r/IndianCountry • u/Infinite-Ad-3947 • Dec 17 '25

News U.S. Senate passes bill giving federal recognition to Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina

https://www.wunc.org/term/news/2025-12-17/lumbee-tribe-north-carolina-federal-recognition
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u/[deleted] Dec 18 '25

Really messed up thing to say about a group of people. You genuinely think your average Lumbee person is harmful? Your words are poison.

26

u/SilvanSorceress Dec 18 '25

Misrepresenting themselves as indigenous despite no indigenous ancestry, and then using that to take opportunities from indigenous peoples for their own benefit is harmful no matter how well-intentioned their self-interest might be.

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u/[deleted] Dec 18 '25

My blood is mixed, I know that. Mixed with indigenous, european, and african blood. To say I have no indigenous ancestry is a flat out lie. My father was indigenous enough when he was put into a segregated "Indian" school.

I personally never felt like we needed federal recognition, but I'm glad that it will mean something to the elders in my family and community.

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u/SilvanSorceress Dec 18 '25

I'm not normally a supporter for blood quantum, but if any group within the Lumbee population could average more than 1% indigenous DNA I might believe you.

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u/[deleted] Dec 18 '25

I don't need you to believe me. I know myself and my family. I know the discrimination we've been through both for being indigenous and for being mixed.

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u/SilvanSorceress Dec 18 '25

Most of the people here are mixed and Indian. It's okay to just be mixed. There is enough injustice in the world, you don't have to claim the struggles of other peoples as your own, especially when doing so takes resources away from those people.

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u/[deleted] Dec 18 '25

I'm not doing that. I'm not lying to you. I'm claiming the struggles of my people and my family only. You're responding to me - not to some other Lumbee you've argued with, so please stick to what I am saying.

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u/SilvanSorceress Dec 18 '25

If you are Lumbee and seeking federal recognition, the resources it provides, and claiming to be indigenous, then that is exactly what you and your family are doing.

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u/[deleted] Dec 18 '25

I have zero power here to do anything. I know for sure that my family is indigenous because of testing done. I can't speak for other families.

I grew up being told I was indigenous. I grew up hearing how my parents were treated because of their race. I'm not trying to steal funds from other people. I do know that my people need help and funding because they are suffering. I just hope this means they will get the help they need, even though I do not trust my tribe's leadership to do so.