The Catawba (people of the river) are a federally recognized tribe of Native Americans, known as the Catawba Indian Nation. They live in the Southeast United States, along the border of North Carolina near the city of Rock Hill, South Carolina.
Although recognized by South Carolina, the Catawba did not receive federal recognition until 1941. In 1959 they petitioned Congress to terminate their tribal status, and tribal landholdings were distributed among the membership during 1962. The final tribal role call of that year gave a population of a little over 600. After termination, many Catawba emigrated to the Choctaw in southeast Oklahoma. After a change of heart in 1973, the Catawba tribal council was reorganized and recognized by the state of South Carolina.
During 1994, the Catawba regained federal recognition after a lengthy court battle.
View H.R.2399 - Catawba Indian Tribe of South Carolina land Claims Settlement Act of 1993.
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Nora Harris Campbell builds up the sides of the pot with "coils" and uses the lid of a tin can to scrape the inside of the pot smooth - blending the individual coils together. Footage from Folklife...
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The river bears the name of the Catawba Nation, one of the largest tribes in the Southeast at the time of the European arrival. Because of their ability to work with the British and their willingness...
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Dr. Wenonah George Haire is the only dentist in her tribe. In the evenings, she is consumed by her cultural heritage as a Catawba and spends hours making Catawba pottery. She has concerns that this...
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In this segment, Herb McAmis, an adopted member of the Edisto-Kusso-Natchez people of Dorchester and Colleton Counties, explains that some are genetic Indians and some are Indians in their hearts. He...
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Glenn Creel feels that he has been called to minister physically and spiritually. Due to the financial pressures of medical school, that dream is out of reach, and Glenn teaches to earn a living...
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“King Hagler” was the leader of the Catawba Indian Nation. He had a reputation as peacekeeper with other tribes and colonists. In 1751, Hagler signed a treaty with the Six Nations. In 1756, Catawba...
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The natural world pervades nearly every aspect of the Catawba pottery tradition. Nature-inspired motifs include the turtle, frog, black snake, snail, feather and palm leaf, and are often connected to...
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Catawba pottery is recognized as one of the oldest and purest traditional art forms in America. Potters such as Billie Anne McKellar, a fourth generation potter, are often ancestors of a long line of...
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"Green" pots are those that have dried naturally by sun and air circulation, but have yet to be fired. A sunny, windless day is the ideal setting for the day of a firing. Before firing, green pots are...
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Artifacts are manmade objects, sometimes referred to as material remains, that are recovered during the excavation process. Pot shards, intact pots, rubbing stones and arrowheads are examples of...
