THE CAROLINA INDIAR VOICE
Published each Thursday by First American PublicatiamyPambroke, NC
VOLUME 26 NUMBER 4 , THURSDAY, JANUARY28, 1999 \ ^ ^^ V- TWENTY-FIVE CENTS
Swett High student scores
perfect 6.0 on NC Writing Test
Jesseca Mario Chavis was the only student in Robeson County to score
a perfect (6.0) score on the North Carolina Writing Test. She was one of
twenty in the State of North Carolina and one in three in the Region.
On January 25th she gave a presentation to the English teachers in Robeson
County on the importance of using a specificformatfor the test. Theformat
was introduced by her-teacher, Mrs. Ann Smith.
Jesseca is the daughter of Tonnie Chavis and Sandra Spann. She resides
with her parents and her younger brother Mark who attends Pembroke
Middle School.
During her fourth grade year, Jesseca was also the only one in the county
to make a perfect score on the writing test. For the past three years she has
attended the summer Talent Identification Program with Duke University.
She plans to apply for the North Carolina School of Science and Math for
her junior and senior years of high school.
She is a sophomore at Purnell Swett High School.
Indian Unity Conference to be
held March 11-13 in Fayetteville
The United Tribes ofNorthCaro- t
Una has announced that the 1999 f
North Carolina Indian Unity Confer- f
encewill be held in Fayettcvillc, North
Carolina. March 11 - 13, 1999. ?
The site of this year's event will be t
the Holiday Inn Bordeaux in Fay- y
etteville. North Carolina.
The 1999 Unity Conference theme <
will focus on education. It will fca- |
lure seminars and general assemblies |
Un Indian Education. Economic De- |
velopmcnt Strategics for Indian Com- j
munitics. Cultural and Health Care
issues affecting Indian communities
in North Carolina and many more.
Congressional leaders and state
elected officials have been invited to
attend Governor Jim Hunt has been
invited tospcakat one of the General
Sessions County and City leaders in
Indian communities arc expected to
participate
The conference will also feature as
Awards and Scholarship Banquet at
which outstanding Indian leaders
statew ide will be recognized in education.
business and special community
service
Scholarships will be presented to
several outstanding Indian youth to
help with college expenses.
Another major highlight of the
conference will be an exposition of
American Indian talent focusing on
raditional Indian art forms. Also
ilanncd is a Statewide Miss Indian
-lorth Carolina Pageant.
Theevent will fcaturca Pow-Wow
ind will make available to the public
hrough Indian traders authentic
American Indian crafts for sell
A registration fee to attend the
inference will be charged Banquet
ickets will be on sale to the public
[for those who will be attending the
banquet only) will be available. No
additional tickets will be sold afler
12:00 p.m., Friday March 12, 1999.
Separate, adult and youth dances
will fc? held after the banquet Friday
night Additional tickets can be purchased
at the door.
The 1999 North Carolina Indian
Unit\ Conference is opened to the
public but attendees must register to
attend the seminars and general assemblies.
The registration fee for the
conference includes the cost for the
banquet. Saturday morning breakfast
and dance. ScniorCiti/.ensand youth
will be charged an amount less than
the regular registration fee for registration.
For more information about the
conference, contact the nearest local
Tribal Officcor Urban Indian Center.
To a\oid paying a late registration
fee. register by the deadline which is
February 26. 1999.
JVC School of science &
Mathematics to Sponsor
Annual Pow Wow Feb. 20th
The Native American Club,
Akwe:kon. at the North Carolina
School of Science and Mathematics
will be hosting their eighth annual
powwow on Saturday, February 20 ,
1999. We arc hoping for lots of good
singing and dancing as well as displays
of Indian arts and crafts. Grand
entry for dancers will be at 1:00 pm
and 7.00 pm. Ourbuilding. the Physical
Education Center, will open at
9:00 am. We would like to invite you
to join us for this occasion. Please
help us spread the word!
Our host drum this year will be
Southern Sun giving us music in the
tradition of the Southern Plains.
Southern Sun members hail from
Pembroke, Hollistcr. Greensboro.
