Učhęnę́·tih Čúʔnakęʔ Í·kaʔr
As the cold finally arrives in North Carolina, we Tuscarora are preparing for our Beaver Moon tradition and other cultural observances. We wish you a happy month of Kuhserhęhé·θuʔ. In the depths of Winter, the warmth of community and family will drive the cold of Winter away.
Ruyaθęhstakaré·tih È·re naʔ Úʔwnaʔniʔ
Tecumseh Jones (Bear Clan) has been immortalized in multiple murals around the world. He was first featured as the subject of a mural in Greensboro, then Los Angeles and even inside and outside the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia! The Tuscarora Nation is proud of Tecumseh, who is the son of Jeremy (Wolf Clan) and Angela Jones.
Tecumseh's first mural was featured in Greensboro, NC.
This mural of Tecumseh is featured outside the Sydney Opera House.
This mural is inside the Sydney Opera House.
This mural is in Los Angeles, CA.
Tecumseh even made the cover of Full Throttle magazine!
The Sydney Opera House in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
The Day Wolf Turned Red
Long ago, the red wolf was colored grey like their distant cousins, the coyotes. Their color blended with the forest and this made it easy for them to be able to hide in the wild, which made them proficient hunters. The wolves easily hid from the rabbits, birds, deer and other delicious foods, but when the wolf is hungry, he is a clever animal and none of the animal people are able to outsmart him. One hot North Carolina day, a molting wild turkey was eating muscadines at the edge of the forest. Like the Tuscarora, the wolves think the turkey is delicious food! Because it was so hot and turkey had lost so many feathers, wolf crept up closer because he was hungry and turkey looked plump, but pitiful without all her feathers for her to fly away. Wolf jumped over a bush and told her: “You’ve no feathers for you to fly away and now I’m going to eat you!” Turkey was scared because she did not have enough feathers to fly far away to escape wolf, but she stood still. After thinking for a moment, turkey said “It is true that I can’t fly without all my feathers and surely you will eat me, but before you do, you should give me one last wish.” Wolf said “Well, you didn’t run away, so what is your wish?” Turkey replied “Sing to me! I have heard that your voice is the most beautiful among the animal people and I would love to hear it.” “Ooohh,” Wolf replied and his eyes fluttered, “They have said this and finally you will hear my beautiful voice.” Wolf closed his eyes, lifted his head to the sky and began to sing a beautiful song that echoed throughout the forest and could be heard very far. As wolf sang, he did not notice that turkey used her sharp talons to climb the tall pine tree she was standing beside. Laughing as she climbed higher and higher, she did what nobody had ever done before – she tricked the wolf! In an instant, wolf realized that he was a fool for singing so that his supper could get away. This made him so mad his gall was bursting! He was on fire he was so mad! First his eyes turned red, then his head burst into flames and then his body was on fire for a moment. When the fire went out, the wolf had become red all over, except the tip of his tail had burnt and became black. As a reminder to all to not be vain, when you hear the turkey gobble, it is said that they are still laughing at the red wolf.
Waʔtkayęʔríhwakw Haʔ Kataʔnakweʔnì·yúʔkye
Men from the Tuscarora Nation of North Carolina have represented the nation at Onondaga Sings for many years. Representing at the Fall, 2018 Sing were Rarihrahà·wih Dave Locklear, Seneka Locklearkę́heʔ, On’yas Locklear, Timothy Al Locklear, Charles Locklear, Raręhyíhyaʔks John Wesley Oxendine and Rahaháʔkye Keaver Oxendine.
Wí·sę·t Nyękwarihúʔnę· Tikahà·wiʔ
Strawberry Ceremony comes around again and again, we thank Creator for the strawberries, their medicine and all the fruit plants that will ensure we will endure.
Tuscaroras, led by Chief Howard Brooks (center) walked from Robeson County to Raleigh to protest broken treaties in 1973, also standing in solidarity with Wounded Knee.
Thaʔneyuwuhstíhę Tkakuʔniʔθkúʔę Kinę́ʔkye
We continue to honor our Tuscarora heritage with the ceremonies, customs, worldview and language of our ancestors.
Midwidwinter 2024 was held at Drowning Creek (Maxton Longhouse). The photo represents a fraction of the celebrants of Midwinter.
