PUBLISHED EACH THURSDAV?t
? THE CAROLINA INDIAN VOICE ?
I tr73 J Dedicated to the best H all of us 1 k.Ai?o? I
>
VOLUME 6 NUMBER 34 PEMBROKE, N.C. jjftlRSDAY, AUGUST 24, 1976 15? PER COPY
yf.
INDIANS TESTIFY ON BILL ... ACKNOWLEDGE THE
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EXISTANCE OF CERTAIN INDIAN TRIBES'
HEARINGS HELD AUGUST 10 IN WASHINGTON
W ASHINGTON The status iif more than
100.000 Indians officially designated
"non-federally recognised" was what the
hearings were all about Thursday. August
10. 1978 Many called it an historic day
The hearings were held before a house
subcommittee on Indian Affairs and Public
Lands, chaired by Rep Teno Koncalio of
Wyoming who cautioned those appearing
before the subcommittee and the packed
galleries that "there is a very definite
anti-Indian feeling in Congress."
The house hill, similar to one introduced
in the senate by Senator James Abourczk of
South Dakota, is meeting stilt opposition
from the infamous bureau ot Indian attairs.
the National Congress tsic) ot American
Indians and other established and federally
recognized Indian groups and trihes
The hearings were on house bill. II K
12996 but the day before the hearings
Congressman Charlie Rose introduced
a substitute bill that incorporated many ot
the suggested amendments and changes by
non federally recognized trities and
groups Congressman Rose counts
approximately 30.000 non federally
recognized Indians as constituents,
including approximately 27.000 l.uinbec
Indian* rand another approximate 1.000
Indians who spurn the name "Lumber"
and wish to be known as "Tuscarora")
The changes mostly have to do with the
definition ot "Indian " (he latest hill
introduced by Congressman Rose lists
among others three criteria for designating
one an Indian They arc (11 it a group has
been identified as "Indian. Native
American, or Aboriginal" for a protracted
period of time, but mostly since enactment
of the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 or
(2) that the group exhibits evidence of a
lone standing tribal political influence or
other authority over iiic members of the
group and or <t? (he group has been
recognized a* an Indian group by Ihe
sovereign stale in which it is located
The bill suggests federal recognition il a
group meets any two of the three criteria
All the congressmen support the bill
except...
Ten of North Carolina's eleven
congressmen supported the bill The hill
was introduced by Congressman Charlie
Rose and co-sponsored by the entire North
Carolina delegation with the exception of
Rep. Lamar Gudger. whose constituents
include the Lastern Hand ot Cherokee
Indians in western North Carolina The
Cherokee, and most so called "federally
recognized" Indians oppose lederal
recognition lor Lumhees and other non
federally recognized Indians because they
fear the federal dollar w ill he split into too
many pieces with the addition of "More
Indians '' The Cherokee, like other federal
Indians, fear a loss of benefits if more
Indians gain federal recognition
The opposition groups are expected to
speak out particularly against a proposed
amendment to the hill which would make
federal recognition easier tor Indians such
as Ihe Lurnbees.
That amendment, which is being
proposed by ianie Locklear. a Lumhce and
chairperson of the Indian Recognition
Committee troin North Carolina, would
establish state recognition as a guideline for
lederal recognition The General Assembly
in lOSt recognized the Luinhces as
Lumhees
For years prior to I'fSt the Lumhees.
many of (hem al least, had referred to
themselves as "Cherokees of Robeson
County." In the IXXOs they were
commonly rclcrred. to as Croatans.
ancestors of the tribe which minclcd with
live m(called lost colony" near Manteo.
through the years, however, the Croatan
designation became a derogatory term tor
many of the Indians in Robeson County
For example, during the years prior to the
Civil War the Robeson Indians, along with
the blacks, were forbidden to read or write,
or to learn to read or write. They then began
calling themselves Cherokces. and in IV I t
the General Assembly enacted a law
designating them "Cherokees of Robeson
County."
