- This topic has 3 voices and 3 replies.
-
Posts
-
A quote from “The Conquest of Virginia, The Forest Primeval”, by Conway Sams, c.1916, p.285, 286:
“The tribes spoke their own languages, which differed widely, so widely, it is said, that often those of one village could not understand the inhabitants of another living only a few miles away.
“Beverley, says, however, that there was not entirely wanting a means of communication between them, but that there existed a sort of general language understood by the chief men of many nations…….
(Sams then quotes Beverley: Beverley, book 3, pp.23-4)
“The general language here used is said to be that of the Oc-ca-nee-ches, though they have been but a small nation, ever since those parts were known to the English: but in what this language may differ from that of the Algonkines, I am not able to determine.”
………………………………………………………………………………………..
From “The Conquest of Virginia” by Sams, p.379:
“The Oc-ca-nee-chees were a small but very important nation which dwelt in this same region (as the Me-her-rins), in what was later Mecklenburg County. Their chief town was near Clarksville, close to the Staunton, or Roanoke, River. It was defended by three strong forts, and was a celebrated center of trade for the other Indians for hundreds of miles. It is no doubt this fact that made their language the universal medium of communication as stated by Beverley.”
…………………………………………………………………………………………
Same source as above, p.380:
“The Tu-te-loes also lived upon the Me-her-rin River. This tribe was connected with the Carolina Indians, probably the Cho-wan-ocs.”
…………………………………………………………………………………………
Yes, the Occaneechee language was the trade language of the region. I’m not sure how far that region stretched, but by controlling that river, they controlled a good deal of the trade. I don’t know who the Chowanacs were, but we know now that both the Occaneechee and the Tutelo spoke similar Siouan dialects. The Saponi and Tutelo lived on islands further upstream of the Occoneechee, within a few miles of each other, during the late 1600’s.
Actually, the first explorers found the Tutelo living near present Roanoke Rapids and the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia. It was in later colonial days that they lived on the Meherrin River, trying to survive Seneca raids by settling in closer to the British.
The Chowanoc Tribe ,they are ALGONQUIAN speaking people who lived in north carolina mainly.
they also had a treaty with the english crown in 1663 ,they were forced to live on a reservation on Bennetts Creek some time around 1675.
there rez went from 12 square miles to 6 by 1707.
they had several villages sites one in Chowan county.
also a village site in Hertford county.
another one in Gates County.
also one in Bertie county.
George
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
