Joyce Locklear, a member of the Coharie tribe of North Carolina, has acted as a cultural and educational liaison for the Coharie communities for almost 40 years. During her tenure, she taught classes of tribal crafting, visited congressman, and held dance competitions as ways to get tribal youth interested in their heritage.
The state of North Carolina recognizes eight Native American tribes: the Cherokee, Lumbee, Sappony, Haliwa-Saponi, Coharie, Waccamaw Siouan, Meherrin, and Occaneechi. This photo essay focuses on these tribes, their culture, and their traditions.
Knowledge of early Native American people in the region of Beaufort and Hyde Counties is primarily gained through the writings of Thomas Hariot and the engravings of Theodore De Bry. Native American settlements in the region which were part of the Secotan Nation including Aquascogoc, Pomeiooc and Secotan are discussed.