Search Site Results

The Senior and Family Services funding has been allocated and is no longer available for Lumbee Tribal Citizens. These funds were distributed through the Lumbee Tribal Support program for senior needs. Peer Support Funds are still available through that program.

Tickets are on sale now for the 2023 Lumbee Tribe "Dance of the Harvest Moon Powwow." The powwow is just a few weeks away on September 29, 30 and October 1st at the Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center. We have an awesome head staff including two of the best drum groups in the nation. Ticket may be purchased by scanning the QR code with your phone or visiting https://www.lumbeetribe.com/fallpowwow

The Pembroke Area Chamber of Commerce Membership Meeting on Thursday, August 24, 2023 will host guest speakers Dr. LaMorris Smith and Mr. Terry Jackson. RSVP to the Pembroke Chamber.

You are invited to the District 6 and 7 Community Meeting on Saturday, August 26 2023 from 11 am til 3 pm at the Pembroke Recreation Complex (7164 NC-711 Pembroke, NC 28372). The event is hosted by Tribal Council Representatives Rudy Locklear, Richard Jones, and Kristie Hunt. Attendees and recipients will receive FREE school supplies and admission to the Pembroke Splash Pad. Active enrolled tribal members will receive free school supplies, free admission to the splash pad, as well as a free catered meal from Flipped Sandwich Shoppe.

The Lumbee Tribe of N.C sends birthday wishes to Retired Navy Captain Garette Lockee who turns 101 today. Lockee is our oldest living war veteran and one of the highest-ranking Lumbee officers. Mr. Garette was one of the first Lumbees to participate in Division I athletics, while running track in the 1940s for the University of South Carolina. A milestone that would afford him membership in the Robeson County Athletic Hall of Fame. During World War II, Mr. Garette would join the military to serve his nation along with his two brothers, Arch and Otto, becoming one of the first American Indians to command a Navy ship. He commanded three Navy ships—the USS Brough, the USS Turner, and the USS Wainwright. Mr. Garette participated in nine major offenses in the South Pacific during World War II. He never lost a sailor, nor suffered major damage to his ship and was awarded the Legion of Merit. Mr. Garette's also had a passion for raising Bird dogs, He founded the National Bird Dog Museum and the National Bird Dog Hall of Fame in Grand Junction, Tennessee. The Lumbee Tribe recently presented Mr. Garette with a proclamation to honor and wish him a wonderful birthday and many blessings ahead. The Lumbee Tribe appreciates James Locklear for delivering the proclamation and ensuring that Mr. Mr. Garette's story will be remembered for generations to come. Mr. Garette is also the grandson of Arren Spencer Locklear/Lockee, the first Lumbee newspaper publisher in the town of Pembroke in 1911. His father printed the Indian Observer.

The Lumbee Tribe of N.C. honors the life and legacy of Native rights activist and scholar Ada Deer. Deer passed away this week. Her work across Indian country was life changing for Native People. The nation first started to see her grassroots work during the era of removal of tribes by the U.S. Government as she worked to restore recognition and save the land for her own Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin. Their federal recognition was terminated in the 1950’s, but through her work their federal rights were restored in 1973. Deer grew up in a log cabin on the Menominee Reservation in northeastern Wisconsin. She was the first Native woman to run for Congress. She would become the first woman to lead the Bureau of Indian Affairs after she was appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1993. Deer taught and lectured for many years at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and was a fellow at the Harvard Institute of Politics at the John F. Kennedy School of Government. Last week, in honor of her 88th birthday, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers declared August 7th as Ada Deer Day in Wisconsin. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family. We are thankful for her life of service.

The Lumbee Tribal Council welcomed new Indian Education Coordinators for Cumberland and Wake Counties to the August Business Meeting. Candice Revels has recently been named the Coordinator of Cumberland County Schools’ Indian Education Program. Rebecca Locklear has recently been named the Coordinator of Wake County’s Indian Education Program. Congratulations to Candice and Rebecca as they represent our Native people. Joseph Cintron, Mister North Carolina Native American Youth Organization (NCNAYO) 2023-2024, was also recognized during the business meeting. He spoke on NCNAYO and its purpose, his role as Mister NCNAYO, as well as why he participates and loves NCNAYO. Keely Oxendine was presented with a plaque for her impactful artwork, which spotlighted the several Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) within our community. The artwork has played a significant role in bringing awareness to MMIP.

