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Indigenous Research, Writing, and Studies

This guide provides access to resources through Belk Library and beyond to educate on research with Native American communities, information on the traditional stewards of the land where Elon University is built, and highlight literary and academic work b

Lumbee History

"In southeastern North Carolina, amongst the pines, swamps, and dark waters of the Lumbee River, you will find the heart and homeland of the Lumbee People.  The ancestors of the Lumbee came together in the shelter of this land hundreds of years ago - survivors of tribal nations from the Algonquian, Iroquoian, and Siouan language families, including the Hatteras, the Tuscarora, and the Cheraw. The ancestors of the Lumbee were recognized as Indian in 1885 by the State of North Carolina.  In 1956, Congress recognized the Lumbee as an Indian tribe while denying the People any federal benefits that are associated with such recognition – an action that the Lumbee continue to fight today. Lumbee tribal headquarters are located in the small town of Pembroke. The tribal territory and service area is comprised of four adjoining counties: Robeson, Scotland, Hoke and Cumberland." -From the Lumbee Tribe website. Please visit to learn more! https://www.lumbeetribe.com/history-and-culture

Books

Eastern Band of the Cherokee

"Cherokee is a sovereign nation, meaning it has its own laws, elections, government, institutions, and the like. Though it certainly has relationships with the United States federal government and the North Carolina state government that are vitally important, students and the general population may be interested to know that the Cherokees are self-governed and autonomous.

Located in Cherokee, North Carolina, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians were once part of a much larger Cherokee Nation population. However, when the Trail of Tears was mandated, and forced removal and relocation were directed by the US government and then President Andrew Jackson, the Cherokee Tribe became divided into what is known today as the Cherokee Nation and United Kituwah Band, located in Oklahoma, and the Eastern Band, made up of those who remained and rebuilt within North Carolina’s Qualla Boundary (sometimes called the Cherokee Indian Reservation)."

 

Coharie

"The present population of the Coharie Indian Tribe is located in the southeastern region of the State of North Carolina in the counties of Harnett and Sampson. The Coharies descend from the aboriginal tribe of the Neusiok Indians. The current tribal roll has 3,032 members, with approximately 20% of these members residing outside the tribal communities. Historical movements, initiated by Inter-Tribal as well as White/Indian colonial hostilities, caused the Coharies to move to their pre-sent location between 1729 and 1746. Since this date, they have lived continuously as an Indian Tribe at or around the Little Coharie River. According to legend, when Coharie mothers heard strangers approaching their village, they gathered their children and softly whispered, “Shhh,” to quiet them until the strangers passed. You can hear the same sound today as the wind blows through the whispering pines."

Haliwa-Saponi

"The Haliwa-Saponi are Native American Peoples of the North East Piedmont region of the State of North Carolina.  The name Haliwa is derived from the two counties of Halifax and Warren, which are the ancestral homelands of the Saponi People dating back to the early 18th Century.

The Tribe consists of just over 4,060 Citizens that live all over the United States and across the globe.  Most of the members live in the very tight-knit communities on the border of Halifax & Warren Counties with Hollister, NC serving as the Tribal Center. 

Hollister, NC is located 25 miles from the area cities of Louisburg, Roanoke Rapids and Rocky Mount, NC and about 55 miles NE of Raleigh, NC.

Since the late nineteenth century, the tribe has created schools and other institutions to preserve its culture and identity. Their common worship in Protestant churches, mostly Baptist and Methodist, has long acted to support community traditions.  The People are united and strong in their subsistence activities and oral traditions. "

Sappony

"The Sappony are one of North Carolina's eight state-recognized American Indian tribes. Our traditional homelands are in the High Plains Settlement along the North Carolina - Virginia boundary line and we have inhabited the rolling hills of Person County, NC and Halifax County, VA since the early 1700's. We settled this area before state lines were drawn, and in fact, helped draw the boundary line in 1728 when Sappony Ned Bearskin led William Byrd’s surveying party through the region.

