COURTLAND
Chief Walt “Red Hawk” Brown of the Cheroenhaka (Nottoway) Indians announces a ceremony is scheduled to mark the closing on a purchase of additional land for the tribe. The program will be on Saturday, April 23 beginning at noon, and will take place at 27345 Aquia Path, Courtland; the public is invited to witness.

“The tribe recently reclaimed by way of purchase an additional 163 acres of land of which is part of the formerly 41,000 acres of reservation land granted by the House of Burgess in 1705,” explained tribal member Karen Barrett. “This property joins the current 100 acres of tribal land and the Nottoway River, making a total of 263 acres owned by the tribe.

Brown said the Cheroenhaka members have trying to get that property since 2009. He added that it was first in the hands of Union Camp, then International Paper, next Southern States and finally to Timbervest, which offered a sale.

The asking price was $550,000, and in 2012 the tribe applied for a grant that covered $271,000. The members then went to BB&T for the rest of the money. The closing took place earlier this month.

“We’re grateful to the Creator,” Brown said. “We’re just very happy about this.”

Barrett added that the Cheroenhaka Tract will be used to conduct their Native American Iroquoian Water Drum Ceremony; launch canoes, fish, etc. Also, an acre will be cleared for parking near the river and another acre near one of the walking trails.”

For the Saturday ceremony, all tribal members are asked to attend and wear their regalia. They are to RSVP their intentions of attending by emailing Assistant Tribal Secretary Water Blossom at jokeoharrak@gmail.com.

A member of Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s administration is expected to attend along with representatives of Timbervest, which made the sale.

Native drummers, including members of the tribe’s Bateman clan will participate along with Holland Richardson as lead singer.

The peace pipe will be lit, a dance to the drum will be performrf, and the tribal members will thank the Creator in their Iroquoian language for their many blessings.

“We give kudos and thanks to the Governor’s office, specifically the Secretary of Natural Resources and Sarah Richardson and her staff with DCR; to include, Angela Sadsad of BB&T Bank, Dan Crumpler, our closing attorney, and others that played a key role in bringing this project to fruition,” said Brown.

For more information, contact him at 562-7750 or wdbrowniii@aol.com.