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State Rep. Jarrod Lowery points to an ongoing Cherokee agenda to smear the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. Photo from Jarrod Lowery’s X account. |
Rep. Lowery questions new governor’s motives related to Lumbee
By David Kennard
The Robesonian
December 9, 2024
RALEIGH — The state’s Department of Indian Affairs (NCDOA) on Monday condemned the actions of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians “that question the legitimacy of other Tribal Nations,” specifically, the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.
A letter dated Monday addressed to Michell Hicks, EBCI chief, stated that the “actions reflect a troubling pattern of behavior in which the EBCI has positioned itself as an oppressor toward fellow tribes in North Carolina and neighboring states.
“Their repeated dissemination of false accusations and distorted narratives serves only the EBCI’s interests, and the validity of these claims must be critically examined,” stated Ricky Burnett, chairman of the North Carolina Department of Indian Affairs in Monday’s letter that also was copied to Gov. Roy Cooper and Governor-elect Josh Stein, as well as all members of the North Carolina General Assembly.
The NCDOA’s letter to the Cherokee chief followed a letter of complaint issued Friday by State Rep. Jarrod Lowery, R-Dist. 47 (Robeson County), directed to Stein, who recently named Hicks as chairman of the incoming governor’s transition team.
In the letter, Lowery — an enrolled member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina — points to the significance of the NCDOA and its representation of North Carolina’s eight recognized tribes. Lowery pointed to “Chief Hicks’ history and leadership approach, which is painted by racially inflammatory remarks” toward all tribes other than the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
Lowery’s letter urged Stein to clarify his intentions regarding Hicks’s influence on tribal policy, particularly in relation to gaming compacts and sovereignty issues. Lowery also raised concerns about the significant financial contributions made by the Eastern Band to Stein’s campaign and its potential influence on policy decisions.
Monday’s letter condemning Hicks’ EBCI pointed specifically to actions and language targeting the Lumbee.
“In particular, the defamatory statements made by the EBCI regarding the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina are baseless and have been disproven on numerous occasions,” the NCDOA’s letter states “These unfounded assertions not only tarnish the reputation of the Lumbee Tribe but also perpetuate unnecessary division,” the NCDOA letter states. “Unfortunately, the EBCI has increasingly targeted the Lumbee Tribe and other state-recognized tribes, using its platforms-including their official tribal website-to propagate prejudicial and misleading information. This deliberate spread of misinformation is unprovoked. disheartening, and contradictory to the principles of unity and mutual respect that the North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs advocates for among all tribes.”
The EBCI failed to return repeated calls by the Robesonian.
On Tuesday, John Lowery, chairman of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, told the Robesonian that the Lumbee “continue to fight against a multi-million dollar fueled opposition led by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians EBCI, owner of several casinos in North Carolina and nearby states like Virginia.”
“The Eastern Band’s highly paid lobbyists profit mightily while the Eastern Band leadership complain incessantly about the housing dollars the Lumbee are eligible to receive from the Federal government,” John Lowery said.
For nearly 140 years, the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina has petitioned the United States government for “full and unconditional recognition as a federally recognized Indian tribe,” he said. “An injustice the Lumbee people do not want to see carried on any longer.”
John Lowery said U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, who sponsord the Lumbee Fairness Act — S.521-Lumbee Fairness Act — which has sat idle for most of 2024 in the Senate’s Committee on Indian Affairs., recently spoke on the floor of the United States Senate about the importance of passing the legislation.
“Senator Tillis, a strong advocate for the Lumbee people, continues to work tirelessly to right this centuries old wrong,” John Lowetry said. “This will finally bring to an end Termination Era policy and grant our tribe the full federal recognition that we deserve and have long been denied.
“Sadly, the Eastern Band is waging a public relations assault against Senator Tillis, slandering and smearing him in an effort to stop his advocacy for the Lumbee. These tactics will not work,” John Lowery said. “These are the same tactics they used before in their attempt to block the Catawba Nation from receiving land-into-trust in North Carolina. They smeared the Catawba Nation, Senator Tillis, and former Senator Richard Burr, in their failed attempt to stop the forward progress of the Catawba people.”
“The EBCI fought against the Catawba at the federal level and they continue to fight against the Lumbee Tribe in a despicable manner,” said Catawba Chief Brian Harris. “The EBCI will go as low as they can to block other tribal nations from achieving success and it is time for them to stop these actions and stop being the bully of Indian Country.”
John Lowery said on the Tuesday that the Lumbee people have stood up against “colonialism, the Confederate Home Guard, the Ku Klux Klan, and our fight continues as we stand up against Eastern Band leaders and their superiority complex.
Monday’s letter from the Department of Indian Affairs to Hicks stated that the NCDOA “calls on the EBCI to immediately cease its divisive behavior.
“We urge EBCI leadership to refrain from further intimidation, misinformation campaigns, and defamatory remarks against the Lumbee Tribe and other recognized tribes in the state. Moving forward, we ask the EBCI to act in the spirit of harmony and collaboration, recognizing that our collective strength as Indigenous peoples lies in unity, not division,” the letter states.
“Have no illusions, the Eastern Band’s leadership feels they are superior to Lumbee and act as if they have some perceived moral high ground because their legislative recognition was prior to ours or because their history is more widely known,” John Lowery told the Robesonian on Tuesday. “They are mistaken on all accounts and history will paint them as wrong once the ink dries on this time period in our lives!”
On Monday, Jarrod Lowery issued a statement that applauded the NCDOA for issuing a strong statement condemning divisive actions and rhetoric by the Cherokees (EBCI). He praised the NCDOA for taking its strong stance.
“As Native peoples, we have endured too much to allow infighting to weaken our collective voice and sovereignty,” Jarrod Lowery said. “I stand with the commission in calling for an end to this divisive behavior and urge all tribal leaders to prioritize respect and collaboration. The future of Indian Country in North Carolina depends on our ability to uplift one another, not tear each other down.”
On a national stage, the Lumbee Tribe has sought full federal recognition for decades, most recently hearing support from both the Biden Administration as well from President Elect Donald Trump.
“The Lumbee tribe has been wrongfully denied federal recognition for more than a century,” Trump told the crowd in September during a campaign rally in Wilmington. “Today I am officially announcing that if I am elected in November, I will sign legislation granting the great Lumbee Tribe the federal recognition that it deserves.”
David Kennard is the executive editor of the Robesonian. Reach him by email at dkennard@robesonian.com.