The Sappony descend from seven main families, or clans - Coleman, Epps, Johnson, Martin, Shepherd, Stewart/Stuart and Talley. Historically, the town of Christie was the center of High Plains, with its name derived from the period when our people occupied the area of Fort Christanna. We were state-recognized in North Carolina in 1911 and in Virginia in 1913.  In 1997, we were seated in North Carolina Commission on Indian Affairs and in 2003, our name officially changed from the state-designated label of “Indians of Person County” to the current “Sappony” to more accurately reflect our heritage.

 Sappony history is one of family bonds, hard work, moral values and loyalty. It is the history of a people whose lives changed with the changing of times – from hunters and farmers of pre-contact days to trading partners with the English during colonial times, from tenant and landed farmers throughout the 1800s and 1900s to a contemporary Indian people in a diversified world."

Meherrin

"The Meherrin Indian Tribe has an enduring presence in the Southeastern Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina region that dates back to time immemorial. Our people have a deep and meaningful connection to our ancestral lands, and our cultural identity is anchored in our traditions, language (known as Skarù·ręʔ), and spirituality.

Today, our tribe is focused on preserving and promoting our rich heritage and traditions, with a particular emphasis on revitalizing our language. Our territories in Hertford, Bertie, Northampton, and Gates counties in North Carolina serve as a vibrant hub of our cultural and social activities, including the annual Meherrin Indian Powwow, a celebration that draws visitors from far and wide.

As a state-recognized tribe, we work closely with government entities and organizations to safeguard and uphold our lands, resources, and cultural heritage. Our ongoing efforts in environmental conservation and cultural preservation are a testament to the critical role that Native American communities play in shaping the region's past, present, and future.

The Meherrin Indian Tribe is unwavering in our commitment to serving our community and working towards a brighter future for all. We are deeply proud of our heritage and the many contributions we have made to the region over the centuries, and we will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that our legacy endures for the next seven generations and beyond.

Kauwets'a·ka (People of the Water) is our traditional name, and the name by which we call ourselves. We are an Iroquois Nation - close relatives of the Tuscarora/ Skarù·ręʔ (Hemp Splitters) with whom we share a language, cultural ties, and a history of once being part of a people who long ago traveled East to the rising sun and took up residence in North Carolina. These people would go onto be known as Kahtehnuʔá·ka·ʔ (People of the Submerged Pine-tree) and it is from these people that the Nations of Kauwets'a·ka / Meherrin and  Skarù·ręʔ / Tuscarora would emerge."

Waccamaw Siouan Indians

The Waccamaw Siouan Indians are one of eight state-recognized Native American tribes in North Carolina. Located predominantly in the southeastern North Carolina counties of Bladen and Columbus, in the communities of St. James, Buckhead, and Council. The Waccamaw Siouan tribal homeland is situated on the edge of Green Swamp about 37 miles from Wilmington, North Carolina, seven miles from Lake Waccamaw, and four miles north of Bolton, North Carolina.

Since its earliest recorded exploration by the naturalist, William Bartram (who was assisted in his efforts by the Waccamaw Indians) in 1735, many stories have been told about the legendary origin of Lake Waccamaw. Many have proven to be the fanciful inventions of early white settlers. According to the Waccamaw Siouan Indians, thousands of years ago an immense meteor appeared in the night sky toward the southwest. Flaming to a brilliance of innumerable suns as it hurtled earthward, the meteor finally struck, burning itself deep within the earth. The waters of the surrounding swamps and rivers flowed into the crater and cooled it, creating Lake Waccamaw, a gem blue, verdant green lake. We are the “People of the Falling Star.”

The Waccamaw Siouan Tribe, Inc is a non-profit organization empowered to act on behalf of the Waccamaw Siouan Indian Tribe of North Carolina. The Tribe’s long range goals are to identify and seek solutions to problems affecting the social, economic, educational, health, housing and general welfare of our people; to seek general financial assistance from federal, state, and local governmental resources to improve the general welfare of all Tribal members; and  to promote the image of the Waccamaw Siouan Tribe both in North Carolina and the United States.

The Waccamaw Siouan Indian Tribe is not affiliated with the Waccamaw people of South Carolina (aka Chicora Waccamaw) or the Waccamaw Siouxan of Farmers Union, North Carolina.