Clinton. Lake Waccamaw. Durham,
and beyond Weanticipatcthat Southern
Sun will be joined by several
Northern drums so that we have lots
of variety in our music.
We arc excited this year to have
four outstanding Native American
young people join us as our head
dancers. Brock Jacobs, representing
the Lumbcc. will be serving as Head
Man Dancer. Shelly Strickland, representing
the Lumbce and currently
reigning as Miss NCNAYO, will be
the Head Lady Dancer Patrick Aaron
Green will be representing the LumbccasHcadLittlcBpy
Dancer. Audrey
Denise Jacobs, from theCoharie tribe
and the currently reigning Little Miss
Coharie Princess, will be our Head
Little Girl Dancer.
We feel very lucky this year to
announce that Mr. Eddie Benton
Banai will be joining us all the way
from the Lac Courtc Orcillas Ojibwc
Reservation in northern Wisconsin
as our Master of Ceremonies. Eddie
is an internationally known educator,
tribal historian, and writer.
The School of Scicnccand Math is
a residential school for eleventh and
twelfth grade students from throughout
North Carolina who show particular
talent and potential in the
areas of science and math. We would
like to make our school better known
in North Carolina's Indian communities.
This is one of the major purposes
of our powwow. We hope that
through sucn efforts, we can attract
more Indian students to apply to our
school. We also want to make the
point that once Native American students
enroll in the School of Science
and Math, they will find a supportive
atmosphere as well as other Indiar
students interested in the advancement
of their people and their culture
Federal Recognition w ;
Committee to be Formed
The Lumbee Regional Development
Association Board of Directors
met in a planning session Saturday,
January 16th, and voted to re-establish
a Lumbee Federal Recognition
Committee.
The Committee will be formed in
February and will be made up of elected
Indian leaders, community tribal
members, and Lumbee representatives
from urban Lumbee communities in
and outside of North Carolina. O
The LRDA board is expected to
fund the committee to bring in consultants
to advise the committee in the
development of a new strategic plan
for recognition, with timeliness beginning
1999 and into the year 2005.
The strategic plan developed by
LRDA in 1988 that was funded and
carried out by LRDA from 1989-1994
got the tribe within three votes of
being federally recognized in 1992
The plan will be a beginning point for
new planning. The last plan included
methods to get National Tribal support
and National and State organized
backing.
A fund raising component will be
a part of the plan to wage a massive
' new education campaign about Lumbccs
nationally with federally recognized
tribes, and potentially the Con- 1
gross. '
1 n re-cstablishi ng the focus on fed- <
eral recognition, the LRDA acknow I- t
i
edged that recognition of the tribe will 1
require unity and tribal support. I
Acting as the governing body of I
the tribe, pursuant to the 1984 Tribal
Referendum, and a recent court ruling I
recognizing this agency's responsibil- j
ity and authority, the board of direc- i
tors will seek to bring its' thirty years
of experience back to bear and focus
on Federal Recognition of the tribe,
working with a broad based committee.
Grand Opening
of the Pembroke
Public Library
The Town of Pembroke and The
Robeson County Board of Trustees
cordially invite you to attend the opening
ofthe new Pembroke Public Library
on Friday, the Fifth of February Nineteen
hundred and ninety-nine at eleven
o'clock in the morning 4113 Blaine
Street Pembroke. North Carolina.
Local Educators
Attend Seminar
CVU.OWHEE? Anita L. Oxendine
and Janet W. Locklear both of
Pembroke, third-grade teacher's at
Oxendine Elementary School, recently
attended a seminar at the North
Carolina Center for the "^Advancement
of Teaching.
Oxendine and Locklear were two
of 20 North Carolina teachers participating
in "Exploring New Cultures:
Internet," January 11-15, conducted
by director of seminars and programs
Judith Clauss and center fellow Rcncc
Coward.
* Part of the University of North
Carolina, NCCAT provides a yearround
series of residential seminars
and teacher-scholar pr6grams_Jjor.
teachers and professional development
activities for teachers and staff
in selected school systems. At the
center, teachers engage in stimulating
scholarly activities and professional
networking to renew their vitality
for teaching and learning. Center
director is Mary Jo Utley.
