Lumbee Tribe honors Asser for research, designs for Maxton Pond restoration

PEMBROKE — The Lumbee Tribal Council on Thursday recognized an N.C. State University graduate student for her assistance in the efforts to restore the Maxton Hayes Pond.

Rebecca Asser was presented a beaded hawk feather on behalf of the tribal council and Lumbee Tribal Chairman John Lowery for her research conducted on the pond and assistance in the development of a design for its restoration.

“Rebecca has given her heart and soul,” said Tribal Council Member Wendy Moore. “She has been working diligently and she has been culturally sensitive to us as the Lumbee people.”

A year ago, the Lumbee Tribe agreed to collaborate with the Southeastern Climate Adaptation Science Center in the restoration and revitalization of the Maxton Hayes Pond, which is a historic landmark once used as a “scenic haven” and for recreational fishing. Access to the pond was blocked because of damages to roads and dams caused by hurricanes Matthew and Florence.

“We have been working diligently trying to come up with and effort to restore Maxton Pond to her former glory,” Moore said. “There are a lot of us who have memories regarding the Maxton Hayes Pond, and most importantly, the Lumbee Tribe remembers it as the place of the battle of KKK versus the Indians in Robeson County. We hold it dear.”

Asser, who is pursuing a master’s degree in landscape architecture at NC State, developed a design that can be viewed on the Lumbee Tribe’s website. During her time at the university, her poster presentation of her environmental and research work on Maxton Pond won her second place in the NCSU Graduate Student Research Symposium.

“Our work together has not only enriched my journey through grad school as I start a second career, it has also provided me with feeling,” Asser said. “It is in learning about Maxton Pond and your history that I learned from examples of strength and resilience.”

The final restoration plans will be unveiled on May 3, Moore said.

Financial matters

In money matters, the tribal council voted to amend the $9.7 million Indian Housing Block Grant American Rescue Plan budget, moving $2 million from the construction of an administrative building line item to the replacement of mobile homes.

Before the unanimous vote of approval Tribal Councilman Corbin Edding clarified the action.

“As we look at transferring $2 million to mobile home replacement I don’t want folks to get the idea that we just replaced 46 or 49 or ever how many mobile homes it is,” Eddings said. “Basically what we did was put funds there to give people the option that want mobile home replacement to choose mobile home replacement. If they want to do something else, if they feel that their credit is good enough and they want to apply for down payment assistance or they want to apply for whatever it may be… That option stays on the table.”

“The only reason I am voting yes, is because you clarified that statement,” Pam Hunt said before her vote.

Council members also voted to accept funds from a Mentoring Native Youth Grant in the amount of $20,000 for each of the tribe’s seven Boys & Girls Clubs. The grant will be used to fund a youth mentor at each club.

The Lumbee Tribal Budget was amended in the amount of $18,000. A total of $8,000 was moved to the Program Services line item and $10,000 to the Travel and Professional Development lines item from the Modernization and Modernization for Housing Stock line items, according to Eddings.

Resolutions of support

The Tribal Council approved the submital of a letter to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools superintendent and Board of Education Chair Elyse Dashew seeking the support of the Matrolina Native American Association’s request to use diversity funds for at least one year to hire a native American as an Indian Education director.

“A director has the opportunity to increase the 506 enrollments thus allowing the grant to become self-sufficient to pay a director,” Council member Yvonne Dial said.

A 506 form is an Indian student eligibility form certification for the Title VI Indian Education Formula Grant Program.

“American Indian students need every opportunity to enhance their education, heritage and American Indian traditions,”the letter read in part.” These much-needed cultural necessities will further instill pride and sell confidence in those students and will reward them to become more productive citizens in society.”

Also Thursday, the council approved resolutions supporting the anti-war Russian Invasion on Ukraine; as well as resolution supporting all American Indian organization, agencies and communities in bringing awareness to the “injustice and evil treatment of American Indians” and calling on the president and lawmakers to support legislation that preserves and protects American Indian customs and traditions.

A resolution was also passed supporting justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

Appointments

In other business, the tribal council voted to appoint Eddings to a two-year term on the United Tribes of North Carolina’s board of directors. United Tribes of North Carolina is governed by a 13-member Board of Directors representing the wight state-recognized tribes and four urban Indian centers of North Carolina, as well as Legal Aid of North Carolina (Pembroke office). Corbin Eddings 2-year term

Council also voted to appoint Vee Oxendine to the Commission of Indian Affairs.

The Commission of Indian Affairs consists of 21 representatives of the American Indian community, two representatives appointed by the General Assembly, one representative or their designee appointed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Administration, the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources and the Commissioner of Labor.

Both appointments were sworn in by Lumbee Tribe Supreme Court Justice Mark Brooks.