Picture of Alamance County
Caption: Natives of Alamance County
Picture of Alamance County
Caption: Who were the natives who first settled in Alamance County?
Picture of Alamance County
Caption: Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation
Alamance County
Caption: The Occaneechi arrived in modern day Alamance in the early 1600s.
Alamance County
Caption: They spread all throughout the area and undoubtedly operated in and around modern day Elon.
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Caption: They were based in an area now known as Texas, NC (just north of the town of Burlington).
Picture of Alamance County
Caption: Like most Native Americans, their society was entirely based on agriculture.
Picture of Alamance County
Caption: Due to pressure from other tribes, as well as the arrival of European settlers, the tribe’s numbers have dwindled down to just over 1,000 today.
Alamance County
Caption: During the 1800s, the Occaneechi were classified as “people of color” and were almost entirely removed from historical records. This was the leading factor in their decline.
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Caption: I visited the Occaneechi Tribal Center. This is a space for traditional events, meetings, and other general activities of the remaining community.
Picture of Alamance County
Caption: Unfortunately, I was unable to find any tribe members to speak to about their community.
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Caption: Next, I visited a replica of a traditional Occaneechi Village a few miles away.
Picture of Alamance County
Alamance County
Caption: There was not a single piece of signage in the area that explained its significance. However, there was plenty of posted information about the history of a nearby courthouse.
Alamance County
Caption: To gather more information about their modern whereabouts, I visited the Mebane Historical Museum.
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Caption: I learned that the remaining members have fully assimilated themselves into modern society. Many work as craftsmen and in agriculture, staying close to their tribal roots.
Alamance County
Caption: After exploring the remnants of the Occaneechi Nation, it became very clear to me that they were the victims of white imperialism over the years. Outside of the tribal center area, there is very little physical evidence of a lasting legacy in Alamance.
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Caption: Over the last few decades, there has been a huge effort within the tribe to re-ignite their legacy. Traditions like Pow Wows are open to the public at their tribal center outside Burlington.
Alamance County
Caption: Thank You