(That law is still on the books, although is
is superceded by the IV5t law officially
recognizing the l.uinbees as l.umhees t
The federal government in IVS6 gave
partial recognition to the l.uinbees by
enacting a law which stated that the Indian
people of the Robeson County area would
henceforth he known as l.uinbees That
legislation, however, also stated that the
l.umhees would not be entitled to federal
benefits which the long established tribes
were getting
Both the House and Senate bills, as they
now read, list as a requirement for
recognition "a longstanding tribal
governmental influence or authority over
?he member* ?f the iirwep .a?A'
The l.umhees would have no trouble in
meeting the other stipulated requirement,
which states that "the group has been
identified as 'Indian. Native American, or
Aboriginal' consistently and tor a
protracted period of tune, but in any event
for a period of no less than forty four
years
fhat is why Indian representatives from
North Carolina are pressing for the
amendment which would make state
recognition a third factor. The amendment
would call lor federal recognition to he
granted il the Indian group could meet two
ot the three requirement
"We are not intensive in living on a
reservation or anything like thai." said Ms
Locklear. "We want Wlut is due all other
Indians recognized h> the federal
government There ai$ thousands, literally
thousands, of Indian# in North Carolina
living in the worst kind >1 poverty, and a
major reason for that poverty is this lack of
federal recognition over the years."
Ms l^i.klear said federal recognition
would mean "millions ot dollars" for
North Carolina Indians in health services,
education aid. housing assistance and
business development a- istance
"But there is somet' iig else tust as
important, if not more so." Ms. Uicklear
said "federal recognition would mean that
we would no longer have to sutler this
continuous slap in the lace ot being
constantly reminded thai vc are considered
to be a different kind >1 Indian Being
Indian but not Indian.
"It would mean that <ur children can
grow up without this terrible negative
self-concept of being an Indian but vet not
being an Indian it wou'd mean that Indian
utwldrrn cim? finally 55^ v <?p feeling good
about themselves."" "
Besides Ms Locklear. others trom North
Carolina who testified in favor of the bill
were: Adolph Dial, a Lutnhce who served
on the American Indian Policy Review
Commission; Roy Maynor. a
representative of the Cumberland County
Association of Indian People; Sammy
Jacobs. representing the
Waccamaw-Siouan; W.R Richardson,
chief ot the Haliwa Indians; Lonnie Revels,
from the Guilford Native American
Association: Rosa Winfrec. speaking for
the Metrolina Native American
Association: and A Bruce Jones, executive
director of the North Carolina Commission
of Indian Affairs and representatives ot
other non lederally recognized Indians
throughout America, especially from the
Eastern Seaboard
V Bruce Jones said in testimony before
the subcommittee. "With the current
emphasis that President Carter has placed
on the importance of human rights tor all
people, our request tor recognition of our
heritage has never been more timely. As we
express to the world our strong belief in
human rights, it is only consistent to seek
protection for the pcisonal dignity of all
Americans. As representatives in the
United States Congress, you have a chance
to support the human rights of the first
Americans."
Because of (he and Indian sentiment now
evident in Congress the hill's chances for
passage in this session seemed uncertain
But the hearings inade it clear to any
knowledgeable observer that the
non-recognized Indian tribes and groups,
from tar and wide, arc finally getting their
act together and that it is only a matter of
time before such groups will finally receive
the recognition and servicefrom the tcdcral
government that have tor so long been over
due
Pembroke
Town Council
Holds Brief
Session
In a quiet and uneventful meeting the
board adopted a planning hoard and then
named the following to serve' Ms Ruth
Tidwell. 2 years. Clinton Thomas. Jr . 2
years. Samuel Kerns. I year. Wesley
Revels 2 years, and Ltndbcrg Lock tear. I
year The planning board will consist of
seven members; the Robeson County Board
of Commissioners will elect two members
who although residing outside the city
limits will reside within the I mile limit
allowed all municipalities.
In other items...
