JOHN WIGLE, VICE CHAIRMAN
BALTIMORE AMERICAN INDIAN CENTER
113 S. BROADWAY
BALTIMORE, MD. 21231

Dear Mr. Wigle,

Greetings from Southern Band Tuscarora To All Our Relations, I hope this finds you well.

I would like to thank you for your offer of the web page, and for all your help in this process, We have come a long, long way, haven't we!? Imagine from runners to web pages!!!

You have been in contact with our network rep. Rebecca Adams, she phoned and told us you needed more information on the Tribe. I apologize for taking so long, we are trying to get on-line, but have to wait on the phone company to install another line. And we are working hard on the up coming POW-WOW.

A little on the history of our Tribe, Our peoples once inhabited all the lands from near the Va. border to almost S.C. from North to South, and from the piedmont to the coastal plains from East to West. This included most of N.C. We had villages on every tributary and waterway cries-crossing N.C., We traded with other tribes.

Some of our peoples were known as the Skahrooreaga- hemp gathers, kgahtenoowahgah- people of the pines, and agawahntehgah- people of the water, I know the spelling may be wrong, but we are still retrieving lost knowledge. We wear the gustoweh not a S.W. head bonnet or (war bonnet) as they are called, our villages or clans went off their matrilineal (mothers) line, we still honor our clan mothers even thoe we know we will not be able to go back to the old ways, We still remember, (the blood always remembers).

In the latter part of the 1600's our villages were many, we were slowly and methodically either moved or annihilated by the white settlers, our people were moved off most of the tributaries and waterways and re-located to Bertie Co. On a reservation. The Indian Woods reservation was over 58,000 acres in 1717. Bordered by the Roanoke River, Deep Run Creek, and the Roquist Creek encompassing Merryhill, Lewiston, Windsor, Woodville, Snakebite, Mitchell's, Grabtowne etc. We numbered over 800 families strong. By 1721 the invaders realized the land they forced us to dwell on wasn't just a swamp, but rich fertile land, they moved into the res. And as their history repeats itself they made faulty land leases with some of the Tuscarora, if the Tuscarora wouldn't sign their leases they would let another put an x in their spot, the other wasn't even Tuscarora.

In 1748 the N.C. General Assembly passed a law that no person could buy, sell, or trade or lease any parcel of land on the reservation, and if leased was null and void. Then in 1766 lord Granville gave the land leased to the lease's free and clear.

By 1777 the House of Commons recognized the swindle of the Tuscarora and prohibited further entreaties onto the land, and appointed an Indian Commission to "help" the Tuscarora, these were the same men that were given "leased" land!

During this time a lot of the Tuscarora fled and tried to escape the persecution they were forced to endure, they tried to assimilate into other races, but stayed in the surrounding counties, In 1803 155 families or clans and 7 Chiefs of the remaining Tuscarora left to go to N.Y., From N.Y. these Chiefs sold the remaining land away forever.

The ones who refused to go ran and dispersed into the countryside. 645 families or clans and 5 Chiefs dispersed "like seeds in the wind" according to Dr. David Phelps Archeology E.C.U. Greenville N.C. of the remaining families, some were loaded up in busses and were taken to Robeson Co. N.C. They were told they were going to Robeson the town which lies on the outskirts of Martin Co. N.C., there was a Tuscarora village named Kahukee, there is a collage there now in Kahukee Park, which still has one of our burial grounds behind it. Some of our people joined other Tribes, some clans migrated to mill villages, and moved to the Piedmont of N.C., S.C., & Va. And kept silent about their Native heritage for fear of further persecution.

When the Southern Band reconstructed we followed one of the original trade routes, our territorial limits go from East to West, from Gates, Hertford, Bertie, Martin, Washington, Craven Counties.

We are of the Bear clan. Our seal acknowledges the Skahrooreaga-hemp gatherers, in the West, Kgahtenoowahgah people of the pines, in the South, the agawahntehgah people of the water, in the East. The Gustoweh is in the North. The fire of our nation burns in the center of the longhouse, we come in the Eastern Door, and honor the moon and sun and stars. We are traditionalist.

In July 18-2O, 1997 we will have our first POW-WOW the first since our reconstruction, the first for the Southern Band, and in Bertie in over 100 years. It will be a grand celebration, to celebrate the fact that we survived and are grateful to be back together again.

Well, I hope that is enough for you to go on. We thank you for your help again. If you need anything else, please feel free to call on us any time. We would be glad to have you visit us, anytime.

Our Chief Joesph is in pretty bad health, and is in the hospital for xxxxx xxxxxxx we pray to the Creator he will get to see the fruits of his labor come to pass and be there for the POW-WOW.

We look forward to our Brothers and Sisters joining us for the POW-WOW. May the Creator Bless and Keep you and guide your steps.

ONEH

Marilyn (Dream Walker) Mejorado-Livingston
Councilwoman Southern Band Tuscarora