Native Carolinians: The Indians of North Carolina

by Theda Perdue

Discusses what native America was like before the arrival of Europeans; the Indian way of life; Indian-white relations; and native Carolinians today. Includes separate chapters on the Cherokee and the Lumbee and an appendix listing important dates in North Carolina Indian history.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Anthropology

101 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as a part of a course on Native American religions/traditions, its informative and not too lengthy. I appreciated that it was concise and was written in a way that was easy to understand. :D

[David Warlick · Rating 5 out of 5]

My ancestors were among the first to populated the Piedmont of North Carolina. As I have continued my research, I've become more interested in the American Natives whom they lived among. This book was exactly what I was looking for.

[Jared · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not an especially enthralling read, but certainly an informative one. A good basic primer with a solid further reading section to help steer readers towards continued learning.

[Hadiqa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to understand and informative.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read in conjunction with a class I took. Informative and interesting material

[Justin Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brief but good overview of the history of native Americans in North Carolina

[Olivia's Bookish Places & Spaces · Rating 1 out of 5]

The author took what could have been an interesting subject and made it so utterly dull I struggled to finish the book. There were several run-on sentences and her thoughts/ideas were often so incoherent I had to read some sentences several times just to try and understand her point. My advice would be to just avoid this book altogether if you can.

[Ceallaigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

“An important aspect of the Green Corn Ceremony was the destruction of any food left over from the preceding year. By throwing this food out, Indians prevented the accumulation of a surplus. Similarly they hunted not to stockpile meat and skins, but out of necessity. Furthermore, personal belongings often were buried with the dead rather than inherited by descendants. These acts, plus a general suspicion of anyone who was too successful (he might be using supernatural powers), compelled native Carolinians to live simply and modestly. There were few distinctions based on wealth; and because surpluses benefited no one, the Indians gladly gave food to anyone in need, including European explorers and colonists.”

This was an excellent, brief overview of the history of the Algonquian, Siouan-Catawban, & Iroquoian languages speaking peoples, particularly the Cherokee & Lumbee tribes, of North Carolina with a focus on Indigenous experiences & perspectives.

I picked this book up at a bookshop in Manteo, North Carolina on the Outer Banks when I visited for a family trip this winter looking for an introduction to the Native peoples of the area where we were staying. It’s the kind of book you might see in a museum gift shop meant for just the purpose of introducing a traveler or tourist to the history of the place & I thought it fulfilled that purpose excellently. The bibliography contains a plethora of further reading options for deeper dives.

Click here to read my full review of NATIVE CAROLINIANS complete with my full thoughts, further reading suggestions, & more of my favorite quotes, notes, & annotations!

★ ★ ★ ★ .5

CW // colonialism, racism, genocide

[Jerry Landry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perdue and Oakley’s Native Carolinians is a good overview of the history of Native Americans in North Carolina. While not going too much in depth, I have to admit that it was enlightening in terms of both the culture of Native Americans as well as some of the problems that they have faced over the years. Apparently in Eastern Carolina, during the period of segregation, there were commonly not two but three separate public facilities including water fountains and bathrooms. I’d like to learn more about this part of North Carolina history and would invite my fellow Carolinians to do the same in order to truly understand the past as it was in order to make for a better future for all of our citizens.