Carolina Indian Voice :e,NC "Building communicative bridges in a tri-racial setting" Robeson County t North Carolina Indian Cultural Center... A Brief History KEEPERS OF THE PAST At day's end, they gather up the treasures and lock them into a secure room. The staff of the North Caoriina Indian Cultural Center (NC1CC) sometimes work until 8 or 9, even later, nonetheless, the ritual collecting and safeguarding of the treasures never gets overlooked because this is the heart and soul of the task they've taken on: the preservation and telling of a way of life. FVw in number, the treasures aren't likely to interest thieves since their value isn't in their market price. They include a handmade quilt of migenta, maroon and white, handwoven baskets, both simple and intricate, beaded ornaments, gourds, a hooded day figure with piercing eyes, a contemporary effigy carved from stone.. They also indude an architect's rendering of the phase one focal point, the Visitor's Center and Museum, and shelves of plans, proposals, impact studies, histories, ecological reports, budgets, travel brochures, archaeological data, in, short, all that will one day come together as eastern North Carolina's chief repository of Indian lore. Although the idee of en Indian Cultural Center emerged more then 25 years ego, it wee not until 1981 that it found its earliest fiscal support A $15,000 planning grant from the Coastal Plains Regional Commission to the ''North Carolina Commission on Indian Affairs funded a study of the concept A year later the Council of State gave $100,000 for the initial property option purchase. By 1964 the ball was rolling and almost half a million additional dollars were accrued for purchase of land. Consistent efforts over the six years resulted in the incorporation of a private, non profit organisation, establishment of a 15-member Board of Directors, the hiring of an Executive Director, the completion of archaeological and feasibility studies, and the raiaing of yet mote funds and mote support. MANY CAREFUL STEPS Amassing artifacts, both ancient and'recent, and the products of today1 s Indian artists and craftsmen may be one of the more enjoyable aspects of developing a cultural center, but it is not the major part, nor is it the starting place. In fact, a single starting place probably never existed. Instead, there have many places to begin and the lead juggler of these multiple beginnings is the Center's Director. Dr. Helen Maynor Scheirbeck. a woman who believes that having only one thing to do at a time constitutes walking backward. By the time Dr. Scheirbeck was hired in 1987, a first market study had already been completed and the multi-tribal Board had money in the bank. The issue was how to proceed and the answer was forward--in every direction. In rapid succession more staff was hired, repair work to the site's amphitheater, lake, and grounds got underway, plans were solicited few a phased-in approach to development, meetings with tourism specialists, museum curators, and marketing experts took place, and moat importantly, the public began to participate in the project "This has never been the Board's Cultural Center or my Cultural Center," says Dr. Seheirbeck. "It belongs to the people and from the first we wanted the public to work with us, to be part of the fun and the headaches of development" So, the public was invited to special events such as the Ground Belssing, pow wows, and art shows and also to simply drop by, to ask questions, to meet the staff, to see how things are coming along, to lend a hand. For Dr. Seheirbeck, members of the Board and many others, the importance of proceeding with the Viator's Center, Museum and other Phase I elements, are very important for the sagging Robeson County economy. The $60 million Cultural Center will mean about 500 new jobs. untold numbers of spin-off businesses, and will provide a major marketing outlet for the entire state's Indian population. This is in addition to meeting the Cultural Center' a primary objective: To create a regional cultural and educational park that will serve as a preservation and presentation center of the historical culture of the Native American throughout North Carolina--the Coharie, Eastern Band of Cherokee, Haliwa-Sapoin, Lumbee, Tuscarora, and the Waccamaw-Souan. At this time--early in 1991-the project advances roughly on schedule. There is every reason to believe that the opening of the east coast's newest cultural theme park- complete with living displays, interpretive exhibits, archaeological features, films, ceremonial reenactments, and gift shop filled with Indian arts and crafts-will coincide with America's celebration of the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' most important voyage. A WALK THOGUHTMANY YESTERDAYS Who doesn't remember being small and magical? Who doesn't remember marching through a still, green, sweet smelling place and feeling powerful, feeling aa though the world was good, that all things in it were good and that they knew you and approved of you? Another memory: there is something fearsome out there, just beyond the clearing, deep