Morris Bennett, president of the
Lumberton Jaycees, and a number of
(he Jaycees. appeared and
presented a slide presentation ol the
Robeson County Agricultural and Industrial
Pair I he Jaycees are actively trying to sell
the lair as a county event, rather than as a
Lumberton Jaycce venture only
Also, a request for expansion ol sewer
service to a proposed housing development
was tabled until it was .ascertained whether
developers (The Migrant and Seasonal
Farm Workers Association. Inc. I would
agree to being annexed, one of the criteria
for extending the sewer lines to the
development
Also. Phil Shu (Odell .Associates)
appeared before the council and detailed
work his firm is doing in behalf of the town
in developing its 201 feasibility grant The
town has already been approved for a
planning grant totaling approximately
4.000 dollars
New Pembroke Elementary School
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Ground Breaking Held August 3rd
PEMBROKE-Many dignitaries, county
officials. school administrators and parents
attended the official groundbreaking lor the
new Pembroke Elementary School August'
1978.
Ihe shovel, used in the e round hrcaktnc
ceremonies, was presented lo Herman Dial,
chairman ol the kobeson County Board ol
Commissioners, who was. "instrumental
in helpiny us secure the funds to huild this
_?,? .?? t i ma.
much needed school." said f'urnell Swell,
superintendent of the Robeson County
School System.
The school will provide tor I 100 students
and cost in eicess of SI million.
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HVIHHIiMH
PATTY BLUE SPENDS SUMMER IN
CONGRESSMAN ROSE'S OFFICE
r ay* w i *^ / i
Parry Dkje pos#s wtrh Cong. Char*# Rom.
WASHINGTON. DC -Pally Blue, a
Lumbcc. wtyo is (he daughter u?
Commissioner and Mrs Brantley Blue, ha*
spent ihc summer as a stall assistant in
Congressman Charlie Rose's office This
tall she is returning to ihc College ol
William aiid Mary where she is majonng in
Business and hopes to go lo law school
Her father. Brantley Blue, is a native of
Rohcson County He is presently serving as
a commissioner on ihe United States Indian
Claims Commission in Washington. I).C
Her responsibilities in ihe office included
operating a l.inolex word processor which
is a small computer that prints all the
legislative mail and makes a record of all
the constituent's visits, letters, and phone
calls
But Ihe local point of her work this
summer was the Indian Recognition Bill
that Charlie Rose introduced in the House
Hearingswere held August 10 Pattv and
staff assistant. Andrea turner, worked
closely with the t.umbccs incorporating
new language to best meet the needs of all
nonlederally recognized Indians Andrea is
the daughter ol L.uinbcrion's Rev E H
Turner, chairman of the Robeson County
Democratic Party
The second step was arranging the hearing
for Ihe Bill. Many bills that are introduced
in Congress never get to this point, and if
they ilo attendance if small ami interest is
lacking. Bui fur Una.B?U Aehwwwejwwi j,
was full and the testimony erven by ?
representatives from many nonfederaily
rccogni/ed tribes was well written and
moving. Now the hardest part is over, but
supporters still must encourage support in
the House to get the bill through the
subcommittee Hearings and onto the House
floor lor a vote
When Patty first started in May the work
on H R 15. the Indian Education Bill, was
well underway This bill concerned the
?"definition" of Indian, and without Rose's
Iamendment it could possibly have kept the
l.umhees from receiving many dollars in
Education Funds This amendment passed
the House
Patty's impression of the Congressman's
office is a good one "Mr. Rose
enthusiastically works for the Lumbee
people. He has a real understanding of his
iri-racial district, and is proud of it's
interesting blend of people " Patty was
surprised to sec the consideration given to
each individual letter, and the efforts of the
staff to answer the personal requests of the
constituents.
Patty enthusiastically welcomed all the
Indians from Robeson County who
attended the hearings on the Indian
Recognition Bill August 10 She served as
unofficial guide and "Lumbee" host
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