Today the seven Lumbee Tribe Boys & Girls Clubs’ hosted our annual Boys & Girls Club “End of Summer Camp Mini–Powwow." The event is a culmination of cultural activities that took place during the summer camps, which included dance, drumming, singing, pottery making, basket weaving, beading and corn dolls. Around 300 children participated in the Lumbee Tribe Boys & Girls Clubs’ summer camps. The children also had an opportunity to showcase the arts projects that they made during the summer. This event is more than just fun, It is an important part of summer camp because it teaches the children about the powwow. The children learn about grand entry, the tribute to veterans, presentation of the tribal colors, history of dances, and much more. Thank you to the Lumbee Tribe Ambassadors, Senior Ms. Lumbee and other visitors who came out to support our children. Thank you to our Boys & Girls' Club staff for teaching our boys and girls so much this summer. Also thank you to Mrs. Cindy Locklear for assisting the children all summer by teaching them how to make baskets and coming today to showcase the children’s beautiful finished works. We would also like to thank Angela Lombardy and Ashley Moody and the N.C. Museum of Art for partnering with the Boys & Girls Club and supporting our art and cultural program this summer as well as art projects across the state of N.C. Thank you to the Cumberland County Cultural Team for coming out today to dance, drum, and sing during the celebration.

The Lumbee Tribe of N.C. offers our deepest condolences to the family of Mr. Alton Bruce Jones, Jr. Mr. Bruce passed away this week. He will be remembered as an activist and his willingness to always take a stand for Native People, especially his Lumbee Tribe. He was a founding member of the Lumbee Regional Development Association in Pembroke (LRDA) in 1968. He was a former educator and principal in Robeson County. Mr. Bruce was also a veteran who was a member of the 82nd Airborne at Ft. Bragg and he served in Korea. Mr. Bruce served as the second Executive Director of the North Carolina Commission of Indian. He served in this role from 1976 to 1994. Throughout his career, he impacted the lives of Native People around the nation as he served on numerous boards, including Chairman of the N.C. Housing Authority, Board of Directors of the N.C. Indian Cultural Center, Governor’s Interstate Indian Council (two terms), Southeastern Area Vice-President for the National Congress of American Indians, Southeastern Region (Four terms), member of the National and Native American Employment and Training Association, Executive Board of the National Congress of American Indians, and a delegate to the White House Conference on Aging in 1995 and 2005. Mr. Alton Bruce Jones, Jr. was an enrolled citizen of the Lumbee Tribe of N.C. His services will be on Saturday in Pembroke. https://www.revelsfh.com/obituary/Alton-JonesJr

We love to welcome our families as they come home to visit. Today Keith and Amber Colston stopped by the Lumbee Tribal Housing Complex to update their enrollment while home from Maryland. Chairman Lowery had an opportunity to visit with the couple to discuss some needs of our citizens in the Maryland area. Amber is a former employee of the Lumbee Tribe of N.C. She previously worked in our Finance Department. Keith is the Director of the Ethnic Commission in the Maryland Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives and also the Administrative Director of the Maryland Commission on Indian Affairs.

All the members from our Lumbee Tribe seven Boys & Girls Clubs have wrapped up their summer camp activities with some extra summer fun today. This Friday was “Fun Day” next to the Lumbee Tribe Housing Complex for our boys and girls club members. They had fun on water slides and ate pizza and watermelon! In the coming week, they will wrap up the summer with more activities including a Youth Powwow and their artist showcase.

You are invited to the District 12 Community Meeting on Tuesday, August 29 2023 at 6:00 pm at Evans Crossroads Fire Dept located at 3440 Elrod Rd. Maxton, NC 28364. The event is hosted by Councilwomen Annie Taylor and Josephine Doss. The event will offer information about tribal services, community information. Dinner will be served.