The following video is a Lumbee Powwow that was in 2007. The tribe has these Powwow's every year. They include dancing with many colorful costumes. It shows the tribe's pride in their heritage.
“But, fair or unfair, good or bad indifferent, it is the reality of now with which we all must cope and
live. We live, not in yesterday or yesteryear but in today.” (Barton, 1967, p. 127)
Who are they? Where did they come from? Are they truly Native Americans? Those are several questions people ask when mentioning Lumbee Native Americans. I am ¼ Lumbee Indian, so I can relate to these questions and confusion from people. The Lumbee Indians include a total of around fifty thousand people and (Lumbee History and Culture, 2009) states it the largest tribe east of the Mississippi River. In the past, they have struggled to make a name for themselves and their heritage. In 1885, The Lumbee Indians were recognized as Indians, but only in North Carolina. Ever since 1885, the Lumbee’s have fought to gain full Federal recognition says. The government argues that Lumbee Indians have no native language or common ancestry, however, who is to say what defines a Native American? Should these Native Americans be fighting to simply be recognized? Both of these controversial questions should be considered while reading through this paper.