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E'ublishcki each Thursday in Pembroke. N'.C. H f
CARASUNA iNDIAHVUitE
"Building Communicative Bridges In A Tri-RucinI Setting'] \ \ 9 I l
Volume 27 Number 24 Thursday, June IS, 2000 T 1 .iiiiiimnTnilffln 1 25?
NC Indian Cultural
Center Celebrates
Open House
RED B ANKS-Saturday was a special day at the N.C. Indian Cultural Center as
supporters gathered to celebrate their efforts in sprucing up the place.and
officially opening the spectacular grounds to the public.
There was free food and t-shirts heralding the upcoming Cultural Fest 2000
scheduled to run from June 29 until July 2, and music from '.he Glory Bound
Express, a gospel group made up mostly of the remainir. havis Brothers and
the Brayboys from the Evans Crossing Community.
A good time was had by all, especially little 9 year old Jamie Lowery, a
cancer patient from Laurinburg. He wanted to see Strong Man Harold "Iron
Bear" Collins pull an 18 wheeler. That was his wish through the Make A Wish
Foundation. As these photos show, Collins did not disappoint young Jamie.
The on going effort is part of a vision Collins has for the cultural center. Said
Collins, "I just love this place. It seems holy to me. I have always wanted to
see it become something great for Indian people." Collins is a veteran of
Strong Man competitions, and has traveled extensively in taking part in the
competitions, many of them seen on national television via ESPN.
Recently the Indian Cultural Center Board has forged a relationship and
expressed a desire to work with the Support Group headed by Collins, Carnell
Locklear. Wendy Cummings and others. Board member Ken Freeman has
served as contact liason to the group from the board and appreciates their
efforts "very much."
A special guest was Tony Stewart, from The Person County Indians, who is
chairman of the board of directors of the center. He expressed great satisfaction
in the outpouring of support. Steewart said,in part, "this is what it is
going to take to get us up and running. We need a grassroots effort like this
to spur our fund raising and get others involved in the development of the
center for all Indian people."
Little Miss Lumbee Pageant
planned June 28
Little Miss Lumbee Chasity Chavis will relinquish her crown on June 28
at the UNCPGivens Performing Arts Center. The Little Miss and Junior Miss
Lumbee Pageant is part of the annual Lumbee Homecoming Festivities
sponsored each year by Lumbee Regional Development Association. See the
schedule of events of other Homecoming activities elsewhere in this issue.
Admission to the event is $8.00.
Teen Miss and the Miss Lumbee Pageant will be Friday, June 30 at 7 P.M..
also in the Performing A rts Center. A dmission is $10. Tickets for th ese events
go on sale June 19, 2000. Reserved seating only.
Box office hours are Monday-Friday 9 a.m.- 4 P.M.. and one hour prior
to each performance. For further information call 910-521-6361 or 910-5216409.
Wee Miss N.C. State Angel of the Universe
Evita Sayorianna Sanderson was recently crowned Wee Miss N.C. State
Angel of the Universe. She also won sportswear in her age division and overall
composite.
Evita is the 2 year old daughter of Sabrina Sanderson and Michael Floyd.
She is the granddaughter of Sylvia L. Sanderson and the late James Edward and
Mary Francis Floyd and the great-granddaughter of the late Gus Howard and
Eva Mae Locklear and the late Ira and Nancy Sanderson.
, |
Harold "Chief Iron Bea~" Collins is shown with Jamie Lowry at the NC
Indian Cultural Center, as part of the festivities during Open House
Saturday Collins was fulfilling a wish for Lowry who desired to see him pull
an eighteen wheeler.
*
Harold "Chief Iron Bear" Collins is shown pulling an eighteen wheeler
at the NC Indian Cultural Center Saturday.
