The Tribe
Forty miles south of Washington D.C., the county high school's mascot is an Indian. But for more than 2,600 Patawomeck tribal citizens, Indigenous identity isn't a get-up — it's a proud legacy traced back generations to some of the earliest contact with English settlers in what's now Virginia. What does it mean when that legacy comes under attack — when others in the community dispute those family ties that run as deep as the roots of a White Oak tree? Have times changed? Or does history rhyme?
The Tribe
Bonus episode: Chief concerns
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After hearing about the re-formed Patawomeck Tribe while volunteering at the library, ex-cop John Lightner applied, enrolled and ultimately rose through the ranks to become tribal chief.
To see extras from our reporting, including original documents and additional reading, click here.
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