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The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina had the opportunity to host Duke Energy and share with them all the good work that is currently taking place at the Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center. Duke Energy had an opportunity to see the new amphitheater under construction as well as hear about the upcoming activities that will take place at the Culture Center such as the Dance of the Harvest Moon Pow Wow that is scheduled for September 26-29 and the Annual Fish Fry October 4, 2025.   Chairman Lowery thanked Duke Energy for their contributions to the Cultural Center and expressed support for future collaborations.

Thank you to Open Space Institute (OSI), Ducks Unlimited, and the other funders for the donation of Camp Island ,a 1,382-acre property, in Robeson County! Camp Island is rich with cultural significance and natural resources, in which Indigenous artifacts have been found. The Camp Island project represents the opportunity to receive substantial preserved areas that the tribe can maintain indefinitely for all tribal citizens to enjoy. Because of the generous donation of Camp Island to the Lumbee Tribe, the Tribe will now be able to utilize these lands for the wildlife conservation, forest management, environmental studies, outdoor recreation and tribal game lands. The Lumbee Tribe will begin to assess and evaluate the lands to ensure sustainability and proper land stewardship for the generations of our community and tribal people.

At the request of Open Space Institution (OSI), today's land ceremony will be closed to the public. Pictures will be released at a later date. Press Release EMBARGOED UNTIL MARCH 31, 2025 Contact: Open Space Institute: Siobhan Gallagher Kent - (845) 576-8186; sgallagherkent@osiny.org Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina: Tasha Oxendine - (910) 522-5185; taoxendine@lumbeetribe.com Open Space Institute and Partners Return Almost 1,400 Acres of Land to Lumbee Tribe; Tribe will Protect and Steward Land in Robeson County Project Secures Critical Cultural and Natural Resources Along the Lumber River ROBESON COUNTY, N.C. (March 31, 2025) – The Open Space Institute (OSI) and Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina have announced the acquisition of the 1,382-acre Camp Island property near North Carolina’s southeastern border. OSI acquired the property with funding support from a private family foundation and a North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant facilitated by Ducks Unlimited (DU). OSI has donated the property, rich with cultural significance and natural resources, to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, who will steward the forested property in perpetuity as a natural and cultural resource for the Tribe. OSI and the Lumbee Tribe will celebrate the acquisition in a ceremony on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, at 3:30 pm. The Camp Island project represents the first opportunity to establish a large, protected natural area under the stewardship of the state’s Lumbee Tribe. “Properties like Camp Island play a vital role not only in the health of ecosystems, but also in the lives of the people tied to the land itself,” said Dr. Maria Whitehead, OSI’s Senior Vice President of Land for the Southeast. “OSI is honored to be part of this effort to preserve culturally significant land, and thanks to our partners, we have the incredible opportunity to return it to tribal stewardship and care.” “We are excited to reconnect with this land, which we’ve not been able to access for a very long time,” said John Lowery, Lumbee Tribal Chairman. “Our people are outdoors people, and the ability to steward this land for Lumbee and visitors alike is truly special. We are proud to preserve Camp Island for many years to come.” The Camp Island property is especially important to the Lumbee Tribe as a cultural site where significant Indigenous artifacts have been found. The Lumbee Tribe operates several camps where participants engage in preservation and restoration activities, while deepening an understanding of their cultural heritage. Protecting Camp Island is a critical step toward imparting these values to future generations.“This gift will give our youth an opportunity to learn about native plants, trees, birds, and local wildlife,” said Homer Fields, Lumbee Tribal Council Representative (District 14), who represents the Allenton Community where Camp Island is located. “We’re thrilled about this project.” “We are truly grateful that OSI is cultivating community through their cultural sensitivities to address our reconnection to Mother Earth,” said Wendy Moore, Former Lumbee Tribal Council Representative and Former Chair of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. The benefits of the Camp Island project extend beyond the Lumbee Tribe. The property, which was once managed for wood products, will now be stewarded for forest and species conservation by the Tribe, and protected in perpetuity by the NAWCA grant agreement and other deed restrictions. It will become part of a larger network of protected properties in a “green corridor” between the Lumber and Cape Fear river basins. Primarily forested wetland, the Camp Island property contains a vast matrix of blackwater swamps that drain directly into the Lumber River, a state-designated Scenic River that is considered one of North Carolina’s most pristine recreational assets and home to fish species like the Broadtail Madtom and Ironcolor Shiner. The Lumber River is known traditionally as the Lumbee River; its name was changed by state lawmakers in 1809 to reflect its use in timbering operations, but it is still known by the Lumbee People as the Lumbee River. With abundant intact forested wetlands, the tract is within a designated Atlantic Coast Joint Venture Waterfowl Focus Area and Audubon Important Bird Area boasting, among other bird species, Yellow- throated Warblers, Great Blue and Green Herons, Swallow-tailed Kites, and Wood Storks. "We're excited to join forces with OSI and the Lumbee Tribe to fund a project that holds tremendous value for wetlands, wildlife and the community," said Emily Purcell, DU Director, Conservation Programs Southeast. "Collaboration drives conservation forward, and we're honored to play a role in safeguarding Camp Island for future generations of the Lumbee Tribe to connect with their ancestral lands." In addition to being an important site for American Indian history and culture, in addition to natural resources, the Camp Island property has a long and storied history as a colonial-era British loyalist encampment, purportedly attacked by a group of the Camden District Regiment militia. In the 1850s, enslaved people who had escaped established a small community on the property with livestock and cultivated crops. About the Open Space Institute Founded in 1974, the Open Space Institute (OSI) has been a partner in the protection of more than 2.5 million acres along the eastern seaboard from Quebec to Florida. OSI’s Southeast office, established in Charleston in 2014, has been a partner in the protection of more than 130,000 acres across the Southeastern United States, the vast majority of which will be open to the public. Visit OSI online at openspaceinstitute.org/southeast . About the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, also known as the “People of the Dark Water,” have their homeland in Southeastern, North Carolina, along the dark waters of the Lumbee river. The ancestors of the Lumbee have lived here for thousands of years. The Lumbee Tribe Housing complex is located in Pembroke, NorthCarolina. The tribal territory and service area of the Lumbee People includes four counties: Robeson, Scotland, Hoke, and Cumberland. The Lumbee Tribe is the largest American Indian Tribe east of the Mississippi River.

