Accomac people facts for kids
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| extinct as a tribe | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Virginia | |
| Languages | |
| unattested Eastern Algonquian language | |
| Religion | |
| Indigenous | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Powhatan Confederacy |
The Accomac people were a Native American tribe that lived a long time ago in what is now Accomack and Northampton counties in Virginia. They were part of a larger group of tribes called the Powhatan Confederacy.
The name Accomac was also used for other related Native American groups living on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. To the north, in Eastern Shore of Maryland, lived the Pocomoke and other tribes like the Annamessex. Even further north, the Assateague people lived along the Atlantic Coast in Maryland and Delaware.
Contents
History of the Accomac People
The main village of the Accomac, also called Accomac, was located near where Cheriton, Virginia is today. It was on Cherrystone inlet in Northampton County.
Debedeavon was the main chief of the Accomac when English settlers first arrived in 1608. The English called him the "Laughing King" and became friends with him. In 1608, records show that the Accomac had about 80 warriors.
By the year 1700, the number of Accomac people had dropped by about 90 percent. This was mainly because of new diseases like smallpox brought by the colonists. There was also violence from the settlers. The colonists started calling all Native Americans living east of Chesapeake Bay "Accomac." The Accomac people kept their shared lands until 1812, mostly in Accomack County.
A smaller group, called the Gingaskins, lived near present-day Eastville, Virginia. They married people from the African Americans living nearby. After a rebellion in 1831, local white settlers forced them to leave their homes.
Accomac Subtribes
The Accomac people were made up of several smaller groups, or subtribes. These included:
- Acohanock (also spelled Accohannock)
- Anancock (also Oanancocke, Onancock)
- Chiconessex (also Chicconessick)
- Combec
- Gingaskin (also Gangascoe, Gingaskoyne)
- Kiquotank (also Kikotanke)
- Matchapungo (also Machepungo, Mastiapungo, Matchopungo)
- Macheteege
- Mashawatoc
- Matomkin (also Matompkin, Motomkin)
- Nadue (also Nandewy, Nanduye)
- Occoahannock
- Pungotege (also Pungoteque)
What Does "Accomac" Mean?
A language expert named James Hammond Trumbull said that Accomac means "the other-side place." It can also mean "on-the-other-side-of-water place." Other ways to spell Accomac include Accawmacke, Accomack, Accowmack, Acomack, and Acomak.
Modern Cultural Group
In 2017, the state of Maryland officially recognized the Accohannock Indian Tribe. This means they are a state-recognized tribe. They say they are descendants of the original Accomac people. However, some historians and other Native American tribes do not agree with these claims.
See also
In Spanish: Accohannock (tribu) para niños
