The Nottoway ("adders"), in their own language Cheroenhaka (Čiruˀęhá•ka•ˀ (Tuscarora for "fork of a stream"), are an Iroquoian American Indian tribe native to Virginia. They now occupy areas around Southampton, Virginia. Although neither federally nor state recognized today, the tribe has been recognized since colonial times by regional governments, as attested by numerous treaties. The Cheroenhaka, like other Iroquoian tribes of the south, lived...
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The Nottoway ("adders"), in their own language Cheroenhaka (Čiruˀęhá•ka•ˀ (Tuscarora for "fork of a stream"), are an Iroquoian American Indian tribe native to Virginia. They now occupy areas around Southampton, Virginia. Although neither federally nor state recognized today, the tribe has been recognized since colonial times by regional governments, as attested by numerous treaties. The Cheroenhaka, like other Iroquoian tribes of the south, lived west of the fall line. Their neighbours and relatives included the Tuscarora and Meherrin.
They were first visited and described by explorer Edward Bland on an expedition from Fort Henry, in his journal for August 27, 1650. At the time they numbered no more than four or five hundred. Bland visited two of their three towns, on Stoney Creek and Rowantee Branch of Nottoway River (in what is now Sussex County). These were led by two brothers, Oyeocker and Chounerounte. The Nottoway and Meherrin became friendly to the English, being the only...
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