In 1677, the King of England signed a treaty with some of Virginia’s native tribes. It exempted the tribes from taxes on their reservation land, but required an annual symbolic payment of three arrows, and 20 beaver skins.
Now almost 350 years later, that treaty still plays out every year just before Thanksgiving, with a slightly different ceremonial gift to Virginia’s Governor.
In front of the Executive Mansion, the Governor stands at a podium, flanked on each side by Chiefs of the Mattapani and Pamunkey tribes. And laying on the ground in front of them are two dead deer.
“And this tradition has gone on, we’ve obviously upgraded from the 20 beaver skins to the beautiful deer here. But someone’s is much bigger, but I’ll let the chiefs figure that out,” laughed Governor Terry McAuliffe.
Hunted and delivered by tribe members, the deer will make their way as venison to local homeless shelters for a Thanksgiving meal.
But today, they’re a symbol of tradition for Mattaponi Tribe Member Lois Custalow.
“And the tradition that our forefathers did hundreds of years ago and it’s near and dear to my heart,” says Custalow.
As chief of the Mattaponi, Custalow’s father once stood here. Before that, it was her grandfather. Today it’s her brother. Someday, she hopes the traditions will continue with her descendants -- like her granddaughter, Jersey. Jersey's other name is 'Aponi', which means butterfly.
"I gave it to her, and that’s a tradition where your grandmother, grandfather, or your mother or father could give the traditional Indian names,” says Custalow.
The Mattaponis still have a small reservation in King William County, where about 60 people live.