Lumbee

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/lumbee

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Lumbee. Small Whale. https://smallwhale.org/articles/lumbee. Accessed 2026-09-23. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. From the article, write the primary geographic focus:Robeson County, North Carolina, with a significant presence in Pembroke
2. From the article, write the tribal name etymology:Derived from the Lumber River, which flows through their ancestral territory
3. Who are the Lumbee people?The Lumbee are a Native American tribe in North Carolina, known as the 'People of the Dark Water.' They live mainly in Robeson County and the town of Pembroke.
4. Why do they call themselves 'People of the Dark Water'?They get their name from the Lumber River, which is very important to their history and culture. The river is a symbol of life and continuity for the tribe.

Southeastern Woodlands Indigenous Peoples: A broad category of Native American tribes historically inhabiting the diverse ecological regions of the southeastern United States.
Tribal Sovereignty: The inherent authority of Indigenous tribes to govern themselves, manage their lands, and determine their own political status.
Tri-racial isolate groups: Communities historically composed of individuals of European, African, and Native American ancestry, often with distinct cultural identities.