Editorial and Opinion Page
Along the Robeson TraJT
by Dr. Stanley Knick
0 Director, UKCP Native American Resource Center J
Iii the post few weeks, we have
been discussing the Lumbce in
context. We have seen that situating
the Lumbce in a broad context
requires us to think about a lot of
different things, including the process
of how we think. How might an
anthropological perspective fit in this
study of Lumbee context?
Anthropology is the study of
human beings in all their diversity. As
an academic discipline it bridges
between science and the humanities.
In some ways it is the science of
humanity. It aims to make sense of
human beings by looking at them
holistically ? from biological,
mental, social, cultural, historical and
other perspectives. It listens to the
sometimes cryptic voices of human
nature ? hearing the patterns of
hidden tones in human life ? to
understand the meanings of the human
animal.
At its best anthropology is
analogous to looking at the world
through both eyes instead of with one
eye. Just as the use of both eyes
affords a measure of depth perception
much greater than docs the use of only
one eye, so should the study of human
beings from various angles afford a
kind of depth perception ? an
important part of context. This depth
perception in the study of human
beings should permit a more profound
understanding of human history and
culture than could the study of the
same subject matter from any single
perspective or using any single realm
of evidence. Thus anthropology must
be concerned with pulling together
context from various sources.
Conventionally, anthropology as
a discipline has approached the study
of human beings from four main
subficlds: archaeology or prehistory;
physical or biological anthropology;
cultural anthropology; and linguistics.
When anthropology began, this
division of the task made a kind of
sense as a way to martial the many
students and scholars of anthropology
atid the many studies of the many
aspects of the many peoples of the
world. Somewhere along ihc line there
was supposed to be a synthesis of
information gathered in these four
subficlds, and the result was going to
be a spectacular revelation of the
nature of human beings as a whole.
But the ideal often does not match well
with the real. In many cases, as Lance
Hogben said, anthropology has
studied man one cell at a time and
made nothing of him.
Neither has anthropology always
been successful in its attempts to
understand Native Americans in
particular. Thus in many Native
American communities, "the anthros"
are seen at best as a nuisance, and at
worst as cultural pirates. Floyd
Westerman's great song "Here Come
The Anthros" is an apt summary of the
perspective of many Native
Americans. That view is not without
foundation, since all too often
anthropologists (and other
researchers) have spent too little lime
with too few members of Native
American communities, coming away
with a superficial appreciation of the
subtleties of history and culture. The
fact that most anthropology of Native
America has been done by non-Native
people has not made things any
belter.
Part of anthropology's paradox is
that while it aims to study everything
about human beings ? their broadest
possible context ? it is faced with the
virtual impossibility of collecting all
the human evidence into one place.
Thus for all its ambitious goals,
anthropology is confronted with the
limiting reality that the topic in hand is
huge. So, certain limitations
corresponding to available lime and
energy have to be set on any
anthropological study of human
culture and history. What results is
clearly not a view of everything. What
results instead is a partial view from as
many directions as can be manajged.
Study of the Lumbcc in context
must be limited as well. Material from
various realms of evidence can be
examined: prehistory; history;
contemporary culture and issues;
?
health; governmental relations and so
on. Sometimes the evidence cuts across
or overlaps from one realm to another,
or implies evidence from yet other
realms (i.e., epidemiology,
historiography,etc.). Butsomerealms
of evidence have to be left out.
One part of the hypothetical total
analysis which can be excluded
concerns the genetics of the Lumbee.
This does not seem to me to be a major
shortcoming in an analysis of the
history and culture of a people, since
genes do not a culture make. Franz
Boas, the father of American
anthropology, told us that cultural
things must have cultural explanations.
A French infant taken at birth from
France to Ireland would always have
the genes of her French ancestors. But
if she were raised and embraced
exclusively by Irish parents in an
entirely Irish culture, in every other
way (language, beliefs, attitudes,
behaviors, etc.) she would be
culturally Irish when she became an
adult. Similarly, details of the
genetics of the Lumbee are less
important to an understanding of
their context than is the evidence
relating to historical and cultural
realms.
