Author: Lora Chilton
Publication Information: Sibylline Press. 2024. 224 pages.
ISBN: 1960573950 / 978-1960573957
Rating: ★★★★★
Book Source: I received this book through NetGalley free of cost in exchange for an honest review.
Opening Sentence: "The Patawomeck tribe of Virginia was referenced in many early written records starting in the 1600s by explorers Caption John Smith, William Strachey, and Henry Spelman, among others."
Favorite Quote: "He does not understand that no ones own this land; this is for all people to share. He does not understand that he cannot own this land, but he keeps trying."
A note about the publisher: Sibylline Press is a relatively new imprint. Their goal is to "publish the brilliant work of women authors over 50!" 1666 is the first book under the imprint.
A note about the author: Lora Chilton is member of the Patawomeck Tribe. The book is based on research through interviews with tribal elders, colonial documents, and a study of the Patawomeck language.
A note about the book. The book includes indigenous names and the Patawomeck language in tribute to the culture. The book includes a glossary for the terms and names used. Often, the book will provide both terms in the text which is alternatively helpful and redundant.
Now on to the story.
The Patawomeck are a Native American tribe, who call home the area around the Potomac River that is now Stafford County, Virginia. Potomac, in fact, is said to be another spelling of Patawomeck. The tribe's first recorded meeting with the Europeans is dated to 1608 and Captain John Smith. At times, the Europeans and the Patawomeck were allies and trade partners. In 1662, however, a tribe member was arrested. Trial in 1663 judged him not guilty. However, he was murdered on his travel home. In 1665, the colonists forced the tribe to "sell" their remaining land. In 1666, the colonists declared war on several tribes including the Patawomeck.
That is where this book begins.
As an act of war, all the men and even some growing boys are massacred. The babies are taken from their mothers and given to other families. The women, girls, and young children are put on board a ship and sent to Barbados to be sold into slavery. This part of the history is little known. "Every tribe along the East Coast of the New World has experienced similar losses. There are no words to describe the devastation." The current tribe members are descendants of the survivors of the 1666 massacre.
This book is the story of three of these women, one who is merely a girl at the time. The story is told as a first person narrative through the eyes of these women. The first person narration also pays homage to the oral tradition that documents the history of the tribes. The first person narration also portrays the atrocities experiences and the losses in a way that other narrative techniques would not. The details are horrifying! "I do not cry. I have no tears left. There is nothing left."
This book is also a story of courage, resilience, and survival. It is about a journey home. It is the story of the fact that, despite every effort to destroy them, the tribe survives today. An emotional, heart-wrenching story recounting an unforgettable history.
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