Mapping the Dragon: An Indigenous History of Bacon’s Rebellion

Artist Statement: I created this piece as a commission from Preservation Virginia for the 350th anniversary of Bacon’s Rebellion’s “Mapping the Dragon” lecture series. It depicts Pamunkeys hiding in Dragon Swamp in 1676, while being pursued by Nathaniel Bacon. Playing off of the theme, the horse rearing up in the background is evocative of a dragon on a crest, harkening not only to the namesake of the location itself, but also symbolizing the persistent bloodlust fueled pursuit. The marshy environment stands in Bacon’s way, as the Pamunkey’s deep knowledge of the area allowed them to stay one step ahead of capture. In the foreground, Cockacoeske, Queen of Pamunkey, holds an infant as a symbol of holding her people’s lives in her hands. Through her leadership they survived mostly unscathed and a year later in 1677, she signed the Treaty of Middle Plantation.

Rarely acknowledged in historical narratives, Virginia’s Indigenous nations shaped American history in countless ways, including the events surrounding Nathaniel Bacon’s 1676 insurrection. Our panel brings together the project team, drawing on traditional ecological knowledge alongside military history, environmental and archaeological evidence, and both traditional and non-traditional documents to highlight the Indigenous perspectives of what is now known as Bacon’s Rebellion. This program is hosted at Jamestown Settlement.

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About the Panelists:

Allyson Gray, Panelist

Allyson Gray is a Pamunkey citizen, cultural practitioner, and artist whose work is grounded in relationships with land, environment, and history. Drawing on Pamunkey knowledge and personal perspective, she engages in conversations that explore how Indigenous histories and experiences shape our understanding of the past and present. Her perspective emphasizes the ongoing presence of Indigenous peoples and the importance of understanding landscapes as living, meaningful spaces rather than sites of the past.

Edward D. Ragan, Panelist

Edward DuBois Ragan is the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer (THPO) for the Rappahannock Tribe. He began working with the Tribe in 1996, first, as the historian for their federal acknowledgement project, and since, to assist their in cultural and historic recovery and preservation. His work is rooted in a reciprocal history that acknowledges the fundamental sovereignty of the Tribe to construct its own historical narratives based on the lived experiences of its citizens. Edward holds a Ph.D. from Syracuse University and lives in northwest Louisiana, where he teaches at Bossier Parish Community College.

Jeff Wright, Panelist

To Jeff Wright Indigenous military operations are a quintessential example of asymmetric warfare. He spent nearly five decades in government and industry applying methodologies and technologies for solving complex operational challenges related to asymmetric warfare. He is a retired Army Colonel in Military Intelligence. He is the national President and Chairman of the Board of the Old Growth Forest Network, a Certified Virginia Master Naturalist who has logged over 7,500 volunteer hours, the Past President of the Friends of Dragon Run, and a Kayak Paddle Tour Nature Guide for the Friends of Dragon Run. He is a believer in the importance of advocacy in protecting the natural world and that the environment is part of the nation’s national security dialogue, and a priority global challenge. To leaders of all persuasion who want to drain the swamp, No! Jeff believes we need to embrace and protect our swamps and natural landscapes and tell the story of how indigenous tribes prevailed against Nathanial Bacon’s forces in the Dragon Swamp back in 1676.

Julia A. King, Moderator

Julie King is the George B. and Willma Reeves Endowed Chair in the Liberal Arts at St. Mary’s College of Maryland where she studies, teaches, and writes about the Chesapeake Bay region’s rich history and archaeology. She focuses on the region’s Indigenous, African, and settler histories and how these histories have shaped the region’s present and future. In 2018, Julie received the J.C. Harrington Award, from the Society for Historical Archaeology for her scholarly contributions to the field of archaeology and to the study of the early modern Atlantic through a Chesapeake lens.