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Mark your calendar for free well water testing coming up this weekend.  The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Superfund Research Program, in partnership with the Lumbee Tribe of NC and the Winyah Rivers Alliance, are testing private wells in Robeson and nearby counties. After completing a short survey, if you live in certain areas of Robeson or nearby counties, you may be provided with a free well test. The purpose of this research study is to prevent and reduce harmful exposure to contaminated well water. Residents who live in Robeson or nearby counties, are over 18 years-old, and use a private well are eligible for a free well test. Interested households with private wells should come to one of the well testing locations listed below, complete a short survey, and pick up a tree test kit. We will provide 200 well tests. More tests may be available if resources allow. Detailed sampling instructions will be provided.

This week, the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina received President Trump’s Executive Memorandum related to Lumbee Federal Recognition and the pen associated with signing the document. Congressman Mark Harris dropped by at the same time of the documents arrival. There was a lot of excitement!

Spring arrived today to the Northern Hemisphere at 5:01 am. American Indian Tribal Leaders from tribes across North Carolina joined Indigenous peoples from across the globe to welcome in the first day of Spring with thanksgiving and prayer in a ceremony at Town Creek Indian Mound in Mt. Gilead. The N.C. American Indian Heritage Commission coordinated the event. The tribal leaders prayed for their families, community, peace, wellness, blessings for youth and much more. During the ceremony, sunlight shown through the sky light of Town Creek Temple Mound to illuminate the sacred alter at noon today. Culturally, the Spring Equinox is the beginning of a new year for Native People. It is a time to start anew. Town Creek was home to Native peoples spanning thousands of years. It was an ancient ceremonial site and village with a platform mound. During the early Town Creek phase (A.D. 1150-1250) the site started out as a village of circular houses around a plaza. At about A.D. 1250, the platform mound was built. The vernal equinox or the first day of spring is determined by where the Earth is in its orbit around the sun. On this day, the Earth's axis is not tilted toward or away from the sun, causing roughly an equal amount of sunlight and dark hours at all latitudes.

This week, the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina received President Trump’s Executive Memorandum related to Lumbee Federal Recognition and the pen associated with signing the document. Congressman Mark Harris dropped by at the same time of the documents arrival. There was a lot of excitement!

Former professional baseball player and commercial artist Gene Locklear stopped in to visit with our youth this afternoon to encourage them to be determined and to follow their dreams. Gene visited Tribal Chairman Lowery and the Pembroke Boys & Girls Club. Being from the Union Chapel community, Gene talked about how he decided that he wanted to be an artist and a baseball player in 2nd grade at Union Chapel Elementary School. This visit is part of the Museum of the Southeast American Indian's Lloyd Oxendine Artist-in-Residence program. The residency, which kicked off today, will feature Gene Locklear March 17 - 22. Gene played major league baseball with the Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres and New York Yankees and in Japan from 1969 until retiring in 1979. He also is a commercial artist, but is known locally for some of the most well known drawings of Henry Berry Lowrie and Rhoda. Today after speaking with the students, he visited individual classes and discussed various art styles. In one class he drew a sketch of Henry and the children followed along, while another focused on landscapes. Locklear, an enrolled citizen of the Lumbee Tribe, 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. There will be several opportunities to meet him in person throughout this week. On Tuesday, at 6 pm, you can see Gene and his artwork in person at the Exhibition Opening and Panel Discussion: “From the Pitcher’s Mound to the Easel: The Life and Career of Athlete and Artist Gene Locklear" at the Museum of the Southeast American Indian on the campus of UNC Pembroke. Lloyd Earl Oxendine (1942-2015), who was Lumbee and from Pembroke, devoted his art career to raising the profile of Native American art while fighting for its place within the American art canon. In 1972, he opened one of the first art galleries in SoHo in New York City, devoted exclusively to showing contemporary American Indian art. Oxendine later served as the director of Native North American Artists and curator for the American Indian Community House, where he curated more than 40 art shows. During the residency, Locklear will participate in studio hours open to the public, co-curate an exhibit, create an exhibit based on public programming and participate in a program discussion about Southeastern American Indian art, culture, history, identity and personal legacy. Events to be held in the museum in Old Main include:     • March 18:     ◦ Drop-in Studio Hours, 2-4 p.m.     ◦ Exhibition Opening and Panel Discussion: “From the           Pitcher’s Mound to the Easel: The Life and Career of           Athlete and Artist Gene Locklear,” 6 p.m.     • March 19: Drop-in Studio Hours, 10 a.m.-noon     • March 20: Drop-in Studio Hours, 9 a.m.-noon     • March 21: Drop-in Studio Hours, 9 a.m. -noon     • March 22: MSAI open house and art activity, 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. The weeklong residency embodies Lloyd Oxendine’s and the Museum of the Southeast American Indian (MSAI) shared lifelong mission to educate the public about contemporary American Indian art while supporting both emerging and established artists. To learn more about the Lloyd Oxendine Artist-in-Residence, visit uncp.edu/museum .

