My progess...

From first choosing my topic of federal recognition of the Lumbee tribe, being Lumbee I knew some stuff but not no where close to what I know now. Being Lumbee is something that sets me a part of other people. Yes, it is true that I do not live on a Reservation or speak a native language, and my tribe has no written documents to tell of our history. Does this not make me Native American? Does it not matter that when I hear the word "Lumbee" I automatically think of large loud families or a community that will support me with my decisions in life?

Living in the area that I live in Robeson County, I am not surrounded by as many Native Americans as i would be if i lived in Pembroke. Being referred to as the "white girl" because of the school I attended. Because of the way that I spoke was not as "country" as others I have been assumed as "being white." Now, as I look into the past of my people who am i suppose to act like, when we assimilated we lost so many of our traditions, how can I "act" Native American, when its not an act, It is my blood.

Researching the Lumbee tribe has allowed me to see both sides of the politics of the constant battle of federal recognition for the Lumbee. Allowed me to understand that the opposing sides feel that we have stolen "their history" such as the Cherokee or Tuscarora. Being a Lumbee, a part of this fight, there is nothing that we can do to change to past of our tribe...how can this generation change what we had no control over???

From re-reading previous blogs i have raised so many questions in my mind, where some have been answered in research while some can never really be answered. I have seen myself develop into a proud Lumbee member who knows the history of her people and hopefully the future with the tribe being federally recognized.

Class Links....

Clearly, my blog discusses the ongoing struggle of the Lumbee tribe to receive federal recognition. While this is a personal and important issue to me, there are other important issues that seem to be an ongoing debate. The following is a list of blogs from my classmates that i feel are also important:

Illegal Immigration

Reading her blogs on illegal immigration has really allowed me to see both sides of this highly debated issue. She does a great job of breaking down the different elements of illegal immigration. Blogs such as her before and after thoughts, from the point of view of an illegal immigrant, and America's future is there a "right" answer, have aided in me making my decision to finally be able to choose my stance on illegal immigrants.

Abortion.Life.Choice.Grow.Impact.Change

Coming from a traditional household, abortion is just simply wrong. Since coming to college I have realized that maybe some of my traditional viewpoints may need to be revised, reading this particular blog on abortion has made me realize that abortion is not always bad. I feel that people who chose to have an abortion should have a good reason such as rape being behind the pregnancy; not something people just do freely. This is truly a blog that I continued to visit because it made me realize how on felt on the different issues dealing with abortion.

Save Darfur

While I feel that America is involved in too many outside issues, from reading this particular blog it has allowed me to see that maybe America or another source should step in and do something to help Darfur. I always have felt that Americas should be helped before other countries with our tax dollars maybe if America was not a "busy body," like fighting unnecessary wars, we could help third world countries in need.

Reading the various blogs of my classmates has allowed me to finally make a stance on debatable topics such as abortion, the death penalty, and stem-cell research. I have truly enjoyed reading all of the various and have taken something from each one.

The Lumbee Language...

As I have mention in previous blogs the Lumbee tribe of North Carolina has no record or traces of a traditional language. For most people when hearing the Lumbee people speak, they speak with a different dialect. The words they speak are pronounced differently than what people are used to. Using words such as "over yonder" instead of "over there" or "dem" instead of "them," these are just an example of the difference in the words people use when carrying on a conversation amongst themselves. I have a different accent, most people just assume that I am country but coming from Robeson County I have one of the better dialects. For most people they assume that i am uneducated by the way that "talk" to others but being surrounded by this "language" for all of my life, it is a part of the norm for me to speak the way that I do. While I feel that the particular dialect sets my tribe a part from other races, I think that when presenting ourselves in front of others we should speak correct English, to sound "educated."

The Lumbee tribe has their own language, their dialect. It is something that is very interesting to hear, very unique. So if you ever have the opportunity, I suggest that you visit Robeson County to experience this particular dialect for yourself.

Theory Posting....

For almost a hundred years the Lumbee tribe of North Carolina have been fighting for their identity. It is true that the Lumbee tribe formally know as the "Croatan," have no records of a reservation, treaties or a native language but we cannot change the past. Today the Lumbee tribe is fighting the never ending battle for federal recognition. Congress and people against federal recognition state that the Lumbee have no history therefore they do not need to recognized. When in fact the tribe has been linked to "The Lost Colony," people who simply vanished with the only trace being the word "Croatan" written on a tree.