The role of anthropology in an
attempt to situate the Lumbee in
context is only to serve as a guiding
principle. Wherever evidence from
diverse sources can be synthesized, it
ought to be. Wherever the Lumbee
can be viewed holislically, they ought
to be. Wherever the methods of
science and the humanities can
fruitfully be merged in the analysis,
they ought to be. And wherever an
interpretation at the level of
understanding can be reached, by
stepping from bits of knowledge to
patterns of wisdom and beyond, it
ought to be.
In the attempt to sec the Lumbee
in context, understanding is the goal.
For more information, visit the Native
American Resource Center in historic
Old Main Buikling, on the campus of
The University of North Carolina at
Pembroke.
(it . .
Say you read it in Carolina Indian
Voice. To subscribe call 521-2826
i I
Former Leader of Indian Housing
Asks for Unification of Tribe
Dear Editor
1 sent the following Memorandum
to the Lumbce Tribal Council
and to Lunibee Regional Development
Association As a member of
the Lumbce Tribe, 1 also wish to
share my thoughts with the readers of
the Carolina Indian Voice
I just recently returned from the
Annual Lumbce Homecoming w hich
was sponsored by LRDA Seeing so
many fellow Tribal Members coming
together to celebrate our heritage.
culture and spiritual blessings
was extremely pleasing. My happiness
and spirit of celebration, however.
was constantly dampened by
the know ledge that we as a Tribc are
far from being unified In fact, we are
more divided now than I have ever
seen in my many years of living on
MothcrEarth You.ladicsandgentlemen.
arc in a position to do something
about this division that scents
to dominate our present existence
To disregard our heritage and culture
by taking a Tribal dispute outside
the Tribc and into a foreign court
represents a total lack of respect for
Tribal traditions, and for our hopes
for restoration ofTribal Culture, and
is an outrageous disrespect of our
ancestors.
The good news that for the first
time in contemporary history the
Lumbce as a Tribe was included in a
federal law for an appropriation of
funds, w ith little discussion of recog
nition The fact is, the Lunibce Tribe
is missing out on a lot of funds on an
annual basis which would support
Education, Health, Social Services.
Transportation, Housing and many
other areas of need due to the fact that
we arc in a stalled position on the
most important issue that wc should
be focused on. that is Federal Recognition1
To be treated the same as all
other Native Americans is my only
hope before I pass on to the Great
Spirit Ladies and gentlemen you
control that possibility! But as long
as you keep up our fight for selfish
control rather than.focusing on the
most important issue. l ean not hope
to sec Federal Recognition in my life
time Please be assbrcd tat this angers
me very much!
The fact that Lumbec (and the
other three Tribes who come under
the umbrella under the N.C Stale
Indian Housing Authority) was
grandfathered in the Native American
Housingand Self Determination
and Assistance Act of 1996 sends a
clear message that Lumbccs arc Native
Americans.
If you want to fight an issue in a
foreign court, why not fight the issue
of the Bureau of Indian Affairs discriminating
against many Tribal
Members while providing selective
services to only a few of our Tribal
Members. Lumbee would never have
been included in the NAHASHAG
had the Indian Commission not insisted
the Charlie Rose fight the battle
for the approval of N C State Indian
Housing Authority. The resistance
argued that we have Pembroke and
Robeson County Housing Authorities.
therefore there was no need for
N.C. State. They failed to sc<? that it. ^
was a sovereignly issue and the results
now speak for themselves. I had
the pleasure of approving NC. Slate
Indian Housing Authority for which
I will alway s be grateful
I am hereby pleading with you
ladies and gentlemen to stop the internal
fighting and create a united
force and let's h it Jesse Helms and the
Congress of the United States head '
on. With the support of the Governor ;
and the President how can we not win _
a victory that will serve us all very '
well Senator Faircloth says he Willv
support Federal Recognition for the *
Lumbcc Tribe, now is the time to lest
his statement You already know
Congressman Mclntyrc support is
solid ~
We area strong Tribe with many ;
great attributes, yet we fail to dcntand
those important and essential '
entitlements such as Tribal sovcreignty.
self determination, govern-,
menl to government relation and reservation
status. For the sake of us all. please
hear our plea, let's unify.. "
Leon Jacobs
The American Buffalo I
When the American Buffalo,
properly known as bison, roamed
this country, the Indian took only
what he could eat and used every part
including the hair and bones
Buffalo have been recorded as
roaming as far East as Central North
Carolina. In the 1800's. the white
man discovered the dependency the
American Indian had on the buffalo;
after which,began the terrible slaughter
of thebisohby the white man. The
white man and the military believed
that by destroying the buffalo, they
could eradicate the American Indian.
