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Votum* 21 Number 29 Thunday, July 21, 1994 |
[ Candidates for Tribal Chairman
Rev. Jimmy Strickland,
Running for Tribal Chairman
The Rev Jimmy Mncttiana.
Pastor of Union Chapel Community
Baptist Church, has announced his
candidacy for Tribal Chairman. In
making his announcement. Reverend
Strickland released the following
statement
"After days of meditation, praver
and discussion with other tnbal
members. 1 am offering to serve my
tribe as the first Tribal Chairman I
realize that it is an awesome
responsibility, but I strongly believe
that we as L urn bee people must set a
precedence with our first tribal
council. We must, for the sake of our
grandchildren and great
grandchildren, elect people to
represent us who are spiritually
mature, morally sound, full of
integrity. and honesty. and those who
_ have no personal agenda
"If elected Tribal Chairman. I
S affirm to you that I will seek the face
^ of God before making decisions
I wil' seek the Counsel of others,
especially our elders. I will make all
decisions with this thought in mind:
All wisdom comes from God With
that thought in mind. I will not become
a typical politician I will by the
Grace of God remember that the
Lumbee people are a proud people
we are people woo oeueve inn a
man's word is his bond I will strive,
if elected, to uphold the principals of
the Lumbee people - truthfulness
when we speak, honesty in our
business dealings, responsibility for
our young and elderly, a strong
commitment to education and better
employment opportunities
"I have a vision for our people I
visualize a nation that provides for
the social, economic, cultural and
educational welfare of the Lumbee
Cheraw 1 visualize our young people
returning to the traditional ways of
ourfore fathers, respect for others and
a belief that we are indeed our
brother'skeeper. I visualizeourelders
feeling safe and secure in their homes
I visualize a return to hope and
confidence in the ability of our young
to make the right decisions, confident
that the upcoming generations will
be good, moral leaders who will
protect our future while preserving
our past
"I believe that we can and must
preserve the old way of life while
continuing the basic Christian
principles which have made us a
strong, proud, and determined
people."
See Strickland Page 5
RayLittfeturtle Runs For"
Tribal Chairman
OJ D?| nar a oraveotty Lwcklear
Saying be had the maturity. time,
knowledge and expertise to lead the
Lumbee Tribe or Cheraw Indian
people Ray Littleturtle. on Tuesday
morning, announced his candidacy
for tribal chairman
One can't lead Indian people
without first knowing something about
whence they came Their past is an
integral part of their future."
Littleturtle commented
The 56-year-old grandfather said
he sought the counsel and permission
of community elders before officially
filing for tribal chairman "I honestly
believe that anyone who would want
to be a leader would have to first seek
counsel from theelders. because that's
the Indian way.
' 'In often days people would seek
the counsel of the leaders and elders
before making a step forward, and I
have facilitated doing this, once i got
the affirmative that they had no
problem with my filing. I assured
them that if elected. I would always
seek their counsel before going into
tribal council so as not to give them
the inconvenience or the necessity of
having to come and plead their case in
front of the council, because as tribal
chairman, it would be my
responsibility to access the elders and
find if our government is the
government of the people and doing
what it should do.
Earlier ui the month Lumbet
Indians overwhelmingly approved a
constitution that will set up a tribal
government The constitution
provides for a tribal chairman, a 21
member tribal council elected from
districts, and a five-member judiciary
to settle questions about the
constitution. The Constitution
Assembly has been charged with
overseeing the first tribal elect]on
which willbe held on Saturday, August
27. 1994
Littletuttle said he does not see his
earlier involvement in the tribal
recognition efforts and the format ton
of a Constitution Assembly as a
conflict of interest in his filing for
tribal chairman.
"As a matter of feet, 1 made the
formal motion to go back to the
churches and get spiritual, solid
thinking people who would come up
with a document that we all could live
with, .and not be influenced by
anyooe, including myself who had
been on the recognition committee I
held no position and have allowed the
Aseembly to do their job."
He said the asaembly's job will
have ended when the members have
supervised an election "My lack of
involvement in their work waa by
design aomtobe appreciative of their
won and be able to follow their
dictates
A traditional Indian e< locator and
advocate. Littletuttle has worked at
the grassroots level to promote Indian
art. history and culture fo tnase then
three decades. Nationally recosmxed
for his expertise in Indian cultural
promotions and iaterpi station of
Indian culture, he has iMcractsd with
all Indian tribes nation wide,
particularly the tradition illy people
who are involved in tribal
"IW? Ewned that their problems
are not unique for w? dmre the aame
problems, tint m knowing Ibsm, I can
network, last that ana string quality,
because I haven't seen aayone elm
He said he doe n't have
employment conflicts in m much as
his involvement in coo-uMag and
ulture goes slang with the networking
ideal 'I enemy time Ae?biiitv uan
asset which will shew an to battel
serve the Lumbee tribe " ^
amount rfniaiMfr'msmTJTS
tribal Iialli dip m*a."
