" ? ___^
Riders and Traditionalist
Corner ^
[Traditionally Speaking
V. (HtmmTwrtkt
THE MVEE SWAMP PEOPLE
-AEMUDHEJUTAGE
that made ma very proud to be a
iiiiiiliroftoeLUMBEE-< HLRAW
NA^V^AMERJCAN commumiy
and feelings expressed at these
i ton toiiwiiii'tototiiSsHW^iawe^
see toe nice turnout fas this meeting
H ww also wee to see th* those
attending wsm young, middle a^r aixl
our elder a While the
;CONSTITlTIONAL
COMMITTEE* actions was being
pre sewed to the people they wear all
very attewtve. It ia very evtdeto that
all m attendance were interested and
excited about the proceedings of the
CON STITUTIONAL
COMMITTEE They expressed toeir
>uoooft for this imoortaw oroiect. and
abated some of thee concerns with
their representative* They were very
proud oftheir NATIVE AMERICAN
lieritage and dlacwwd their hopes
anddesirw concerning the naswgr of
the LUMBEE-CHERAW
rec aajtiw hill It ww dwing this
meeting tow I first heard the term
RIVER SWAMP PEOPLE It was
mentioned during a discussion of our
heritage as descendants of the
CHERAW NATIVE
AMERICANS h ww pointed out to
the audience that a settlement of the i
CH ERA W NATIVE AMERICANS
ww established in the area between i
Pembroke and Maxloo during the early
1700's It ww also discussed bow i
other NATIVE AMERICANS came I
to call this part of North Carolina ,
home Notably, tbe Tuacarora. 1
Cherokee, and other Siouan tribes I
These NATIVE AMERICANS I
migrated to this *ea because (be white
population did not initially want this
swampy land, doring the NATIVE
AMERICAN removal period The
people left this meeting reeling happy
and excited about their proud heritage.
The next morning. I attended the
CONSTITUTIONAL
COMMITTEE meeting in Pembroke
and was once again touched by the
excitement and spiritualness that
permeates these meetings Again, the
term RIVER SWAMP PEOPLE was
used in reference to the LUMBEE
CHERAW people When I heard it
this time, it was like a spark that lit a
lire in my mind I began thinking
what an appropriate phrase to describe
us ss a people We are so closely tied
to the LUMBEE RIVER historically
and emotionally, and since most of
present day Robeson county was
?wamp land as late as the 1800's this
rem RIVER SWAMP PEOPLE
seems extremely appropriate I feel
that it is significant reference since
the river and swamps of Robeson
county were protectors of one of our
greatest heroes. HENRY BERRY
LOWRY. This swampy land and the
LUMBEE RIVER has alao provided
food and sustenance for our people in
the following ways, fish for food from I
the swamps and river, recreational I
swimming in the river: transportation
via boats from the river and swamps; I
fertile soil from the swampy areas I
afrer they have been drained: and the
LUMBEE RIVER as a bridge from I
the past to the present and future. I
These are but some ofthe reasons that 1
the river and swamp mean so much to I
the LUMBEE-CHERAW NATIVE I
AMERICANS So I am proud to be a 1
NATIVE AMERICAN whose ?
rentage is that ofa RIVER SWAMP I
PERSON I
EThe Way I See It 1
* by Dr. Dm Charm, frnMiii
? I I ? nrn n"
*1111 '
TO
I got more reaction to the column
about hoy killing than to any column
I have written for Conner and Rik in
the paat ten months When 1 called
MiaaCoonee toaakifshehad received
my column, she said "You're a
wanting some sausage, ain't you?"
A few days later. I got a call from
. my cousin Delia Mae Revels Harris
She and Neil had visited us here in
Albuquerque three summers ago In
the meantime, she has retired from the
Charlotte- Mecklenburg Schools, and
is doing what die wants to do I can't
beleive tbt is retired She is too young.
Anyway. she told me I had to write
about sweet inters, too And
Injiienmlk. boghead c heese. crackiins.
and side meal I could make a meal of
all or any of these
Luckily for me. Connee told me
Helen's sister was killing hogs that
day . I aatd "Tell her to send me some
isusatr if 6* can spare some "
A fcw days later. Helen called me
on a Saturday morning at some
ungodly hour I was still in bed There
is a two-hour time difference between
here and Pembroke, so it was the
middle of the morning for Helen,
nighttime for me
I didn't care, though She told me
"We aent you a package of sausage
and puddin yesterday by UPS"
"Well, bless your head." I told
her You see. I didn't think I would
have someone to take pity on me and
send me a care package
Here it came a few days later,
smelling good. I opened it right away,
got a hot skillet ready, and cooked up
a piece of sausage for dinner And was
it good
It had some Robeson C ounty red
pepper it in. and did it ever have a
good flavor It was so good I had
another piece for breakfast Then, a
couple of days later. I ahd a piece of
the puddin And was it fttten
I took the rest and put one piece of
rentage and one piece of puddin each
in sandwich bags and put them in the
freezer Then, a week later. I broke
down aad took a pack out. and cooked
the rausage for dinner Last night. I
cooked the puddin
la the meantime. I had bought
some sweet latere and baked them,
and hod bought some buttermilk. So
my dinner last night was puddin. rice,
eggs over easy, buttermilk, aad sweet
latere I was in heaven.
