anything negative from the (U.S. Department of Interior) Indian Arts and Crafts Board. It also puts you in line for grants and some educational benefits.”

But Allston said recognition for her tribe has other implications.

“It’s all about history,” she said. “There’s nothing else attached to this. There is no financial benefit. It is just an acknowledgement of who we are — and taking pride in that heritage.”