Waccamaw Siouan Tribe recognized by the state with historical marker

BOLTON, N.C. (WECT) - The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources held a dedication ceremony in honor of the Waccamaw Siouan Tribe in Bolton on Saturday morning, Oct. 12.

The ceremony occurred on tribal grounds where officials dedicated a historical marker for the Tribe.

The chief of the tribe, who has served for the past eight years, said he thanks god that this ceremony happened in the day and hour they live in.

“We’re proud of who we are and we’re thankful for who we are, and this marker signifies just another step in the long road that our elders have fought,” says Michael Jacobs. “I always consider myself as a turtle on a fence post. I didn’t get here by myself, but those elders have lifted us up. As they said, we stand on the shoulders of giants. Our elders have really sacrificed for this day, and it just means the world of me.”

To show their appreciation, Jacobs gave his sentimental bolo tie, made by a relative, to a state official during the ceremony.

“We as Native people believe in giving. We didn’t believe in taking anything without giving something back. It was just pressed in my heart to give him something that was precious to me. I believe a gift is not truly a gift unless it means something to you, and that meant the world to me,” says Jacob.

According to Jacobs, although they still have battles they’re fighting, he hopes for federal recognition and for the federal government to acknowledge the Native people living here.

“The ‘People of the Falling Star,’ currently known as the Waccamaw Siouan Indian Tribe, were first documented in 1701 by John Lawson,” says the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

The tribe was not recognized by the state until 1971.

You can learn more about the Waccamaw Siouan Tribe on the tribe’s website, and you can learn more about the marker on the NCDNCR website.