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)
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