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The Cheroenhaka (Nottoway) Indian Tribe of Southampton County presented to Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, this past spring, the 312th Spotswood Treaty Tribute of three peace arrows, wrapped in an otter pelt with a wampum belt.

A tribal news release noted that this April 23 ceremony marked Youngkin’s fourth consecutive year of accepting the treaty tribute from the tribe. In honor of this, the governing body of the tribe accepted him as an honorary adopted tribal member, gifting him the name, in the tribe’s Iroquoian language, of “Quaker-win-tika Cheeta,” which means “Sky Eagle” in the English language. The name was gifted to the governor due to his 6-foot, 8-inch height. 

“That’s very tall,” Cheroenhaka (Nottoway) Indian Tribe Chief Walt “Red Hawk” Brown said. 

The governor was presented with a tribal certificate bearing his native name, on behalf of the tribe’s council, as signed by Brown, along with a native beaded necklace of an eagle.

Upon presentation of the certificate bearing his native name, Youngkin commented that since he cannot get First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin to call him “Governor,” maybe now she will call him “Sky Eagle.”

Near the end of the ceremony, Youngkin also presented birthday letters, bearing his signature, to the two oldest tribal citizens. The first letter was to Grace “Summer Rain” Wright, 105 years old. Accepting the letter on behalf of Mama Grace, as she is affectionately known, was her son, Vice Chief Ellis “Soaring Eagle” Wright. 

The second birthday letter was presented to Bernice Florene “Morning Dove” Ricks, 99 years old. Accepting the letter on behalf of Aunt Florene, as she is affectionately known, was her great-nephew, Walter David “Spirit Hawk” Brown IV, Chief Brown’s son. 

Since this was the last year that Youngkin will be available as governor in his current term to accept the Spotswood Treaty Tribute, Chief Brown and other attending tribal members invited the Youngkins to join in an honor dance for the two of them. They danced to the drumming and singing of a native song by tribal member Ethan “Dancing Bear” Phelps.