in the dark, shadowy woods. la it a wild animal mad with a strange sickness? Is it someone or maybe a lot of people come to avenge some wrong or come to take your food? There are other things, stories your parents and grandparents told yon, and you remember telling, sitting at the kitchen table with the smell of coffee or maybe bread, warm and strong, circling about your heads. The older folks nod in agreement to a shared knowledge that you don't really understand. But it's all right The stories hold your attention and you know that their wisdom will keep you safe. Our pasts are both private and communal. Our histories blend and tangle like the threads in a blanket so that me remember many things, some of which happened to ur and some of which happened to ancestors. Because we believe that both kinds of memories are important, we honor them by recording and preserving them. Hie North Carolina Indian Cultural Center will be a kind of family album of the state's first citizens. On arrival at the Cultural Center, guests wfll be greeted at the Visitor Center and Museum, a 25,000-square-foot facility housing an auditorium, gift shop, class rooms and meeting rooms, and, most important, exhibits covering more than 12,000 years of North Carolina history. An Exhibit Orientation Area wfll set the stage for the entire cultural site experience--in the museum, along with the riverwalks, in the seven Indian villages, at the ceremonial grounds, and on the nature trails. There will be six additional exhibition galleries in the central facility, allof which will be filled with the elements that most typify the period. The galleries and some of the features are: the Paleo Indian Hall which stretches into the most distant past to present ancient relies of flintnapping, bone work, and weaponry; The Archaic Indian Hall which wfll feature examples of early basketry and shell work as well as descriptions of the trade practices of the period: The Woodland Indian Hall which introduces the elements of myth, religion, ceremony, art, and medicine; The Early Historic Period (1600-1840) Hall which presents the North Carolina Indian as he is most often depicted in American history. Ibis gallery will most certainly offer a few surprises; The late Historic Period (1840-1980) Hall which SEE NORTH CAROLINA INDIAN CULTURAL CENTER PAGE4 There remains too much to do is the lives at Wfllard B . and RearUeladdear (or them to dwell on the creeping of old age. He says food tends to be his only vice right now and he is trying to cut back on eating too much for health's sake. "Probably one reason I've Bved as long as I have is that I've never been a drunkard, and have never hit a fighting lick in my entire adult life." And Mrs. Locklear attributes her longevity to her love f. I M Bfcj, rt ?>! a t I AM T 1 ? II ? ??> Mill III |1 ?? tl lor people, noney, i love everyooay. i_ A Whatever Happened to Willard B. and Peariie Mae Locklear by Barbara Bmvoboy-Leekloar Spatial to 1KB CAROLINA INDIAN VOICE Age is a state at mind say WOlard Brantley Locklear and his wile, Feartie Mae Emanuel Locklear. . "Why, you're not eld until you get up in the 80's." Mm. Locklear says as her husband nods in agreement. ^ The Union Chapel community residents are pushing old age. He is 74 and she is 78 yearn old. And though they are in the winter of their lives, spring shines brightly as they reminisce about their 56 yearn together as husband and wife. He was bora the third at ten children to Hayes Locklear and his wife, Phodie Wooden Locklear of Robeson County. Bom in Claxton, Georgia, Mr*. Loddear is the daughter oi tha lata Isaiah Diaon Emanuel and Annie Mae Ransom Fmsnucl Her parents moved from Georgia when she was seven jean old. She is the only surviving child at the six children ben to "LD." and Annie Mae Ehnanuel, Robeson County native*. : Mr. loddaar grow up in the Union Chapel community and attsodad Union Chapel School. He says among his taaeben at tire all-Indian school were Martin Luther Lowiy, Lottie Mas Bahsr and John L Carter. After completing the 11 grades offered at tho school, he enrafied at Cherokee Indian Normal School ia Pembroke, ft was there be mot Mrs. Loddaar who had attended the Ihompeoa and Barter Tan-Mile School. "It was love at first sight far me." Mr. Loddear says of moating his future wife. The couple graduated bom the high school in 1934 and married a year later. Td just become to bo It yuan old whan I got married." she remembers. Mr*. Loddear says she told I her mother that she and Mr. Loddaar. hor boy friend , wees just going for a tide on tha night they got married. Later on they slipped sway to DOlon, SC. Their wedding [ night was apeut fa the home at the groom's sister, Strawdie. A week later they moved in with his parents in the Union Chapel community. A jmt later after hie parents built a new home, the couple took up housekeeping la the original Hayes Loddear house. Mi*. Loddear remembers it was a one room house with paaeleee windows. "A wooden abutter covered ike window opening." Mr. Locfciosr say* he learned first hand from his father tiie importance at frugality. "I wea born and