Page 24 - Robeson Living Summer 2021

By Pastor Charles Locklear

As July approaches every year, there is a sense of excitement of town will return to their homes in other places. The vendors
and anticipation that settles over Robeson County North Caro- will pack up their goods and move to the next festival and the
lina. The highways and billboards declare that the Lumbee collard industry will breathe a sigh of relief. The excitement
Tribe of North Carolina will once again be celebrating Lumbee and anticipation will slowly but surely be replaced with the
Homecoming. Cars with out-of-state tags will appear in the thoughts of Myrtle Beach and the Blue Ridge Mountains and
neighborhood. Strange sounding voices will be heard in local back to work, as Lumbee’s plan the balance of the summer
restaurants. Churches will recognize folks who have traveled schedule. It does not mean we cease to be Lumbee or that we
home to join the local families in this season of food, fellow- suddenly lose our sense of pride in the people God has chosen
ship and faith. It is a wonderful time of the year for Lumbee’s us to be. It simply means that life is a bigger celebration than a
and their friends. single week can produce.

It would be impossible to be in Robeson County and not know One of the strengths of the Lumbee People has been their faith
something really big and really special is taking place, in ad- in the Creator. Their struggles and challenges have been met
dition to the usual activities surrounding the Fourth of July. with the confidence that the God of the Bible has a vital interest
While the Lumbee Homecoming is celebrated in various ways in who we are and what our place in the world involves. The
and in various places, there is a week of organized activities church has always been the hub of the various Indian com-
centrally located in the Town of Pembroke. Long before the an- munities. Our Indian schools were born out of those churches,
nual parade on Saturday, vendors selling native craft and food one of which I attended, until High school. Community leaders
line the streets of Pembroke and beckon Lumbee’s to come and were often the church leaders as well. The Christian faith, that
get the celebrated collard sandwich and perhaps a dreamcatch- has been among us for centuries, has taught us that we, along
er as well. This tradition will have a special appeal this year with all mankind, have extraordinary value and a vital place
because it was for the most part, cancelled last year because of in the heart and plans of our creator. Our Faith recognizes the
the covid invasion. While some of the inside activities will be value and necessity of the Bible as the only guide to daily liv-
still be missing, I am informed that you can expect to see a lot ing and the source of hope for the world beyond this life.
of activity that has been part of Lumbee Homecoming for the
past 51 years. It is a long-standing tradition. It is a noble cel- We are identified as pilgrims and strangers in this world. We
ebration. And there is something for everybody to participate don’t come here to stay. And when we come down to the end
in. And of course, Lumbee’s welcome their non-native friends of life, others will say we passed away. When we get home,
to join them in every activity. we will discover people from every corner of the world. folks
from every Tribe, Nation and tongue, who have confessed their
After the weekend of the Parade, the cars with the strange tags faith in the Risen Lord will be gathered into one place, not for
will disappear. Those strange talking brown people from out a week, or a season, but for all eternity. The celebration will

Page 24 Robeson Living ~ Spring 2021

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