The time Uncle Jed (Buddy Ebsen) used "Tuscarora" as "the magic word."
The Andy Griffith Show.
Season 2, episode 6: "Opie's Hobo Friend."
Aired November 13, 1961.
The Evergreen Tree
When the Creator made the earth
All kinds of trees were planted; The maple, birch, oak, hickory, apple, pear and nut trees and so on.
The Creator had to tend to other worlds, so he asked the trees to watch over the earth.
All trees promised they would watch over the land.
The trees waited and waited
For the Creator's return.
They waited many days
And they waited many nights.
The trees began to get tired and they started to fall asleep; they forgot the promise they had given the Creator.
Only the evergreens remained awake, keeping watch over the earth.
When the Creator returned, only the evergreen trees were still awake.
As a reminder to everyone to keep their word, during every Fall and Winter, all the trees lose their leaves except the evergreen trees.
How Bear Lost His Tail
Long ago, Bear used to have a long, beautiful tail. He was proud of his beautiful tail when the other animals were around and they were jealous, especially Fox, because his tail was almost as beautiful as Bear’s. One day, Fox watched Bear try to catch a fish in the lake. Bear strived to catch a fish, but could not and he was so hungry.
Fox had a dark plan and said to Bear: “Listen to me. I am your friend. You should use your tail to lure the fish to you. Use your tail like this!” Bear thought this would work, so he stepped backwards in the direction of the lake and put his tail in the water. Bear wiggled his tail around in the water, but he saw no fish.
Fox said: “Sometimes it takes a while. You must wait.” So then, Bear waited so long that he fell asleep; his tail in the lake. In the night, the water froze. When he woke up, he realized his tail froze in the water. When Bear stood up, he heard a loud noise, then his tail snapped off. Bear hollered and Fox laughed hysterically. Finally, Fox caused Bear to lose his precious tail and now Fox has the most beautiful tail of the animal people. Bear observed his tail in the lake and it made him sad to know that he would never again have a beautiful tail.
As a reminder to everyone to be humble and to know who is really your friend, whenever you see the Bear, his tail will always be a short.
"That [corn pounding] is the women's work, especially the girls, of whom you shall see four beating with long, great pestils in a narrow wooden mortar and every one keeps her stroke exactly, that 'tis worthy of admiration."
~ John Lawson, among the Tuscarora, 1708
Čękwarihwačhakwahsnęhá·ʔnyeʔ
We Tuscarora celebrated our first Strawberry Ceremony since the Covid pandemic derailed these gatherings that bring us close together as a community. This year’s Wí·sę·t was officiated entirely in our Tuscarora/Skarù·ręʔ langauge at Tkakuʔniʔθkúʔę Kì·nęʔ Kanę́hse·θ (Maxton Longhouse). Those who have received their Tuscarora names over the past three years had them put through at this ceremony. We gave thanks to Creator for the first fruits of the year, especially the strawberry, as it was chosen as the leader of the fruit plants.
Yękwateyaruhčrakwahsnę́heʔ
The Tuscarora Nation (NC) 2023 Powwow
It was good medicine to gather again for our annual powwow, which was cancelled for three years due to the Covid pandemic. We danced, sang, reconnected with old friends & distant kin and shared food together. We are grateful to the women who dedicated their time to cooking. As we reemerge from the pandemic, we are reminded of the value of health, community and these events that have always brought our community together.
"Hiccory nuts have a hard shell, but excellent sweet kernels. These nuts are gotten, in great quantities, by the Savages and laid up for stores, of which they make several dishes and banquets. They take these nuts and break them down very small betwixt two stones, till the shells and kernels are indifferent small and this powder you are presented withal in their cabins, in little wooden dishes; the kernel dissolves in your mouth and the shell is spit out. This tastes as well as any almond. Another dish is the soup they make of these nuts."
~ John Lawson, among the Tuscarora, 1710
Kaʔáθrakwahst
In the days when we Tuscaroras dominated the shores of Uhnawiyúʔkye, we made baskets of many different materials, including sea grasses and the freshwater bulrush/cattails, which we also used for food. Since migrating to Robeson County, we have had an abundance of long leaf pine needles, which we make our baskets from today.