Coharie facts for kids

The Coharie are a Native American tribe. Their name, "Schohari," means "Driftwood" in the Tuscarora language. The Coharie people are descendants of the Tuscarora nation and other related groups. The Tuscarora were an Iroquoian-speaking tribe.

In the early 1700s, many Tuscarora people left North Carolina. They faced pressure from English colonists and other Native American tribes. These Tuscarora moved north to New York. There, they joined other Iroquoian-speaking nations. They became known as the Sixth Nation of the Iroquois League. By 1722, leaders declared this move was complete. Those who stayed in the South were no longer seen as part of the main Tuscarora group.

However, some Tuscarora remained in North Carolina. They continued their traditions and culture. Over time, they also married people from other groups. In the 1900s, their descendants started to organize their own government again. Today, the Coharie mainly live along the Little Coharie River. This area is in Sampson and Harnett counties in North Carolina. The Coharie are one of seven Native American tribes officially recognized by the state of North Carolina.

Who are the Coharie people?

The Coharie population in Harnett and Sampson counties has grown. In 1970, there were 755 Coharie people. By 2007, this number was estimated at almost 2,700. As of 2011, there are 2,791 official Coharie members.

The 2000 census showed 1,029 Coharie in Sampson County. There were 752 in Harnett County. This made a total of 1,781 people. The Coharie Tribe has 2,632 enrolled members. About 20% of them live outside the main tribal areas. The Coharie community has four main settlements. These are Holly Grove, New Bethel, Shiloh, and Antioch.

How is the Coharie Tribe governed?

The state of North Carolina officially recognized the Coharie Tribe in 1971. The tribal headquarters, or "tribal seat," is in Clinton, North Carolina. In 1975, the tribe created the Coharie Intra-Tribal Council. This is a private non-profit group. Its goal is to improve the health, education, and well-being of Native people. This includes those in Sampson and Harnett counties.

The Coharie Intra-Tribal Council is located in an old school building. This building used to be the Eastern Carolina Indian School. This school was built in the mid-1900s. It served Native Americans from several counties. It operated from 1942 until 1966. After 1966, the 1964 federal Civil Rights Act ended legal separation in public schools.

The Coharie Indian Tribe elected its first tribal chief in 1910. Today, a tribal chief and seven tribal council members lead the tribe. The Coharie leaders oversee the four Coharie communities. These communities are in Sampson County and Harnett County. Many tribal members are part of local churches:

• New Bethel Baptist Church: in northern Sampson County
• Holly Grove Holiness Church: in southern Sampson County
• Shiloh Holiness Church: in western Sampson County
• Antioch Baptist Church: in Harnett County

The Coharie Tribal Center is at: 7531 North US 421 Hwy. Clinton, North Carolina 28328

What is the Coharie Tribe's government structure?

When Europeans first arrived in North Carolina, Native American communities already had their own governments. Colonization often forced tribes to lose their lands and change their ways of life. Since the 1800s, many tribes have worked to reunite and reclaim their heritage.

The Coharie Tribe has a special governing system. It includes two main boards. The Coharie People Board is chosen by the tribal community. This board manages tribal events and the tribal office building. These events include the yearly powwow in September. They also hold the annual Coharie Princess Pageant in July. This board has nine members. It includes a chairman, vice chair, secretary, treasurer, and other members. Three members from this board are chosen to join the Coharie Intra-tribal Council board.

The Coharie Intra-tribal Council board handles all finances. This includes grants and requests for federal recognition. They also manage tribal enrollment and staffing. This board has an elected chairman, vice chair, secretary, and members. The tribe also has an elected tribal chief. The chief's duties are mainly traditional. These include naming ceremonies and blessing the powwow arena. The chief also represents the tribe at other events.

How do Coharie people relate to other tribes?

The Coharie people have often married members of other tribes. They have mainly intermarried with the Lumbee and Tuscarora Indians. These tribes are mostly from Robeson County. They have also intermarried with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

History of the Coharie Tribe

Coharie history in the 1600s

Historians believe the Coharie people are descendants of three language groups. These are the Algonquian-speaking Neusiok and Coree tribes. Some also believe they descend from the Iroquoian Tuscarora. Another group is the Siouan-speaking Waccamaw. These tribes lived in what is now central North Carolina. In the early 1600s, the Coree lived along the Big Coharie and Little Coharie Rivers. This area is in today's Sampson County.

Challenges in the 1700s

Between 1730 and 1745, many conflicts occurred. There were wars between different Native American tribes. There was also competition for land and resources between Native peoples and English colonists. Some tribes traded goods like deerskin. Sadly, some Native Americans were captured and sold as slaves to the colonists.

New diseases from Europe also caused great harm. Diseases like measles and smallpox spread. Native peoples had no natural immunity to these illnesses. Many communities were devastated by these epidemics. These new diseases greatly disrupted their societies.

Building community in the 1800s

Throughout the 1800s, the Coharie Indians built their community in Sampson County. They were considered "free persons of color." This meant they had certain rights under state law. They could own and use firearms. They could also vote in local elections.

However, after Nat Turner's slave rebellion in 1831, the state passed new laws in 1835. These laws reduced the rights of non-White people. The Coharie were among those who lost the right to vote and carry weapons. After the Civil War, a new state constitution was written in 1868. This constitution removed the ban on their rights.

In 1859, the Coharie Indians started their own school. It was a "subscription school," meaning families paid for it. In 1910, they established an Indian school in Dismal Township. They wanted to keep their culture strong. In 1911, the New Bethel Indian School was founded. Later, in 1943, the state of North Carolina built the East Carolina Indian School. This was the first school for Native American children that went from primary grades through high school. It was in Herring Township in Sampson County.