Now I have to go buy some more
taters and bake them. Del reminded
me that we used to eat tater pie all the
time, when we could get it. I told her
about the time my great-aunt
Margarette L. Chavers let me have a
half acre of a field across the ditch
fiom our far, and 1 planted it in taters.
That was about I9S6.
We dug taters for days, it seemed
And we sold many bushels of them
We always had a tater hill in the
garden. We put it there to keep the
nogs out of it. People always told me
that if a bog got in a tater hill, all the
taters would rot. ?,
I guess if I had some crackltns and t
some taters to dip them up with, and i
had some cracklin bread, and some |
buttermilk to wash it down. I could die
happy Not that 1 want to die But 1
would like to have a good meal of that
ole stuff one more time 1 ate so much
of Mister Fuller's food the last time 1
was home that I had an uneasy stomach (
for a few days
They say home is where the heart
is. I wonder ifthat applies to stomachs
If it does, then Pembroke will always
be home to me. I'll have to buy some
Gubackon the way home, for breakfast
Let my wife fuss about heart attacks.
r
Al's Aluminum A Vinyl Siding
Route 1 Box 422, Lumborton, NC 28358
Phone:(910)738-5409 v
*IUmo4?llnf Wlnyl SMInf fUptacamw* Window*
All ** 1 n r* " T
ah I jrpfi of ntmoaeimg
N Native American
POWWOW
The North Carolina School of Science a Mathematics
Charles K. Eilber Physical Education Center
Durham, North Carolina
Febraaiy 12,1994
? .-?4-1 ,? ?' fli i1' ~ 1 ,
HOT FILLS FOR
WINTER CHILLS.
Wart it hot? We've got it. Saucy MeatbaN and
hearty Steak & Cheese Steamin' hot sub6
on fresh baked bread with free fixin's. If you're
looking for a hot time, come to Subway.
MY ONI RIMIAK FOOTIONO NOT ffef|#*
SN^CnONiOriQMIYMNIPOR 77Y
with purchase of medium drink I
521-1911 * Pembroke |
i
?StcowdtoobowB tub mutt btoltquti or It pcict UmttOnt coupon ?
per customer per vieit Not pood in combination wOh any other offer.
obtrtxpKt* February 9,1994
E Readers' Forum 1
Reader says Lumbees imitate
Plains Indians Regalia
To the Editor:
My name is Jimmy Boy Dial. I was
born in Wagrem. North Carolina and
1 am a Lumbee. I am alto the editor
and publisher of "The Spike. The
Original Newsletter On Native East
Coast Events."
The majority of the articles that are
written for The Spike are written in a
manner that not necessarily meant to
inform Native or non-Native
subscribers but to espouse the concept
of renewal of pride when all around us
Native people are succumbing to
stereotypical behavior to get in on the
recent cash flow being generated in
the recent "Indianmarket." Many of
these people who are selling out our
cultural heritage, and the heritage of
other tribes and nations, are from, but
not limited to. the North Carolina.
Virginia, and South Carolina area
Having been devoid of cultural
consciousness, but heavily endowed
with ethnic awareness, many people
have taken to indulging in behavior
that is embarrassing to themselves
and insulting to those they seek to
mimic.
We have often expressed our
concern that men and women from
North Carolina who participate in
many of the powwows that have
become popular, and also big business,
find it necessary to emulate Plains
Indian peoples for show and to win
prize money. Lumbee men wearing
Plains eagle bustles are a particular
shame to Lumbees because they show
no pride in their regional culture To
emulate Southeastern regalia may not
win them any money at a commercial
event but would make a statement of
pnde thai would speak for ail Lumber
people, especially when many other;
Natrons are trying to nuke Lumbeer
the brunt ofa national joke la addition,
many of these feathers are obtained
and possessed in an illegal manner
I was distressed that Lumbers did
not pursue Federal Recognition
without any monetary attachment
What a statement of pnde that would
have made We are the most
industrious tribe in the United States
yet we insist on taking tax dollars
from hard working people across the
country to establish a bureaucracy
that we have existed without for live
hundred years A bureaucracy that ,
will serve the few who manipulate it
and provide a placebo for the many
But I digress. ,
Your Volume 20 Number 48 issue
dated Thursday. December 2. 1993
showed some pictures from a powwow
in Loris. SC One of the photographs
showed several "Chiefs." a very
popular term these days, with plains
head dresses on that are made of
painted turkey feathers substituted for
eagle feathers What statement were
they trying to make'' Were they trying
to say. "We're confused. "Were they
saying. "Our headdresses are phony
because we are too " Or were they
just saying, "As long as we can fool
the ignorant, we don't care."