raised in a two-room log house with a day floor and lived there until I was sin years old. "lean remember living there when my parents had tin at us children. There were no crib* or storage buildings to keep cured tobacco in, and Daddy would atom sheets at the farm crop inside the house far asiaha eying. "If my daddy made two dollars, he always kept one of them. He could radly squccee money." The couple worked on the Loehear hum during their ?ilead year oI marraige. "It was a tee when monthly wages warn twelve dolors. That year aty wife and I warn Whh the earnings Mr. LasMssr says ha bought a M wnndharatof aaak stove, ? hod and a dreeeer. " And 1 didn't spend hail ha mime we had to have aomo left to live en," he interjects. A tow yeare later the yeung aoupte awvod near Had Qwtoga where aba apmatod a asuatry atom and he did carpentry work at Ft Bragg Military base. 'three years later they moved back to the Union Chapel community and remained. Tbey were to raise ten children: six eons and four daughters. Another child died hi infancy. By now the Hayes Loddear estate had increased from the ten acres he'd purchased from his mother for ten dollars, to 66 acres which consisted of three farms. - Drawing on his carpentry skills, Mr. Loddear buih a home for his growing family. It was at his father's homestead he engaged in fanning crape of tobacco, com and soybeans. He supplemented his income by working as a master carpenter with construction companies. He ww employed with a Robeson County-based corporation for 29 years and farmed, too. As a construction site supervisor he was able to work parttime during tobacco harvest season. He also worked parttime for 20 years with his late brother-in-law, Juddie A. Revels, 8k. in a funeral home business. ha 1964 Mr. Loddear retired. Mrs. LocMear is a retired homemaher. Today the coupie's activities are slowed by declining health. Hie family farm is attended by a son who also operates an auto garage nearby. Mr. Loddear limits his driving because of "stiffness" in a foot caused by a ( medical ailment He says be relies on a relative and , neighbor to drive him most places. However, when he does drive, beside him is his j beloved dog, Prince. The 16-year-old friend goes / whwfvtr master goM. "I even tabs him to church with me every Sunday. He \ stays in my car and waits patiently," Mr. Loddear smiles. "He even goes with me to town." he says of the dog 0 whicfe was given to him by a daughter. Mr. Loddear has bean a Sunday School adult teacher t. for ? year*. He is very active in l.is beloved Union Chapel Community Baptist Church where he serves as chairman of the Steward committee. p s For going on four dacadaa ha haa bann a vital flguro in ? ' 'Tva alwaya fait that aarviaa to my community waa ? important." the Liunbaa Indian eoramanta. Savon arthrWa raaultad In a hnaa cap rapine am cot for lira. locMaar aevoral yuan ago. Sha laarnad to r nation af Indians? Ate you trying to find out the rmal itory about Gerooimo or tome other Indian leader? Are fou aearching for general knowledge of Indiana of the Saetern Woodlands? If so, the Native American Renounce >nter, in Old Main Building on the Pembroke State Jniversity campus, is a good place to look for some inswers. The Native American Resource Center has recently pened a Reading Room where people can find ifosmatiao about various topics related to American sdians. The books are arranged by'regions which reflect lie similar cultures among the Native Americans in each Rfion. The regions include: Eastern Woodlands, Plains, latssu and Grant Basin, Northwest Coast and Arctic, with west, and California. Within each of these regions in various books: some about specific tribes; some about w art of that region; ooms about particular people. A arson hilarsrtad in finding out more about one of these iburai regions can " browse" through the bonk* '? for items of interest. TOm Resource Center has also recently developed an index for the books in the Reading Room. With this index s person can find out which boohs contain htfosmatian about specific Indian-related topics. A sample of the topics in the index includes: agriculture, arts and crafts, clothing and regalia, dance, federal policy, honehig and villages, languages, myths and legends, and treaties. There are many other topics as well. Although the books in the Rending Room may not be cheched-eut. the public is welcome to sit in the Reading Room and make use of these references For persons who need to take references home with them, many of these same books are also available in the Psmhseha State University library, which is also open to the public. Staff members of the Native American Resource Center are available to assist people looking for references and to discuss many of the topics included in the Reading Room. U you want to learn more about Native American cultures, visit the Native American Ras ouree Center. Local Person Receives State Award Assstimksa sf Sri 4 Wotsr ContsnmHo* Distriots. Hs wu prsssntsd m award January T during ikt AssociaHan't ounuai moating hoid in AgtfuMa. 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