San Utfatortla Page S
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Rev. Hubbard Lowery to
Seek Tribal Chairmanship
Kev. Hubbard lowery, lotsl minister
and businessman has announced hi?
candidacy for tribal chairman. Ha
ralaaiad (he iultowiny Matamant
"My name ta Reverend Hubbard
Lowery. candidate for the Tribal
Chairman for the Lumbee-Cberew
Tribe. I'm mmried to Phyllis Clark
Lowery. We have four beautiful
children. Willie Wibaema. Ella
Olebonna, Errs Nitone. Kylec
Shakorte. I am presently Paelor of
New Bethel Baptist Church, just
started on our ninth year there, and the
Lord is still blessing our ministry
For more than 20 yean now 1 have
been actively involved in religious,
economic, and Social conearns of our
Indian People in Robeson and
surrounding counties.
Ten yean ago I was appointed to
the Board of foe Southern Baptist
Native American Fellowship This is
a National organization, with
membership ia all 41 slates, Alaska,
canada. Central and South America. I
have had numerous occasions over
the ye?* on this board to represent our
Burnt Swamp Bepdtt Association, and
our Lumbee people, before groups, in
Boston, MA. Virginia. Florida.
Oklahoma. Texas. New Mexico. South
Dakota and others
"Every five years oer Board
sponsors the largest sad most
ptestigious Indian camp in the nation
Indian Falls cieak in Oklahoma at out
last sponsored camp we have more
than <000 Indians to attend Ihom the
U.S.. Canada, several foreign
"In addition to this board. I ve M
foe opportunity to write several
quarterlies for foe Baptist Sunday
School Board, foe largest and one of
foe most prestigious publishers in foe
' nation. I wrote foe Native Anwncan
edition which wis published and
distribute^ foroughoet foc^ United
"As Bagnst Man's Director for the
i Burnt Swamp Association. I've had
opportunity Dakota and Oklahoma
i iW Ant two protec ts with worhscmw*
form our local churches we went out
to New Mexico, and South Dakota
bought foe materials, and built foe
I tfcurches mforee days, ia both cases
i These pspiects as well as others still m
i progrvw uvv dtou|iii vnc dwdi
! Swing Asaoctettoa sod foe Lumhee
i a lot of well deserved recognition
' ws oeg foe Indian Tribes across foe
Nation
"Mors recently as Cbaimw of
foe frteadsaad supporters of the North
CarnH? la rttonfSdteral Center I bad
opportaiaity to go to our state
w^mWwe w %MM svnpwi wB
r i?-n m
bill detuned 10 till foe Nor* Carolina
Indian Cultural Center 1 thank God
thai our effort* were successftil In
June of this year 1 waa invited to the
State Capital buildup where I
witaaaaad our Governor Jim Hunt'i
our 99 year leaaa for foe -
"A? Co-chairman of foe People:
for the Lumbee Constitution
several associationt. method!at.^
Church of Ood. Assemblies of God
and a resolution of support from the
LREMC Board ofDircctors Our
oouunittae waa alao aucceaafol in !
working hard to acquaint the Indian
people with the conatitutiona. and
gamp out foe vote on the election
davs. that raaulted in a land slide
victory, and historical milestone for
ourjiaopte over foe fourth of July
"Being on the cutting edge end in
the Mockes for our people is nothing
new forme I've out there in front for
yean, that's why 1 am seeking your
vote to elect me as your Tribal
Chairman
"If I am elected aa your Tribal
Chairman, immediately after the
election I would move to have the
NX. Commission of Indian Aflhtra
and Gov Jim Hum to recognize the
newly elected tribal Government aa
foe legitimate government of and for
foe Lumbee Nation
"Secondly, with our Tribal
Government m piece. I would begin a
process to heel and unify our Indian
People behind ita government
thirdly, i would expeditiously
?el up a commutes to oversee foe
design and construction of a ipnctous
building to house our Tribul
government, offices board Roomsand
meeting halls
"I would convene our Tribal
Council to determine foe needs of foe
21 Indian districts Medical.
sducMlonal. social end cultural, once
a doMsss amount has been drirm.HK-d
I would go personally lo Washington.
D C to our Congressman first
determine the amount of funds
presently available for recognized
tribes if any, then have a bill introduced
in Cengrew to Cfoteia foe remaining
balance of ftmde neceseery to meet
foe needs of our Indian communities
This action would be repeated each
calender year
"I would seek foe cooperation ol
Duke, ead Chapel Hill Medusi
community to brtoi inutyof McAcftl
( oroplfk totHif ItMitJifi Community to
audy and treat foe venous diseases
thrnsmtc. our Indian People As Tnbal
foat. thai fccilkv ha staffed bjTour
owa ladiaa Doctor*. Nuraes,