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The Lumbee Tribe of NC Housing Complex and all tribal offices will be CLOSED on Monday, September 1, 2025 for Labor Day. Our offices will REOPEN on Tuesday, September 2, 2025

Join us on September 26-28, 2025, at the Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center, for the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina’s “Dance of the Harvest Moon” Powwow. The Lumbee Tribe of NC, a Southeastern Indigenous people with a long-standing tradition of matrilineal societies, is committed to honoring women's vital role as life-givers within our community. For centuries, Lumbee society has been guided by women's strength, wisdom, and resilience. In recognition of this enduring tradition, the Lumbee Tribe Powwow Committee is pleased to announce the addition of a new Women’s Eastern Woodland Category  for participants ages 18–49. This addition reflects our continued commitment to uplift and honor our people's matrilineal foundations. It reminds us that women have always held central roles in shaping, sustaining, and guiding our communities. Don't miss the dancers from all across the nation as they compete in the specials, which include the Women’s Fancy Spotlight Special, the Grant Dial - Men’s Northern Traditional, the Chairman’s Special - Women’s Southern Traditional, the Fancy, Jingle, Traditional, Grass Dance, and many more. It is a celebration of our Native Culture! Grand Entries will begin on Friday at 7 pm, Saturday at Noon & 6 pm, and Sunday at 1 pm. The Host Hotel is Holiday Inn Express in Pembroke, NC. The Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center is on 683 Terry Sanford Drive in Maxton, NC.

How to Apply for the Michael Paulson Scholarship   The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina is awarding six  $5,000 scholarships  in memory of Michael Paulson!   Important Dates: Application Opens:  August 18, 2025 at 8:00 am Deadline to Apply:  August 25, 2025 at Recipients Notified:  By September 12, 2025   Eligibility Requirements: Must be a full-time student (sophomore or higher in undergrad, or grad school) Must have a  minimum 2.7 GPA Must be an  active enrolled member  of the Lumbee Tribe (valid enrollment card required)   What You Need to Submit: Completed application (do not retype) Official transcript  (from registrar’s office) Copy of Class Schedule Certificate of full-time enrollment provided by your institution Copy of active Tribal Card 3–5 min video  on Lumbee Tribal Government and leaders (MP4 format) Two essays  (PDF format) Resume  (PDF format) Two letters of recommendation  (PDF format – one must be academic)   Submit All Materials To: MichaelPaulsonaward@lumbeetribe.com Subject line:  Michael Paulson Award Scholarship – [Your Full Name] (Example:  Michael Paulson Award Scholarship – John Doe ) I ncomplete or late applications will NOT be considered. No exceptions. The application will be available on the Lumbee Tribe Website starting August 18, 2025.  #LumbeeTribe #ScholarshipOpportunity #CollegeFunding #MichaelPaulsonAward

Thank you to the Catawba Nation for welcoming our Lumbee Tribe Agriculture and Natural Resources team this week. Our staff visited the Catawba to collaborate and discuss future plans to work together on agricultural endeavors and projects.  These plans include ways in which each tribe remains focused on Indigenous food sovereignty in their communities and determining solutions that can benefit both tribal communities in achieving their respective goals. In June 2024, the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina and the Catawba Nation signed a historic Government-to-Government Principles of Agreement vowing to offer support on each tribe’s missions and goals.

Today filing opened for the Lumbee Tribe Elections. Here are the district maps for those communities.

Serving as Emcees  are the dynamic duo Marty Thurman and Sandon Jacobs. Patrick Green  will oversee the circle as Arena Director , ensuring everything runs smoothly. Chris Conner  joins us as Head Drum Judge , and Kevin Chavis will serve as Head Dance Judge , both bringing years of experience and cultural insight. We are honored to welcome our Host Drums — The Boyz  (Northern) and Southern Boyz  (Southern)—whose songs will carry the heartbeat of the powwow all weekend. —twin siblings, proud citizens of the Lumbee Tribe, and lifelong powwow dancers, introduced to the powwow circle at just six months old. Raven Dial-Stanley, Head Female Dancer, whose roots run deep in the communities of Maxton and Prospect in Robeson County. Though now living in Durham, NC, her identity remains firmly grounded in the traditions of her people. Raven previously held the titles of Miss NCNAYO (2014–2015) and Miss Indian North Carolina (2018–2019), roles that strengthened her voice as a cultural ambassador. A graduate of UNC Greensboro, she studied Consumer, Apparel, and Retail Studies and went on to design denim for Lee. Today, Raven blends creativity and culture through her streetwear brand, Original Peoples of the Southeast , and a children's coloring book inspired by her grandmother. Raven also serves Native youth nationwide as a PK–12 Programs Officer with AISES, where she supports Indigenous students in STEM. Ryan Dial, Head Male Dancer, is a proud citizen of the Lumbee Tribe, a lifelong powwow dancer and MC. Raised in Robeson County, he now lives in Durham, NC, with his wife, Idalis Jacobs Dial. Ryan works as an American Indian Health Program Manager at UNC Chapel Hill, serving both the UNC Lineberger Cancer Center and the American Indian Center. He is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University, focusing on advancing health equity for Indigenous communities in North Carolina. Ryan has traveled across the state sharing Lumbee history and traditions through storytelling, music, and cultural education. His deep commitment to community and culture continues to uplift and empower Native people across generations. Join us at the Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center as we celebrate our culture, honor our ancestors, and lift up our people. This will be a gathering you don’t want to miss!  #DanceOfTheHarvestMoon #LumbeePowwow2025 #LumbeePride #IndigenousExcellence #HeadStaffSpotlight #HonoringTradition

