Waccamaw facts for kids
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
 USA(  South Carolina,  North Carolina) |
|
| Languages | |
| Siouan, Catawban, Woccon | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Winyaw, Catawba |
The Waccamaw people are an Indigenous people who lived in villages. They lived along the Waccamaw and Pee Dee rivers. These rivers are in what is now North and South Carolina. They lived there in the 1700s.
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The Waccamaw Language
Very little is known about the Waccamaw's old language, called Woccon language. It was part of the Catawban group. This group belongs to the larger Siouan language family.
The Waccamaw language was mostly lost over time. This happened because many people died from diseases. Their way of life also changed a lot in the 1700s and 1800s. Today, we only know about 143 words from this language. These words were written down in a book in 1709.
A Look at Waccamaw History
The Waccamaw people were never a very large group. When European settlers arrived in the 1500s, they brought new diseases. These diseases caused many Waccamaw people to die. Many also had to leave their homes.
In 1600, one expert thought about 900 Waccamaw and related people lived together. But by 1715, a count showed only one Waccamaw village left. This village had only 106 people, and 36 of them were men.
Some experts believe the Waccamaw might have been among the first Native groups. Spanish explorers met them on the mainland in the 1500s. In the early 1500s, Spanish explorers captured some Native Americans. They took them to an island called Hispaniola. Most of these captured people died within two years.
One of the captured men was named Francisco de Chicora. He learned Spanish and worked for a Spanish explorer. Francisco told a writer about many Indigenous peoples living in what is now South Carolina. He mentioned groups like the "Chicora" and "Duhare." These groups lived in the northern parts of the area. Some experts think Francisco was talking about the people who became the Waccamaw.
The 1700s: Big Changes
Contact with Europeans was very hard for the Waccamaw. They had no natural protection against diseases from Europe. Diseases like smallpox and measles were new to them. Many Waccamaw people died from these new sicknesses.
A count in 1715 showed 610 Waccamaw people in total. By 1720, they had only 100 warriors.
In the early 1700s, another Siouan group called the Cheraw tried to get the Waccamaw to join them. They wanted to fight against the English settlers. This was during the Yamasee War in 1715. But the Cheraw later made peace with the English.
The English settlers built a trading post in 1716. In 1720, the Waccamaw fought a short war against the South Carolina colony. As a result, 60 Waccamaw men, women, and children were killed or captured.
In 1755, a traveler wrote that Cherokee and Natchez warriors attacked some Waccamaw and Pedee people. This happened in areas where white settlers lived.
The 1800s: Farming and Identity
The Waccamaw people who survived grew corn for their families. Later in the 1800s, they also grew tobacco and cotton. They sold these crops in small amounts. This was similar to how their neighbors, both African-American and European-American farmers, lived.
By the late 1800s, farming became harder for the Waccamaw. They started to work for wages to earn money. Men collected turpentine from pine trees. Women grew crops to sell or worked on farms and in homes.
In the southern states, Waccamaw people were often listed as "free persons of color." This happened because white people often thought Native Americans with any African-American features were "Black." This made it hard for Waccamaw communities to be recognized. The US census did not count non-reservation Native Americans as "Indian" until 1870. Census takers often decided a person's race instead of asking them.
Recent Waccamaw History
In 1910, the Waccamaw Siouan Indians in North Carolina formed a council. This council helped manage issues in their community. A school for Waccamaw children opened in 1934. It was paid for by Columbus County. At that time, schools were still separated by race. Before this, Waccamaw children had to go to schools meant for African Americans.
North Carolina officially recognized the Waccamaw Siouan Tribe in 1971. Their community is mainly in Bladen and Columbus counties, North Carolina. They have tried to get recognition from the US government, but it has not happened yet.
In 2005, South Carolina recognized the Waccamaw Indian People. This is a non-profit group with an office in Aynor, South Carolina.
Both of these groups say they are descendants of the original Waccamaw people.
Related Siouan-Speaking Nations
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