Students entering 9th - 12th grades may now register for Project IndigeCHOICE’s free Biomedical Camp from July 14 to 18, 2025. The Biomedical Camp will unlock a world of opportunities in medical careers, research, and internships! You will explore various medical careers through visits to colleges/universities offering 2- and 4-year degrees, tour Pfizer while witnessing their medical scientists at work, as well as discover a vast array of careers in medicine. All camps are first come, first serve with limited space. To register, please visit https://www.lumbeetribe.com/projectindigechoice . For more information, please call (910)-522-2196.

Attention all rising 9 - 12 graders, you can now register for the Project IndigeCHOICE Camp at NC State University (June 23 - 27, 2025) and/or the North Carolina Native American Youth Organization Summer Camp Opportunity (NCNAYO) (June 18 - 22, 2025). Don’t delay, register today! While at the Project IndigeCHOICE Camp at NC State University, you will live on campus and explore 2- and 4-year degree programs, visit engineering, natural resources, and agriculture programs, and discuss cutting-edge research and career opportunities. Campers will hear from professors, staff, admission officers, financial aid experts, and current and former students and get insights into admissions, financial aid, and student life. Don't miss this chance to explore your future at NC State University! Campers attending  NCNAYO will participate in a 5-day learning experience on the beautiful campus of UNC Wilmington while engaging with various tribes from across NC. They will receive tips on how to set their future educational goals and how they can be of service to the Native people in their community. This camp include a tour of the UNC Wilmington as well as workshops that will focus on topics such as college admissions, financial aid, scholarships, and the freshman experience. All camps are first come, first serve with limited space. To register, please visit https://www.lumbeetribe.com/projectindigechoice . For more information, please call (910)-522-2196.

On Tuesday Lumbee Tribal Chairman John Lowery helped to kick off Read Across America as he read to students at schools in the Public Schools of Robeson County. Chairman Lowery read a Dr. Seuss book to students at Pembroke Elementary and Rex-Rennert Elementary Schools. He encouraged the students to read,  while also sharing his love of reading. Chairman Lowery is a former school teacher from the Public Schools of Robeson County. Our schools, across the county, have done an amazing job to decorate for this reading extravaganza! Look for Chairman Lowery throughout the week as he reads to students and rhymes a bit too!

Students you won’t want to miss these exciting camps hosted by Project IndigeCHOICE! Rising high school students may now register for the From Robeson County to Washington, D.C.: American Indian History Camp taking place June 9 - 13, 2025. Campers will explore historical and indigenous sites in Robeson County and Washington, D.C., canoe the Lumber River, and tour the National Museum of the American Indian. This journey offers a comprehensive look at the history and culture of the American Indians. This camp requires an overnight stay and all meals and transportation will be provided. Rising 6th - 8th grade girls may register now for the Young Native Visionary Women’s Day Camp taking place June 9 - 13, 2025 at UNC Pembroke’s Thomas Entrepreneurship Hub (Stem Studio). Campers will participate in activities to discover more about themselves and create a vision board of their aspirations. They will also visit companies led by women or leaders in their fields and visit University/College campuses. This camp will cover topics like creating personal futures, civic involvement, and careers in technology, healthcare, finance, engineering, law, and education. Their mission is to enhance the beauty, strength, and integrity of American Indian girls through personal empowerment and civic involvement. All camps are first come, first serve with limited space. To register, please visit https://www.lumbeetribe.com/projectindigechoice . For more information, please call (910)-522-2196.

Mark your calendar for these upcoming Lumbee Tribal events.