Great news! The Lumbee Tribe of NC's official merchandise is BACK in stock--baby, youth, and adult shirts, bibs, flags, and more!  Your purchases will help support the Dance of the Harvest Moon Powwow. It’s a fantastic way to show support for your  Lumbee community! Visit https://lumbee-tribe-of-nc.square.site/s/shop  to shop.

Are you ready for a delightful night out with your closest seven friends? Imagine dressing up and savoring a wonderful dinner together! We invite you to join the Lumbee Tribe of NC by reserving a table for just $1250! You and your friends will enjoy a special reserved table at the Lumbee Tribe of NC Gala, held at the beautiful Shahbain Farms and Event Center in Raeford, NC. This unique opportunity is available for a limited time, ending at 4 PM on Thursday, July 31—so be sure to secure your spot while you can! To reserve your table, simply call Belinda Brewer at (910)-522-2219. For more information or to purchase an individual ticket for $125, please visit https://www.lumbeetribe.com/tribal-gala-2025. With your contribution, we will increase our efforts toward full federal recognition, acknowledgment, and benefits, which will make a difference in the daily lives of our elders, children, and community.

Join us this Saturday, August 2, 2025 for Lumbee Night with the Woodpeckers Baseball team! Take your family out to the ballgame, but it is also a night of mystery and baseball enchantment as its also Stranger Things Night at Segra Stadium. Get there early—gates open at 6:00 PM, and the game starts at 7:05 PM. You won't want to miss out! The first 1,500 fans will get an exclusive Stranger Things Replica Jersey!   You may purchase your tickets at https://www.gofevo.com/event/Lumbeetribe23 . Tickets range from $9.88 (Standing Room Only) - $17.08 (Section 117). Segra Stadium is located at 460 Hay St. Fayetteville, NC 28301. #lumbee   #woodpeckersbaseball   #LumbeeTribe

We cannot wait to see you at Strike at the Wind! Outdoor Drama this weekend, July 25 and 26. The production is one of the longest-running outdoor dramas in N.C. The drama debuted at the Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center in 1976. The play tells the story of the Lowrie War, which occurred in 1865. It chronicles the life of Henry Berry Lowrie, who led a band of men in a seven-year battle after the Confederate Home Guard murdered Henry's father and brother. Henry and the Lowrie gang exacted a vigilante justice against the Home Guard of Robeson County and those who actively oppressed the Indian people. Though the Lowrie gang were regarded as outlaws and renegades by those on the wrong end of their guns, the American Indian people for whom they fought hail them to this day as Heroes! The historical Adolph Dial Amphitheater is at the Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center at 628 Terry Sanford Drive, Maxton, NC 28364. Tickets are $20.00 (plus sales tax & fees) and are valid for indicated nights. Please be sure that you are purchasing your intended performance date. Tickets are available at Givens Performing Arts Center on the campus of UNC Pembroke at the box office 910.521.6361 or online at https://www.uncp.edu/.../special-events-and.../strike-wind

Thank you to Mr. Robert Carter, Jr., a native of the Saddletree Community and a founding member of the Saddletree Powwow, and the Carter family for their generous donation of a historic train bell to the Lumbee Tribe of N.C. This train bell, which has traveled a long and meaningful journey through time, now finds its place at the Lumbee Cultural Center. The story of the “Blessing Bell," as Mr. Robert calls it, began as part of the Atlantic Coast Line train service, which ran through Pembroke till 1949, where it served to warn of the train’s approach. It later became a church bell in Fayetteville, bringing communities together in faith and worship. In the 1960, Mr. Carter’s father, Robert Carter, Sr., was gifted the bell by the church, and it became known as the Carter Family Bell. The family rang the bell for family milestones and celebrations, including the Bicentennial in 1976. The bell is now onsite at the Adolph Dial Amphitheatre. Now, as the “Blessing Bell”, it is gifted to the Lumbee Tribe where its legacy continues, to call people together in joy, prayer, cultural celebration, and, most importantly, as a call for federal recognition of the Lumbee People. Tribal Chairman John L. Lowery celebrated the gift to the tribe. “I want to personally thank the Carter Family for gifting us this bell to be placed at the cultural center. It is wonderful to have such a treasure as this placed at our site,” said Lowery. “We look forward to ringing it before our annual powwow and other future events. Thank you, Mr. Robert and the entire Carter Family." Thank you, Mr. Carter, for this incredible gift that echoes with history, unity, and hope. May the bell’s sound continue to inspire our journey toward recognition.

Mark your calendar for these upcoming Lumbee Tribal events.