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Pottery & Gourds
The Mattaponi River bank also supplies the Mattaponi with clay for pottery. The Mattaponi people have perfected the art of pottery making as well as gourd work. Replicas of ancestral pottery, as well as creative contemporary expressions, are made much the same way as in the 17th-century.
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Algonquin Language
Our native language is Algonquin. A significant part of the effort to wipe out the Mattaponi included forced assimilation. Our language was almost lost but there is an organized effort to reclaim this important part of our heritage.
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A Mix of the Old and the New
Although many Mattaponi maintain jobs in nearby cities, tribal members still farm the reservation land. Traditionally, Powhatan woman performed farming. Now, gardening, such as planting soybeans, peas, corn and other grains, is a activity enjoyed by all. The Mattaponi people also fish, hunt, and trap.