Native American Cultural Event Draws Large Crowd
Robeson Community College celebrated Native American Heritage Month with a cultural exhibition that featured guest speakers Lumbee Tribal Chairman Harvey Godwin and the President and CEO of Cummings Aerospace Dr. Sheila Cummings.
It was a fun-filled day full of fellowship where the audience enjoyed Native American storytelling, a powwow with Lumbee drummers, song and dance from Lumbee tribal members and ambassadors, native cuisine, and were able to buy from vendors selling Native American themed arts and crafts.
Harvey Godwin, Lumbee Tribal Chairman
“When I was your age, I never envisioned I would be in the role that I am now,” said Godwin as he gave opening remarks during a motivational speech to students. “Where you are at now in school, at this great institution, it’s where you need to be because this is the building blocks of what you may become later on in life, whatever you may want to be.”
“Being an American Indian, being a Lumbee, or whatever tribe you are from, you have that special something that God gave us all to be able to achieve great things on behalf of our people.”
Godwin also told students to achieve all that they could, to never stop learning.
”I’m so proud that I am a part of RCC. As a matter of fact, I actually came to RCC in the 1980’s to learn how to operate a computer, I learned those skills right here at RCC… On my driver’s license, there is a M on it. I learned how to drive a motorcycle and got my motorcycle license right here at RCC.”
Dr. Cummings also gave a charge to the audience to seek change in their community through education.
“Celebrating our heritage, teaching our values to the next generation, is essential to continuing the legacy of the Lumbee people,” said Cummings. “But I have a desire and really a passion, to change the legacy of our people, to create a brighter future for our children through education adding a strong focus on STEM.”
Dr. Sheila Cummings, President and CEO of Cummings Aerospace
Cummings stated that she hosted several STEM camps at her headquarters in Hunstville, Alabama this past summer, with students from the Project 3C, which is sponsored through a grant by the Lumbee Tribe.
In addition to education, Cummings also credits her success to the values she learned while growing up in Robeson County, saying, “Culture deeply rooted in strong values, such as love of family, community, pride, these are the values I learned at a very young age growing up on my Granddaddy’s farm, helping my grandmother dig the potatoes out of the field, shelling those butterbeans on the front porch.”
“To this day, I do not eat butterbeans,” Cummings said jokingly.
She continued saying, “Sitting around the Sunday dinner table full of family… those traditions have grounded me in life, they have carried me through my journey, lead me to where I am today as a business owner, and a proud Lumbee Indian.”
The Native American Culture Exhibition took place from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. in the center lawn behind the library (between buildings 9 and 13) on November 3, and despite the cooler temperatures, drew a large crowd of students, faculty, staff and community members to the RCC campus. The event was sponsored by RCC’s chapter of NASO (Native American Student Organization), AISES (American Indian Science Engineering Society), and FAPSS.
Anyone that would like to watch the festivities can go to facebook.com/robesoncc and watch the video captured from the morning events.
