The Process for State Tribal Recognition -
In January 2006, the Nottoway Indian Tribe of Virginia sent a letter of intent to petition for State Tribal Recognition to the Virginia Council on Indians (VCI). A full petition was submitted to the VCI on October 17, 2006. The VCI named a Recognition Committee in November 2006. The Recognition Committee convened its first meeting in January 2007.
The process for State Tribal Recognition, by written criteria, was not instituted until 1989. The current written Criteria for Recognition were not ratified by the VCI until May 2006 and is now similar to the Federal Recognition Process used by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
The eight currently recognized Tribes in Virginia were granted state recognition prior to 1989 by resolutions in the State Legislature. They did not go through a written criteria process.
Six of the eight State Recognized Tribes, seated on the VCI, are currently seeking Federal Recognition though Congressional resolution. This would bypass the written Federal Criteria administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
No tribes have been granted State Tribal Recognition since the establishment of the
written criteria process.
Please click on the section Petition Cover Letter. This October 2006 letter explains the Tribe’s position on the State Recognition Process.
Visit the Virginia Council on Indians website to read the minutes and attachments to the minutes from the Recognition Committee meetings and the Council meetings.
Link to Criteria for State Tribal Recognition document -
http://indians.vipnet.org/stateRecognition.cfm
Link to minutes and attachments for the VCI Recognition Committee meetings
and VCI meetings-
http://indians.vipnet.org/councilMeetings.cfm
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