Over 60 million buffalo were
slaughtered, leaving only a few hundred
remaining
Without the buffalo, the self-supporting
lifestyle of the Indian could
no longer be maintained It is said
that th.- destruction of the buffalo and
the associated devastation to the Indians
disrupted the self-sufficient
lifestyle of Indian People more than
all other federal policies to dale
In recent years, efforts have been
made by both native and non-native
Americans to re-establish the bison
population.
In 1990, the "Inter-tribal Bison
Cooperative" (ITBC), a non-profit
501(C)(3) tribal organization was
formed and committed to the rccstablishment
of buffalo herds on
Indian lands. This effort would provide
economic development, cultural
enhancement, ecological restoration,
and spiritual revitalization. Currently,
there are 42 tribes participating
in the ITBC Program. The 1TBC
is governed by a Board of Directors
comprised of one tribal representatives
from each member tribe.
The role of the ITBC is to act as a
facilitator in coordinating training
programs, marketing strategics, and
the transfer of surplus buffalo from
national parks to tribal lands, as well
as. provide technical assistance that
wovild enhance a successful and selfsufficient
operation.
Buffalo farming is a profitable
business^ There is a strong demand
for buffalo meat and its by-products
with prices considerably higher than
that ofcaltle. bison meat hasa sweeter
and richer flavor than beef. Nutritionally.
there is far more protein and
nutricnts.with fewer calorics and less
fat.
Another organization dedicated
to the American buffalo is the "National
Bison Association" (NBA).
Membership to the "National Bison
Association" and/or bison recipes
may be obtained by contacting the
National Bison Association. 4701
Marion Street, Suite 100. Denver,
Colorado 80216.
In my home town, Rocky Mount,
North Carolina, a local business man
recently purchases a small herd of 50
buffalo strictly for purpose of breed
?/t/
ing. I went out to view the buffalo and.
they were absolutely breath-taking.'
and beautiful. While standing there."
I couldn't help but think how those
who have passed on must have fell'
about this vital and magnificent crea-,
turc. For some uncxplai nablc reason..
I was filled with a spirit of awe.
reverence, and respect
Today, there are now more than'
150.000 bison in public and private!
herds in the United States and;
Canada.
As a tribal community, we should!
consider the benefits of buffalo farm-!
ing. Perhaps someone in the Pern-;
broke area has the pasture land which'
could be used for this purpose. Rats-!
ing buffalo would provide additional!
jobs for local Lumbce. while proVid-J
ing a source of income for the tribe.*
LRDA. and the Cultural Center. !
I am encouraging the leaders in!
our community to seriously consider!
"a unified effort in this proposal. ;
Individuals or organizations in-?
tcrested in supporting ITBC may!
become a member for an annual fee.!
For additional information in getting!
started in buffalo farming, contact;
"Inter-Tribal Bison Cooperative".'Post
Office Box 8105, Rapid City.!
SO 57709-8105. (605) 394-9730.; I
Fax: (605) 394-7742. E-Mail: itbcfd*
enetis.net
AHO! ! f
by John " Tall Bird" Marshall !
i
Catch the Spirit of the West!
Adopt a Wild Horse or Burro
from the Federal Government.
For an information packet call
1-800-417-9647
A public service ot this publication.
^"PCDIflTRIC PoiNT RS j
by Dr. Jos?ph T. fl?ll ?
P*dlotrkion unith Rob*ion H?olth Cory
If you read the early history of
North and South Carolina, you find
howdcvastatingEuropean settlement
was to the Native people of the area.
