Wowinchopunke

Wowinchopunk (d. 1611) was the chief (werowance) of the Paspahegh Tribe, an Algonquian-speaking people who lived near present-day Jamestown, Virginia. As a tributary chief under Chief Powhatan, he became one of the first Indigenous leaders to encounter the English settlers when they arrived in 1607.

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Initially, Wowinchopunk welcomed the English, providing food and hospitality. However, he soon became suspicious of their intentions as they established a permanent settlement on Paspahegh land. Tensions quickly grew, leading to repeated conflicts between the Paspahegh and the English colonists.

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Throughout the early years of Jamestown, Wowinchopunk led resistance efforts against English expansion. The English viewed him as a courageous and determined warrior, while the Paspahegh saw him as a defender of their homeland. Relations deteriorated further during the difficult years of 1609–1610, when food shortages and violence intensified.

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In 1610, under Governor Lord De La Warr, the English launched a devastating attack on the Paspahegh. Their principal village was burned, crops were destroyed, and members of Wowinchopunk's family were killed. The surviving Paspahegh were forced to abandon their homeland.

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Wowinchopunk was killed in battle with the English in February 1611.

 

Following his death, the remaining Paspahegh people were dispersed and absorbed into neighboring Indigenous communities. His story remains an important example of Indigenous resistance during the earliest years of English colonization in Virginia.