Meet our communities

About the communities – Lumbee, Waccamaw-Siouan, NC Commission

Lumbee Tribe

The 40,000+ members of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina reside primarily in Robeson, Hoke, and Scotland counties. The Lumbee Tribe is the largest tribe in North Carolina, the largest tribe east of the Mississippi River and the ninth largest in the nation. The Lumbee take their name from the Lumbee River which winds its way through Robeson County. Pembroke, North Carolina is the economic, cultural and political center of the tribe.
The ancestors of the Lumbee were mainly Cheraw and related Siouan-speaking Indians who have lived in the area of what is now Robeson County since the 1700s. The Lumbee people have been recognized by the state of North Carolina since 1885, and at the same time established a separate school system that would benefit tribal members. In 1887, the state established the Croatan Normal Indian School, which is today UNC-P. In 1956 a bill was passed by the United States Congress which recognized the Lumbee as Indian, but denied the tribe full status as a federally recognized Indian tribe. Federal recognition for the tribe is currently being sought through federal legislation.

HISTORICAL TIMELINE OF THE LUMBEE

1700s
1703             Cheraws leave Danville, Virginia area for Cheraw, South Carolina.
1775-1783    Lumbees, including John Brooks, serve in Revolutionary War.
1790             United States Census lists prominent Lumbee family names, including Locklear, Oxendine, Chavis, Lowry, Hammonds, Brooks, Brayboy, Cumbo, Revels, Carter                          and Kersey, as "All other free persons."
1800s
1835             North Carolina passes laws preventing Indians from voting, or owning or using firearms.
1861-1865    Lumbees serve in Civil War.
1865-1872    Henry Berry Lowrie war in Robeson County to fight oppression of the Lumbee people.
1885             The North Carolina General Assembly recognizes the Indians of Robeson County as Croatan and establishes a separate school system for the Indian.
1887             Lumbee people build Croatan Indian Normal School (now The University of North Carolina at Pembroke).
1888             North Carolina State Constitution changes, returning citizenship rights to Lumbee.
1890             North Carolina Supreme Court rules that Indian school committees have ultimate authority as to whether children are Indians and eligible for tribal schools.

1900s
1911             The North Carolina General Assembly changes the name of the tribe to "Indians of Robeson County."
1913             North Carolina legislature changes the tribe's name from Croatan to Cherokee Indians of Robeson County.
1914             Indian Agent O. M. McPherson concludes the Lumbee to be of Cheraw descent.
1917-1918    Lumbees serve in World War I.
1924             Tribe unsuccessfully petitions Federal Government for recognition as Siouan Indians.
1933             Smithsonian Institution anthropologist studies tribe, declares Lumbee to be of Cheraw Indian origin.
1934             Lumbee leaders join the National Congress of American Indians.
1952             Tribe votes to adopt the name Lumbee.
1953             North Carolina changes name of tribe from Cherokee to Lumbee.
1956             U.S. Congress recognizes name change. Specific language in the Lumbee Act, however, denies the tribe the customary Indian benefits.
1958             Lumbee use force to rout the Ku Klux Klan in a confrontation near Maxton, NC.
1971             First Indian-owned bank in US - Lumbee Bank - opens in Pembroke, NC.
1973             Henry Ward Oxendine, Lumbee, is first North Carolina-born Indian to serve in NC House of Representatives.
1976             Outdoor drama Strike At The Wind, story of Henry Berry Lowrie, opens in Pembroke, NC.
1987             Lumbee petition U.S. Dept. of the Interior for federal acknowledgment and entry to tribal rolls. Petition is denied due to language in the Lumbee Act of 1956.
                     The University of North Carolina at Pembroke celebrates 100th anniversary.
1994             Glen Maynor was elected Sheriff and Joanne Locklear was elected Clerk of Court for Robeson County, the first Lumbees to hold these positions.

2000s
2001             Lumbee Tribal Government sworn in.
2003             Bills introduced in the House of Representatives (H.R. 898) and the Senate (S.420) to extend full federal recognition to the tribe.
                     Lumbee Tribal Council elected.
                     Lumbees serve in Afghanistan and Iraq.