The new recognition plan will also
address BIA options for recognition
and legislation that may remove the
process outside the BIA. that may be
introduced again this session of Congress.
The Lumbec petition submitted by.
LRDA to the BIA may need updating s
since 1987 and the Lunibec tribal rolls
will continue to be modernized to
meet BIA computer compatibility
when the tribe is recognized
LRDA officials will be meeting
with the BIA recognition staff in February
to update them on the recent
court ruling, and to discuss receiving
assistance as needed to update the
Lumbcc petition since 1989
Tribal members arc encouraged to
call their district elected officials and
let them know what your thoughts and
ideas arc on Federal recognition Call
LRDA at 910-521 -8602 if you arc not
sure who your elected officials arc.
,, North Carolina Attorney General Mike Easley is shown addressing
the Pembroke C hantber of Commerce Banquet.
Attorney General Mike Easley addresses
Pembroke Chamber Banquet
Pembroke '-- Speaking at times
ike a candidate for governor, state
Attorney General Mike Easley told an
tverflow crowd of more than 200 at
he Pembroke Area Chamber of Comnerce
Annual Banquet and Awards
dinner that. "It is time for North
Carolina to take its rightful place as a
leader of this country."
"We're not going to get there by
being timid. "Mr Easley said "We're
going to get there by being aggressive
"
Pates Supply Company. Inc. and
its President and Chairman of the
board. Russell H Livcrmore III. were
honored at the Business of the Year
Mr Livcrmore is the third generation
owner-operator of the agribusiness
and retail company that has made
Pembroke home since 1919.
Mr. Livcrmore not onij runs a
successful business, he has been instrumental
in the economic
development of the Town of Pembroke.
said Greg Cumnungs.
economic developer for Robeson
County Mr.Livcrmore. who is board
chairman of the Robeson County Public
Library, also donated a storefront
building that served as a town library
for many years "Without good employees.
a business cannot succeed."
Mr Livcrmore said in accepting the
award " I hav e some good ones "
: ?
Sworn in as new officers for 1999
were President Don Gcrsh. of UNCP;
Vice President John Karshener of
Lumbcc Guaranty Bank; Secretary
Brian Brooks of Locklcar, Jacobs &
Hunt and Treasurer Richard Oxendine.
ow ncr of Copy Cat Printers. The
Tax Shelter and Robo Texaco
Chamber membership has doubled
under the leadership of outgoing President
Ernestine Chavis-Bulifant. said
Ken Freeman t>f Lumbcc Guaranty
Bank Mr Freeman awarded Ms
Bulifanl a plaque of appreciation She
is w ith the N.C. Indian Cultural Center!
The board of trustees for 1999 are ,
McDufftc Cummings of the Town of
Pembroke:-Robert Dccsc of Lumbcc
River Electric Membership: Dr
Charles Jenkins. Dr. Diane Jones and
Dr Bob Rcising of UNC Pembroke;
Ron Brown of Pates Supply; Bryan
May nor of Progressive Savings and
Loan. Greg Cummings of CG Enterprises.
Cynthia Locklcar of Cyna's
Diamond and Jewelers; Ken Freeman.
Linda Ohlson of the Nonprofit's
Consult ingServ ices: Mike Wilkinsof
Fleetwood Homes. Frank DauglUrey
of First Union Bank and Larry
McNeill, a member of the Pembroke
Town Council.
The attorney general touted the
recent $5billion settlementthnt helped
negotiate with the tobacco companies.
"With the $ 2,15 billion tobacco
trust for farmers, we will be able to
keep farm income stable for 12 years.
" Mr: Easlcy said. "1 grew up on a
tobacco farm in Nash County, and I
know about the market uncertainty
that farmers face"
Mr. Easlcy also announced his support
for a state lottery with proceeds
earmarked to benefit education.
When every stale around us has a
lottery , and they're getting $300 million
of our money, it's not going to
make a lot of sense for North Carolina
not to have a lottery. he said "
Mr. Easlcy . who was district attorney
for Brunswick. Bladen and
Columbus counties, said he supported
a scholarship fund similar to Georgia's
Hope Scholarship that provides a free
education for every student w ith a B
average or better.
The banquet was held at UNC
Pembroke's University Center Saturday.