Last Wednesday, Lumbee Tribal Chairman John Lowery, Tribal Council Speaker Alex Baker, Vice-Chair Bobby Emanuel, Harold Smith, Chair of Federal Recognition Committee, Councilman Gerald Goolsby, and Councilwoman Chocajuana Oxendine , along with staff and legal representatives, met with Department of Interior (DOI) officials to hold a consultation meeting regarding President Trump's Presidential Memorandum.  The meeting was the third consultation, reflecting DOI's commitment to having direct communication with the Lumbee Tribe concerning the Memorandum. These historic meetings are a continuation of communication with Lumbee leaders and DOI.  Tribal leaders first began communicating with the DOI in the 1880s, seeking education funding for our children.  Chairman Lowery, Vice-Chair Bobby Emanuel, and Councilmember Gerald Goolsby also met with a delegation of lawmakers and staff members during their time in Washington, D.C., as Tribal leadership continues to advocate for the passage of the Lumbee Fairness Act.

The Lumbee Tribe Cords of Honor Ceremony will be held on Monday, April 28, 2025. Students, there are TWO (2) weeks left to complete and submit your application. All applications must be submitted by April 11th as the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina prepares to honor all Lumbee High School and College Students, who are potential 2025 graduates in the Lumbee Cords of Honor Ceremony. Applications are now being accepted for graduates to apply. These cords represent this important milestone in the life of our Lumbee Students. The cords comprise the colors of the Lumbee Tribal Seal and the Medicine Wheel. This symbolism represents the four directions, four seasons, as well as our sacred path in life. The application (see below) must be fully completed, signed by a school counselor or college advisor, and returned by April 11 , 2025 by 5:00 pm to the Lumbee Tribe of N.C. Please email or hand deliver your application to the Lumbee Tribe of N.C. Housing Complex at 6984 NC Hwy 711 West in Pembroke. (Attn: Cords of Honor) Or Email to : cordsofhonor@lumbeetribe.com . Students must be actively enrolled. Enrollment Office information - 910.668.6099 or 910.521.7861 or email the Enrollment office at enrollment@lumbeetribe.com **Please note: Students that graduate(d) in Fall 2024, Spring 2025, and Fall 2025 may apply for a Cord of Honor. Due to the limited seating available, this will be a ticketed event and graduates MUST RSVP to attend. Each graduate may bring (2) two guests and show their tickets at the door to be scanned. As your life moves into future directions, we wish you success and honor your accomplishments. Education is a core value of the Lumbee People. We know it is our path to success. You crossed this milestone. We want to celebrate your journey. Click here for the application:   https://www.lumbeetribe.com/.../6ca8af ...

Due to potential inclement weather, the Lumbee Tribe of N.C. Enrollment Department will close at 5 pm today, Monday, March 31, 2025. Our tribal offices will resume normal operations tomorrow, April 1, 2025.