Lorn a McNeill:
A Phenomenal Woman
By Shannon Brayboy
Webster's Dictionary defines the
word phenom as "a person of phenomenal
ability or promise." Those
who have been recogn ized as phenoms
in our society include the likes of
Tiger Woods, V ince Carter and Charlotte
Church. 1 have one other person
to offer to that list - Lorna McNeill.
Lorna is known for her phenomenal
vocal ability and numerous pageantry
titles. More importantly, she is known
for her daily acts of kindness, her
generosity, and her mild manner. But
it is Lorna's promise that makes her a
phenom. In interviewing her for this
article, promise was in every word
she uttered. Not only is Lorna
grounded in her faith, but she is a
visionary who knows what she wants
out of life and who is definiHy making
those things happen.
As a sister of Alpha Pi Omega
Sorority, Lorna joined our circle of
sisterhood in the Spring of 1998 as a
member of the Beta Chapte Hearts
in Harmony. The Sorority not only
gained a dedicated leader, but the
Sisters gained a role model. Lorna is
the 24 year old daughter of l,.H. and
Hazel McNeill of Lumberton, NC.
She is the sister of Tim McNeill of
Albuquerque,NM, Mark McNeill of
Kinston, NC, and Amy McNeill of
Lumberton. She is Robeson County
bom and bred, and a 1994 graduate of
St. Pauls High School. As a senior at
the University of North Carolina at
Pembroke, Loma is a Vocal Performance
major expected to graduate in
December - that is, unless God has
another plan for her. You see, Loma
is competing in the Miss North Carolina
Scholarship Pageant in June. If
she wins the pageant, she will move to
Raleigh where she will carry out the
duties of the title full time and complete
the coursework for her degree in
December of 2001.
As mentioned before, many of us
are aware of Loma's pageant participation,
so during this interview, that
was my main focus. 1 quickly learned
that while her participation and ultimate
victory in several pageants has
opened many doors for her, Loma is
made up of a whole lot more that your
stereotypical "pageant princess." She
began participating in pageants at the
age of 15 when she competed in the
Miss St. Pauls Pageant. In 1992, she
entered the Miss America pageant
system when she competed in the
Miss North Carolina Teen USA Pageant,
in which she won. Loma has
chosen to participate in and support
the Miss American pageant system
due to its dedication to and support of
college women. This association is
the largest scholarship program in
America for women, contributing S30
million annual to aid women in pursuing
their educational dreams. Miss
America pageants are for women age
17-24, so this is Loma's last year of
pageant competition. She is the current
reigning Miss Topsail Island, the
1994-1995 Miss Lumbee, the 19981999
Miss Fayetteville, and a
1998-1999 Miss North Carolina
Scholarship Pageant "Top 10" semiflnalist.
As if these accoplishments were
not enough, her ability is further depicted
in a myriad of non-pageant
successes. In 1994, Loma released
her first contemporary Christian CD
in Nashville, entitled "Step By Step."
Loma was the featured soloist along
with singer James Taylor at the 1998
inauguration of Governor Jim Hunt.
She was also featured during the televised
instillation of Mollie Broad,
Continued on Page 5
LRDA continues federal
recognition efforts on
behalf of the tribe
A hearing was held before the
Senate Committee on Indian Affairs
on S.611, the Indian Federal Recognition
Administrative Procedures Act
of 1999, May 24, 2000. The bill was
introduced March 15, 1999 by Senator
Ben Nighthorse Campbell. S.611
is an attempt to improve the recognition
process which has been
criticized over the years for being
unfair and. burdensome to tribes
seeking recognition. If passed, the
legislation would create a separate
Commission to review requests from
Indian tribes to be recognized by the
federal government. Currently, the
process is under the Bureau of Indian
Affairs. Kevin Gover, Assistant
Secretary of Indian Affairs, testified
at the hearing on the need for a
change in the process. Attorney,
Gregory Smith attended the hearing
on behalf of the Lumbee tribe. A
written statement was also entered in
the record on the tribe's behalf.