The Europeans carried diseases that
these Natives had never been exposedtoandhadnoimmunity
against
These diseases, especially small pox,
killed many Natives during those
early years.
Today we have ways of preparing
a child's immune system to help fight
off infections. One important way is
by immunizations (or vaccinations)
Immunizations arc products of the
germs given as shots or by mouth.
These germ products stimulate the
child's immune system against that
particular infection. This allows the
body's immune system to fight off the
infection if it ever conies in contact
with that germ again.
Vaccines arc very safe and arc
rarely associated with major side effects
The minor side effects, such as
fever or swelling, arc uncommon and
usually arc only seen with the DTP
vaccine 1 usually tell parents to give
someTylcnol or Motrin before vacei
nations to help with pain or fever.
The following is the American!
Academy ofPcdiatrics recommended;
schedule for immunizations in the;
U.S. Birth-first Hepatitis B. Twomonths
of age-second Hepatitis B,!
first Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis;
(DPI), first Hib, and first Polio Virus;
(OPV).. Four months- second DTP,;
second Hib, and second polio. Six!
months- third Hepatitis B, third DTP;
and fourth Hib and first Measles.;
Mumps and Rubella (MMR). Preschool
age (4-6)- fifth DTP, fourth'
OPV and second MMR. In some!
areas of the country the last MMR is;
given at 11 or 12 years of age
As parents we should try our best
to make sure our children arc current
on their vaccinations. Remember, il_
will not only help keep your owrf3;
child safe from infections, but wilier
also help prevent the spread of infcc-2jj
lions through schools of communi-j*
tics. If you have any questions abouK
immunizations, please feel free to?
w rite me at PO Box 3010, Pembroke?
NC 28372 j!
,+i
/ \
Carolina Indian Voice
is published every Thursday by
First American Publications
304 Normal St.-College Pla/a
P.O. Box 1075
Pembroke. Norlh Carolina
28372
Phone: (910) 521-2826
Fax (910) 521-1975
Connee lirayhoy. Editor
One Year In NC $20
Out of State $25
Second Class Postage Paid at
^ Pembroke, NC
f VINYL _ J
Starting at 3.99
Kitchen & Bath
Union chapel Road, P.O. Box 1497
^ PEMBROKE, NC 28372 ^
?
yuw
Have you done your homework? Have you saved
enough'Are you as prepared for college
as your kids are? We arc here. To show you how
the equity in your home tan be a smart way to help pay for some of
the big things in life Uke college educations With a Wachovia
hquity Bunkline, depending on your equity and tlic size of your
line, you may borrow up to 100% of the equity in your home
And our "Pnmc 1%"* rate, like all of our home equity lending
rates, is not a teaser dials going to automatically shixtt up after six
months Paying for college can he a testing experience We can
eliminate die guesswork. \
wffere.
WACHOVIA
?1 w; Wachovia Corporation
pant you to know Aaubfacl to cratft approval RmwI on few of |15 000 $49 W AP9 H rynH to 1H ovar *? Prtma Rata pubMfPd m Tha Wat 9tm( Jrxxnrf Ac of 7/1VB7 APR rwgn bom 8 Vm 10 10 50* *? OA and 9 SO* to
LgJ IHWWInSC. depwwsnoonenewi# arvj ? cottar f to Changa MiinwmAPn 1?H ?A?mum |5 ono W* */a raqt**r1 1H r*t*fa up to ?4O0 baaari upon baipva* t/arxfarrad tromothar *?f4onnr>? by 4W97 rtvou<?> ?p*c?t bar* itauad e*ac*t ?+?*
HUM ad M An mmfW advanra on yO?r arcnurrt Rabat** timml by KV31/H7 CormA yr># t?? arfrxnr nt^oofmg t*t? daductfAty o# Av*4*M* to OA MO and fiC raatdanM orfy Property inouranc? rarMrad Ofa? and* &it/9T Marr^tp fO>C
"i
Singletary s Pour House \
Ceramic Studio
\ " \ I
*Free Classes
* Design Your Own Arrangements
* Native American Pieces
s *Greenware or Gifts
itladenhoro, NC
^ 910-6910 j