News Release
Matt Rath
Subscribe
 |
What is RSS
|
Contact: Cindy Chance, 410-260-2492
Annapolis - Today, the National Park Service and its principal non-profit partner Chesapeake Conservancy make available the short film, “Werowocomoco: Protecting a Powhatan Place of Power.” The film was made in cooperation with tribal community members. The short film premiered at the Virginia Film Festival on November 1, 2018 and earned the Commonwealth Award for Best Virginia Short Film. Werowocomoco is a highly anticipated entrant in the upcoming Pocahontas Reframed Film Festival in Richmond, Virginia.
More than 400 years before English settlers established Jamestown, Werowocomoco was an important Powhatan Indian town. Werowocomoco, translated from the Virginia Algonquian language, means “place of leadership.” As an archeological site now under the permanent protection of the National Park Service (NPS), Werowocomoco is not yet open to the public until planning is completed with American Indian tribes who hold this place as sacred.
“Werowocomoco is a powerful and sacred place in the history of Native people in the Chesapeake Bay region and beyond,” said National Park Service Superintendent Kym Hall. “We hope that people can experience the significance and beauty of Werowocomoco through this film while NPS and our tribal partners prepare Werowocomoco for visitors.”
Joel Dunn, president and CEO of Chesapeake Conservancy added, "This incredible film is our first of many chances to share the story of Werowocomoco with the public and help us preserve it for future generations."
Werowocomoco was placed under the permanent protection of the National Park Service in June 2016 as part of the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail. See the film on the trail’s website: https://www.nps.gov/cajo/planyourvisit/werowocomoco.htm
# # #
About the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail:
The Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail was established in 2006 to recognize the importance of sites and landscapes representative of American Indian societies and cultures of the 17th century, the natural history of the Chesapeake watershed of that period, and the historic water routes of English explorer Captain John Smith’s (1607-1609) voyages within the Chesapeake Bay. To learn more about touring the trail, visit www.nps.gov/cajo.
About the Chesapeake Conservancy:
Chesapeake Conservancy’s mission is to conserve and restore the natural and cultural resources of the Chesapeake Bay watershed for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. We empower the conservation community with access to the latest data and technology. As principal partner for the National Park Service on the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network and the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, we helped create 153 new public access sites and permanently protect some of the Bay’s special places like Werowocomoco, Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park, and Fort Monroe National Monument.
Last updated: February 9, 2022