Smith was retained by Lumbee
Regional Development Association,
Inc. as part of their responsibility to
represent the tribe in issues relating
to federal recognition. The organization
was gi anted this authority by
the tribe in 1984 through a tribal
referendum. This limited authority to
represent the tribe in recognition
issues was reaffirmed in a 1999 court
order. In discussing the hearing and
S.611, Leroy Freeman, LRDA Chairman,
commented on the their
commitment to continue seeking
federal recognition for the tribe. He
feels the tribe should monitor the
legislation in hopes that the bill will
benefit the tribe's efforts to obtain
federal recognition.
And Ot fatdto
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THE STATELY CAROLS. OXF.NDINE RETURNS FOR
ANOTHER SEASON AS THE LEADER.
Strike at the Wind begins
2000 season July 1
RED BANKS-The cast and crew of the Strike at the wind! Outdoor Drama
invite you to another exciting season under the stars.
Micah Sampson revives his role as Henry Berry Lowrie and newcomer
Misha Eddings debuts as Rhoda, his devoted wife.
The season begins July l at the Adolph L. Dial Amphitheater on the grounds
of the North Carolina Indian Cultural Center in the Red Banks Community,
approximately 2 miles ffom Pembroke. The drama will be held on Friday and
Saturday nights. Showtime is 8:15 p.m. The show will run through August 12,
2000.
Read the Carolina Indian Voice weekly to meet more of the cast and to learn
more about the drama.
Second murder suspect now in custody
LUMBERTON-A suspect at bay in the shooting death of two men outside a
Lumberton night club Saturday night turned himself into the sheriff's department
Sunday morning. Leroy Smith, 24, will face murder charges in the
shootings at Carrey's Nightlife in Lumberton that left two men dead.
Smith joins Christopher Lynn Jacobs, who was already in custody and
charged with the shooting death of Kendall Hunt of Pembroke. Smith will be
charged with the murder of Jonathan McMillian. 23, of Maxton.
The deaths occurred early Saturday morning outside the private club at
3575 Lackey Street. Lumberton Police Major Robert Grice said about 50 people
were gathered outside the club when a fight broke out between two groups
that led to the shootings. Three other people reported minor injuries and were
released from the local hospital.
Dr. Martin L. Brooks honored as a "Trailblazer"
GREENSBORO-Dr. Martin L. Brooks, long time Pembroke medical doctor, was
one of three region doctors honored Saturday as a "trailblazer" for their role in
working to help eliminate racism in medicine and helping people get better
access to medical care. The three were honored at a meeting of the Old North
State Medical Society in Greensboro Saturday (June 3).
Dr. Brooks, truly a Lumbee medical trailblazer. was honored along with
Fayetteville doctors C. Mason Quick and Jesse F. Williams. Brooks has been
in practice in Pembroke since 1957, and has been a member of the board of
directors of Lumbee Bank since its inception.
Coach Kelvin Sampson stays at Oklahoma
Champaign. III.-Illinois has a new coach, Tulsa's Bill Self. According to reliable
news reports, the job was first offered to Pembroke native. Kelvin Sampson,
the coach at Oklahoma University. Illinois athletic director Ron Guenther
called Tulsa and asked permission to talk to Self after Sampson turned the job
down. Sampson was reportedly offered $1 million a year to take the job.
Sampson makes about $750,000 a year at Oklahoma, according to the same
sources.
Pembroke Post 205 in action
PEMBROKE-lt is good to see Pembroke Posf 205 back in action this year.
Pembroke American Legion Post 205 Commander Bobby Dean Locklcar said it
was something that the community wanted. "Baseball has always been a
good recreational outlet for our young people. It gives our athletes something
good to do in the summer." Swett baseball coach Ardeen Hunt is the
manager and is ably assisted by William Deese.
Beginning next week, the Carolina Indian Voice will try to tell you more
about Pembroke Post 205*s exploits in legion baseball.