This weekend, members of the Lumbee Tribe traveled to Bulloch County, Georgia, to take part in the annual cleaning of the Croatan Indian Memorial Cemetery.

This weekend, members of the Lumbee Tribe traveled to Bulloch County, Georgia, to participate in the annual cleanup of the Croatan Indian Memorial Cemetery. The cemetery is situated at the historic site of the former Adabelle Settlement, where Lumbee families migrated in the late nineteenth century in search of new opportunities in the turpentine industry.

In time, many became tenant farmers for the Adabelle Trading Company, cultivating cotton and tobacco. During those years, community leaders established a thriving settlement, including Mt. Zion Baptist Church, a school, and a cemetery that remains a sacred place today. Nestled among the longleaf pines, the Adabelle community worked, worshipped, and upheld the values and traditions that reflected their Lumbee heritage.

Each year, this “pilgrimage,” as many describe it, offers us a moment to remember, honor, and celebrate the lives and legacies of our ancestors who labored there to provide for their families.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has taken part in preserving and honoring the memories of those who came before us.