A solution that could make both sides agree could be allowing the Lumbee to have a reservation in Robeson County, grant them educational and health care benefits and their natural right to tribal sovereignty. The Lumbee tribe would be giving up the financial benefits of owning a casino and with a tribe of over 40,000 members giving each member money would cost the government millions of dollars so, I do not feel that is necessary benefit for the tribe as a whole. With this solution I believe it would make opposing sides finally agree, ending the federal recognition battle.

For additional Information check out this book:
The Lumbee Problem- The making of an American Indian People
By: Karen I. Blu (Anthropologist)

"Can DNA solve the Lumbee problem?"....

Searching for information on the origins of the Lumbee I came across this blog by Craig Mason. He researches his genealogy by using his surnames such as Brayboy, Bryant and Long, just to name a few. In this particular blog, Can DNA solve "The Lumbee Problem"? Mason discusses a particular surname, Brayboy, which is known as a popular surname for the Lumbee tribe. As mentioned in his blog the Lumbee tribe have no traces of a reservation, treaties, a native language or certain traditional customs. He further explains how in 1587, a group of colonists under Sir Walter Raleigh's command came to the area now known as the Outer Banks, returned to England and were on there way back this particular area but there was no one there, which became known as "The Lost Colony." The only trace that the people in the area left was the word "Croatan" carved into a tree. The Croatan was the name that the Lumbee people were once called. In the 1700s, people of Scottish descent came across a mixed race, the Lumbee people, calling them "free Negroes" or "Mulattoes," which were names African descent. The Lumbee tribe has had many interactions between other races so there is no known history for the Lumbee people which is hurting our fight for federal recognition. Mason suggest that DNA research could help define the Lumbee people, discovering the mystery behind the origin of the tribe. This blog was very interesting and seems like a good idea to discover the unknown of the Lumbee.

State Recognized tribes...

Here I have comprised a list of the number of State Recognized tribes in a few of the states in the United States:

Alabama- 11
Arizona - 1
California- 43
Georgia- 5
Michigan- 6
North Carolina- 19
New Mexico - 2
Oregon -6
Vermont- 2
Washington - 8

North Carolina is one of the highest states with state-recognized tribes following, California. I wonder why North Carolina has only one federally recognized tribe, the Eastern band of Cherokee. Whom, at one point was state recognized until the late 188os and early 1900s when they petitioned for federal recognition from Congress, which the Eastern band of Cherokee received. The Eastern band of Cherokee was granted federal recognition from Congress, Why can't the Lumbee? Or other tribes such as the Haliwa-Saponi tribe or the Coharie tribe?

Once again Why is it that some tribes in a sense are better than others??

Links for further Information.....

With researching information on the Lumbee tribe and other Native American tribes I have come across various websites that I have found to be very helpful in my search.

www.narf.org/pubs/misc/faqs.htm

This website is a very good site to go to for basic questions about Native Americans. Such as What are Native Americans, What is a federally recognized tribe and what are the benefits? It answers generalized questions on Native Americans which could be a site to visit if one is not familiar with the Native American community.

www.lumbee.org/history2.html

LRDA (Lumbee Regional Development Association) is a website that discusses the history of the Lumbee and gives a list of resources that the Lumbee tribe have available if they need any kind of assistance.

www.lumbeetribe.com/hearings/hr898/arlindalocklear.pdf

Document written by a Lumbee woman, who is the lawyer for the Lumbee tribe of North Carolina. It discusses the HR. 898, a bill which would grant the Lumbee tribe Federal Recognition

www.lumbeetribe.com/lumbee/index.html

Official site of the Lumbee tribe of North Carolina.

www.unc.edu/%7Emmaynor/political/federal.html

This website gives the Political history of the Lumbee tribe (federal recognition,) which highlights the struggle of the Lumbee for more than just being state recognized.

www.500nations.com/North_Carolina_Tribes.asp

List of State recognized tribes found in North Carolina

media.www.dailytarheel.com/media/storage/paper885/news/2007/04/23/OnlineExclusives/
Senators.Propose.Bill.Recognizing.Tribe-2872974.shtml

Article in the Daily Tarheel discussing the issue of Federal Recognition for the Lumbee. Gives the viewpoint of a Cherokee and a Tuscarora (Native American) on the issue of the Lumbee deserving to be recognized.

www.newsobserver.com/politics/story/595258.html

Discusses the Lumbee tribal recognition debate

www.welcometonc.com/detail/314.cfm

Welcome to North Carolina website that features the Lumbee tribe

linux.library.appstate.edu/lumbee/16/THOM001.html

Report on the origin of the Lumbee Tribe