Knowing how competitive Lumbee
people are I suppose we should expect
to see our future administrators clad
in even more hilariously decorated
"Chiefs" attire
Jimmy Buy Dial
Box 3M
Mill town. Men- Jersey OKJiSO
Reader says Sampson is only qualified
Indian candidate for Sheriff
Dear Editor.
I am a native American and Me
resident of Robeson County. I have
recently read two articles that disturbs
me greatly concerning the Sheriffs
race and the possibility of two Indians
being candidates. To this date, only
one Indian has officially filed. Lee
Sampson, and he had the qualifications
and credentials for the office of Sheriff
far exceeding any other Indian
candidate that has run for Sheriff in
the past or has talked about being a
candidate for Sheriff in 1994.
There is a simple solution to the
concerns of some citizens that think
the Indian vote will be split by two 1
li^ian.candidates,. (liymiayr m
other Indian from filing. Lee Sampson I
announced his candidacy for Sheriff <
in early Nov. of 1993, and officially <
filed on the first day. Jan. 3. 1994 t
That assures me Lee Sampson is a ?
sincere candidate for Sherift. The fact I
that several candidates are in the
Sheriff s race does not concern me.
even if one or more is Indian, because
I evaluate each candidate on there
qualifications and credentials for the;
job and I believe the majority of the
voting citizens of Robeson County!
feel that way. regardless of the race or!
ethnic origin of the candidate. Lee;
Sampson is no new comer to taking on
challenges He was the first local!
Indian to work for the FBI. the first!
Indian SBI agent for over sixteen years,;
the first Victim/Witness co-originator- t
for Superior Court to be recmited and!
hired in Jan. 198S. by then District!
Attorney Joe Freeman Britt.
Lee Sampson is a well rounded;
candidate for the office of "OUR"!
Sheriff and I am personally pleased!
that he is a candidate I think John Fv
Kennedy said best m i 961It is, easjs
to tell how the strong man stumbled,
yr how the doer of deeds could have
lone them better, but the credit goes,
:o the man who is actually in the
irena. covered with the sweat and
Jlood and the dust".
Dexter LocUear
Rt 4, Box 596
Lumherton, NC 2H35H
>0 a.
by W. D. "Wiz" Locklear
My wife like to dip. Miss Connee.
uid I ain't above a good plug of tobacco
iTom time to lime. Now. there's some
lolks wanting to pick and choose the
kind of freedoms we have in this
country Some of them are wanting to
cut out our tobacco. Now . I figure that
if my wife wants her snuff and I want
my chew, that's our freedom But.
where they git you. Miss Connee. is
ihev drive the price so high a poor man
can't afford his freedoms It seems to
me like freedom in this country is
gitting where only the rich can have it
And. it just ain't right. But then you git
to studyin on what is the best way to
deal with these situations and I'li be
dogged if it don't get down right
frustrating Now wegotCharlie Kose.
our Congressman, who says lie wants
to help the tobacco farmer Then vou
hear that he's the same man rival named
l
Hubert Stone to beall.S Marshal All
of it just makes you wonder where his
head's at Seem to me like a man as
powerful as Charlie Rose would be a
wanting to send our best man to one of
them federal jobs And it seems to me
like he'd be wanting to do something
to help us poor tobacco fanners Some
thing besides wheel and deal and let'em
keep a raising the price of tobacco
Now seems to me like they 'd be a w a\
to help farmers without discouraging
poeple from buying what we grow
The problem with government.
Miss Conne. is that it thinks it knows
everything and anything that's good
for the people, most likely is going to
be on the other side. I just ain't
wanting the government meddling
with our tobaco. I figure they git their
way with that and then they'll iome
afreroui com and wheat Then, they'II
come alter something else Pretty soon
you git in the shape where the
government has took over everything
And then what happens to gov eminent
tor the people, of the people and by
the people'.'
About the only thing we poor
I ndians around here have is our Indian
paper and our delegates that's working
on our constittion. And. if we ain't
careful, somebody is going to come
along and want to take thsoe away ?
from us too But. I reckon they 'll have
a mighty hard battle on their hands. t
Miss ( onnee Some things just aint
lor sale or negoiation One of those
things is our freedom of speech, and ! .
the other one is the right to write us a ;
constitution and the right to talk about ;
it in our Indian paper
I
Rebirth of the Traditional
Spiritual
GATHERINGS
A Tribute to the Great Spirit, Father of all Indian Nations
June 16, 17, 18, 19, 1994
(All day and all night Thursday; Friday, Saturday, Sunday until evening)
North Carolina Indian Cultural Center
> >1
*No Admission
*No Prizes
?No Competition
Sponsored in pari by Tkie I, IEA FrotptunM
Intertribal Council af Elders and the Carolina I
Indian vaice.
Far mare information, call Spotted Turtlem
Pitt1521-4178. Fainted Turtle CIO) 521-0020 oM
WUd Turkey. % CaroUan Indian ? oice CI ?1521-1
2*2k
\