THE LUMBEE LOGO
The circular shape of the Lumbee Logo is symbolic of the Circle of Life and it emphasizes the importance of each Lumbee being a whole person. The four parts of the circle represent the four qualities of a balanced life: the spiritual, the emotional, the physical, and the intellect.
The colors and location of the colors represent the four directions - East (yellow), South (red), West (black) and North (white). It is the belief that together they not only represent a well-balanced individual, but also a complete human being. This balance and completeness is universal and represents the equality of all humankind, thus the colors - red, yellow, black and white.
The Lumbee Pine Cone Patchwork surrounding the Circle of Life represents the pride, power and will of the Lumbee Tribe.
The four directions, colors and Lumbee Pine Cone Patchwork are central features of the Lumbee Logo and portray the coming together of the old and new traditions in one symbol of unity for the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. (courtesy of http://www.lumbeetribe.com/lumbee/logo.htm)

Waccamaw-Siouan

The Waccamaw-Siouan tribe is a state-recognized tribe in North Carolina of about 2,000 members. Which resides in Bladen and Columbus Counties. There are 4 main communities in which the members reside St. James, Buck Head, Council, and Chadbourn.
The first recorded mention of the Woccon, ancestors of the Waccamaw-Siouan people, appeared in 1712. The tribe lived northeast of Charleston, South Carolina, but after fighting a war with the state, it sought refuge in the swampland of North Carolina. Many legends have arisen concerning the origin of Lake Waccamaw. Most center around a flaming meteor that fell and burned itself deep into the swamp. This is why the Waccamaw-Siouan are known as “people of the fallen star.”

The Waccamaw-Siouan tribe lives on the edge of Green Swamp, seven miles from Lake Waccamaw. Council headquarters, located on tribal land in Buckhead, serves as the site of the tribe’s community outreach and recreation center, as well as the annual powwow, which has been celebrated since 1970.

NC Commission on Indian Affairs

History and Purpose
The North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs was created in 1971 by the North Carolina General Assembly in response to the requests of concerned Indian citizens from across the state. The commission was established pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes 143B- 404 through 143B-411. Specifically, the commission was created to:
o Deal fairly and effectively with Indian affairs
o Bring local, state and federal resources into focus for the implementation or continuation of meaningful programs for the state's Indian citizens
o Provide aid and protection for Indians as needs are demonstrated
o Assist Indian communities in social and economic development
o Promote recognition of and the right of Indians to pursue their cultural and religious traditions

The commission has eight statutory duties outlined in its enabling legislation as follows:
o Study, consider, accumulate, compile, assemble and disseminate information on Indian affairs
o Investigate relief needs of Indians and assist in preparation of plans for the alleviation of such needs
o Confer with appropriate officials of local, state and federal governments
o Review all legislation concerning Indians
o Conduct public hearings on matters relating to Indian affairs and subpoena any information deemed necessary
o Study the existing status of recognition of all Indian groups, tribes and communities
o Establish appropriate procedures for legal recognition by the state and provide for official recognition
o Initiate procedures for recognition by the federal government

Mission Statement
The mission of the North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs is to instill a positive vision for American Indians through preserving cultural identity by promoting and advocating the rights, beliefs and opportunities which impact quality of life.

Goals
o Increase and maximize educational opportunities for American Indians in North Carolina
o Increase the economic self-sufficiency of American Indians in North Carolina and maximize Indian economic development initiatives
o Achieve parity in employment for Indians of North Carolina
o Improve the health status of American Indians in North Carolina
o Increase the public awareness of American Indians
o Provide for the state and/or federal recognition of North Carolina Indian tribes
o Promote recognition of and the right of Indians to pursue cultural and religious traditions considered by them to be sacred and meaningful and to promote public understanding and appreciation of Indian culture


North Carolina Native Communities
A state with 100,000 Native Americans, North Carolina has a rich history, often un-recognized by its citizens, from its many American Indian peoples. In fact, North Carolina has more Native Americans than any other state east of the Mississippi river.
What makes North Carolina unqiue amongst the other states with large native populations is that in NC, most of the tribes live intermixed with other races and peoples. In fact, only a small area in the Western part of the state, where the Eastern Band of Cherokee call home, is designated land for Native Americans in North Carolina.