January 23, The dinner also
celebrated the success story of the
Pembroke Chamber. Which now
boasts over 100 business memberships
New President Don Gcrsh closed ?
the meeting, promising continued
aggressive leadership for the Chamber
in the coming year.
Victorian Valentine's
Day Planned at Local
Museum
Come celebrate Valentine's Day
and hear a variety of tunes from the
late-Victorian era, including fox-trots,
waltzes and sentimental pieces. The
Museum of the Cape Fear Historical
Complex presents Victorian
Valentine's Day on Saturday, February
13. at 11 a.m.. 1 pVn. and 3 p.m.
and Sunday. February 14. at 1:15
p.m and 3 p.m All performances
will take place at the 1897 Poc House.
Enjoy listening to this special music,
which will be performed on the Poc
.House piano.
Listed on the National Register of
Historic Places, the 1897 Poc House
interprets the life of a typical uppcrmiddlc-classfamily
in southern North
Carolina from 1897 - 1917.
The Museum of the Cape Fear is
located on the comcrofBradford and
Arsenal avenues in Faycttcvillc. The
1897 Poc House is next to the museum
on 206 Bradford Avenue. Hours
of operation arc Tuesday through
Saturday 10 a.m until 5 p.m. and
Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m Admission
is free. For more information, call
910-437-260.3.
Stuart Pimsler
Dance & Theatre
Company Coming
toUNCP
The Stuart Pimsler Dance and
Theatre Company will perform at the
Givens Performing Arts Center on
the campus of the University of North
Carolina at Pembroke on Saturday,
January 30 at 6:00 pm. Tickets arc $7
for adults and $5 for children and
students. For tickets or more information,
call the GPAC box office at
(910)521-6361 or 1-800-367-0778.
call 910-5212826
I
Greg Cummings, left, is shown presenting the "Business of the Year"
Award to Pates Supply President Rusty l.ivermore III.
Ghaffar named director of
Student Activities at UNCP
Pembroke - Abdul R. Ghaffar has
been named director of Student Activities
for The University of North
Carolina at Pembroke. He will be
responsible for the total operation of
the Student Activities office including
the coordination, development,
implementation and evaluation of
campus activities and programs.
Mr.Ghaffarisa 1990 UNCP graduate
and served as sports information
director and assistant director of Student
Activities at the university since
1993. The Pittsboro, N.C. native was
an outstanding student-athlete at
UNCP, playing four years of basket!
ball while studying public relations.
i He reports to Dr. Diane Jones, asi
sistant vice chancellor for Student
i Affairs.
"I feel that Abdul is just coming
back home, after serving five years as
t
Assistant Director in Student Activities.
" Dr. Jones said. "He will be very
effective in continuing and strengthening
close relationships with
university staff and faculty in the development
and implementation of our
cultural, educational. social and leadership
programs "
"Abdul brings mam positive attributes
to Student Activities ? youth
and vitality, a strong work ethic, a
charismatic rapport w ith students and
a spirit for teamwork." she said I am
delighted to have Abdul rejoin the
Student Activities staff as director,"
In his new position, Mr. Ghaffar
will oversee a staff of three that is
dedicated to advising student organizations
and direct ing student activities
on campus including leadership developmental
programs.
Mr. GhafTar said he is looking
forward to working with the students
and the Students Activities staff at the
James B Chavis University Center
"This is an outstanding staff, and I
hope to continue the leadership that
Raymond Cummings brought to the
department." he said. "This is a great
university, a great place to work and
am I looking forward to the new challenges."
The new director of Student Activities
has set several goalsfor himself
in his newest role at the University.
"We'll listen and work with students.
Faculty and administration to
provide the most desirable campus
enviormcnl possible. " Mr. GhafTar
said. "Providingopportunitiesfor student
leadership development will be
an importan t part of our mission. "
He received a Bachelor of Arts in
Communicative Arts from UNCP ,
and a Master of Science in Recreation
Management from the University of
Tennessee.
Mr GhafTar and his wife, Bobbie,
arc the parents of two daughters.
Safiya. 8 and Aminah. 3. They live in
Pembroke.
;'Sv ' i '