What an exciting way to wrap up an amazing week. Former Professional baseball player and world renowned Artist Gene Locklear was celebrated and honored at the University of North Carolina Pembroke powwow. Lumbee Tribal Chairman John Lowery and Nancy Chavis, Director and Curator of the Museum of the Southeast American Indian, honored Gene during a blanket ceremony this afternoon. There was also a Chicken Dance special during the Powwow in honor of Gene, who is a citizen of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. Gene Locklear grew up in the Union Chapel Community in the Lumbee Tribal Territory. He was a Major League Player with the Padres, Yankees, and Reds and also played overseas in the Japan's leagues. He is also well known for his Sport Paintings which are on display through the U.S. Locally his paintings celebrate Lumbee history, culture and community and our hero Henry Berry Lowrie. Gene is also a Vietnam Veteran. This week, the University of North Carolina at Pembroke honored Gene as the Museum of the Southeast American Indian established the Lloyd Oxendine Artist-in-Residence program. The residency featured Gene and opened his exhibition called “From the Pitcher’s Mound to the Easel: The Life and Career of Athlete and Artist Gene Locklear." Gene has produced works of all sizes in oils, acrylics and pencil. Locklear’s styles include realism, impressionism and abstract, with subjects that include Native American and Western figures and landscapes, professional athletes from countless sports and animals.

Thank you to Quannah Chasinghorse for stopping in to visit the Lumbee Tribe staff during her first visit to Lumbee Tribal Territory. Quannah, a fashion model, actor, and fourth-generation Indigenous land protector, is in our community for UNC Pembroke's Native American Speakers Series Friday, March 21, 2025. Quannah visited with Lumbee Tribal Chairman Lowery just before her UNCP appearance at 7 pm. She shared about her Alaskan community and some of the projects that she has in the works. Our team shared some goodies with her for her journey, including a woven basket by Reggie Brewer. The Deep Roots, Strong Ties Fireside Chat is at 7:00 p.m. this afternoon at the James A. Thomas Hall, Upchurch Auditorium. The event is open to the public and doors open at 6:30 p.m. Chasinghorse is from the Han Gwich’in from Eagle Village, Alaska, and Sicangu/Oglala Lakota tribes from the Rosebud Reservation, South Dakota. Chasinghorse is the face of a new generation of models and a powerful advocate and activist for Indigenous rights, sovereignty and representation, including justice for the movement MMIWG2S (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People). Chasinghorse has walked the runway for Gucci and Chloé and starred in Calvin Klein and Chanel campaigns, among other high-end brands. She has appeared on the covers of Vogue, Elle, Allure and National Geographic and was honored on Teen Vogue’s 2020 list of “Top 21 Under 21.” Chasinghorse and her mother were recently featured on an episode of Hillary and Chelsea Clinton’s Apple+ TV series Gutsy, which celebrated environmental activists and was the subject of the documentary Walking Two Worlds.

If you missed the Lumbee Tribal Council meeting Thursday night, you missed the opportunity to see three Lumbee greats together. Tribal Chairman John Lowery and the Lumbee Tribal Council honored Mr. Furnie Lambert for his contributions and lifetime of service to his tribal community. Mr. Furnie Lambert received a standing ovation as he was presented with an Eagle feather. Lambert, a retired US Marine and Lumbee Warrior, served multiple terms on the Commission of Indian Affairs following his appointment by Governor Pat McCrory in 2016. He was a Master Gunnery Sergeant. Mr. Larry Townsend was also recognized and received the “Unsung Hero” Award. Mr. Larry was selected last year by the United Tribes of NC, but he was sick and was unable to accept the award so we looked for an opportunity to recognize him and Mr. Furnie Lambert together because both of them worked to establish the Lumbee Veterans office. The Lumbee Tribe Veterans Office assist veterans of all races from around the nation. Mr. Larry Townsend also received a standing ovation. Mr. Larry has dedicated his life to service for his community and for veterans. Mr. Larry helped to draft legislation to begin this office, which opened in 2004 and has helped thousands of veterans. Mr. Larry is a Vietnam Veteran and he spent years serving as a Veterans Service Officer for the Lumbee Tribe. Mr. Larry also served multiple terms on the Lumbee Tribal Council, and would go on to serve as the Southeast Region Vice President to the National Congress of American Indians. During his time at NCAI, Mr. Larry represented 29 American Indian tribes throughout the Southeast. He worked with the full NCAI Executive Committee Members to fulfill a variety of national and regional responsibilities to ensure that NCAI remained a strong, stable organization that serves the broad and best interest of American Indians and Alaska Native tribal governments and communities. He also served on the Robeson County Board of Elections. Chairman Lowery and the Council also recognized Professional Baseball Player and commercial artist Mr. Gene Locklear and gifted him with an Eagle Feather. Gene, who is from Union Chapel Community, was a Major League Player with the Padres, Yankees, and Reds and also played overseas in the Japan's leagues. He is also well known for his Sport Paintings which are on display through the U.S. Locally his paintings celebrate Lumbee history, culture and community and our hero Henry Berry Lowrie. Gene is also a Vietnam Veteran. They are proudly displayed throughout our tribal community, in businesses and museums. All three Lumbee legends received a standing ovation Also recognized was Emily Deese and Ronnette Sutton who were recognized as the newly sworn in Supreme Court Justices. They were sworn in on February 28, 2025 by chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Mark Brooks.