Occaneechi Heritage and Culture

The Friends of the Carrboro Library and
the Orange County Arts Commission
are pleased to announce:

An exhibition of Southeastern Woodlands
Native American Life, Past and Present:

Occaneechi Heritage and Culture
April 26 - July 19, 1999

Curated by Lynette and John Blackfeather
Of the Ocaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation

A reception was held Sunday, May 23, 1999, with a program presented by Lynette and John Blackfeather, and Dr. Steven Davis of UNC-CH Department of Archaeology.

John Blackfeather stood before us with stories of denial of his heritage, and a haunting feeling of his ancestors never really being sure where they fit. His story brought the person next to me to tears.

All over the museum, the walls are covered with artifacts from Lynette and John Blackfeather's home. These are people who are proud and happy to finally reclaim their heritage as part of the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation.

Dr. Davis entered the picture more than 16 years ago, when he decided to see what remains could be found of an Indian Village in Hillsborough. The following pictures are of the ensuing excavations of American Indian ruins.

This great collection of American Indian Heritage gives us a glimpse of the true Americans in our country, Native Americans. These people were forced out of their homes or slaughtered by new invaders to their land. Life was never again the same.

A reproduction of the Occaneechi Village is currently under construction in Hillsborough on the Eno River. The Occaneechi Saponi Spring Cultural Festival was held at this location on June 11 & 12, 1999. For more information call 919-304-3723.

To go to the official Occaneechi-Saponi Website, click here.

The Carrboro Branch Library is located
in the McDougle Schools' Media Center
900 Old Fayetteville Rd. Chapel Hill, NC 27516