Lumbee Tribe Host Delegation of Officers from the German Navy

The Lumbee Tribe of N.C. recently hosted a delegation of officers from the German Navy. The team spent two days experiencing and learning about the rich tribal history and culture of the Lumbee people. The officers are stationed in Washington, D.C., and work in tandem with Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). The connection with the Lumbee people followed a meeting with Lumbee tribal member and US Naval Command Information Officer Robert Deese, who organized a presentation for National Native American Heritage Month. After Kevin Melvin (Lumbee Tribal Historic Preservation Officer) presented additional information to the team, the German Navy delegates planned a visit the home of our Lumbee people.

The visit started with dinner at Fullers BBQ and a gift exchange. The officers and their families were gifted traditional baskets created by Ms. Cindy Locklear. The baskets were filled with prayer ties created by Melvin and his family. The families of the officers presented Melvin with a goodie basket filled with German sweets and German Navy items. During their stay, the German officers and their families visited Town Creek Indian Mound, near Mt. Gilead, North Carolina. At this historical site, the delegates were able to learn about the life and social structures of American Indians in this area from hundreds of years ago, which existed well before pre-colonial history. Later that afternoon, the delegates spent the afternoon canoeing down the Lumbee River. The tour started at the Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center. As an integral part of the identity of the Lumbee Tribe, exploring the Lumbee River gave the visitors an insight into the river our people are strongly culturally intertwined with and which has impacted us both past and present.