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With traditions as broad and deep as North Carolina’s waterways, NC’s first inhabitants created incredibly complex cultures. Museums invite you into the story, while festivals immerse you in an experience you can see, hear, taste and smell.
Native Americans have profoundly impacted North Carolina’s history and culture. They were the original stewards of the lands on which we now live, influencing language, food, art and spirituality. Many Indigenous communities remain here, preserving their identities.
North Carolina is home to eight state-recognized Native American tribes; the Eastern Band of the Cherokee is the only fully federally recognized tribe in the state. The Cherokee’s Kituwah Mound, also known as the Cherokee Mother Town (near present-day Bryson City), is considered the Cherokee’s place of origin. The remaining tribes are the Coharie, Haliwa-Saponi, Meherrin, Sappony, Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation, Waccamaw-Siouan and the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.
The Lumbee Tribe is the largest tribe in the state and the ninth largest in the nation with more than 55,000 members. (Their name is rooted in the Lumber River, originally known as the Lumbee.) At the request of the Lumbee Tribe, North Carolina established the Croatan Normal Indian School in 1887, the only state-supported school in the country created by and for Native Americans. It’s now the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.
To learn more about the rich heritage of the state’s Indigenous peoples, plan to visit North Carolina’s museums, historical sites and powwows. These places and events tell the story of Native Americans and their customs and serve as a critical reminder of the state’s complex history.
Museums
These enlightening sites preserve Native American artwork and artifacts, telling the stories of beloved traditions and tight-knit communities.
1 Museum of the Cherokee People
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1 Museum of the Cherokee People
CherokeeSee on map
This museum invites you to immerse yourself in the history, culture and stories of its people through collections, events and programs.
2 Museum of the Southeast American Indian
2 Museum of the Southeast American Indian
PembrokeSee on mapOn the campus of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, this museum exhibits fine arts and provides interactive experiences that highlight the vibrant cultures of Southeastern Native Americans. A rare 1,100-year-old dugout canoe showcases the ingenuity of early Native American craftsmanship.
3 Cherokee County Historical Museum
3 Cherokee County Historical Museum
MurphySee on mapThis museum serves as a center for the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail. Murphy was the site of Fort Butler, one of the main holding areas for Cherokees who were forcibly removed from North Carolina in the 1830s. The museum contains more than 2,000 authentic artifacts of the Cherokee Nation and 40 exhibit panels that interpret its history and culture.
4 Oconaluftee Indian Village
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4 Oconaluftee Indian Village
CherokeeSee on mapWeavers make baskets, hunters shoot blowguns and workers hull canoes at this outdoor living history museum, which recreates an 18th-century Cherokee community.
Historic and Sacred Sites
Native Americans hold various places – including mountains, springs and caves – as sacred because of their spiritual significance. Some national monuments, parks and other sites also contain cultural resources tied to tribal nations.
5 Occaneechi Village Replica Site
5 Occaneechi Village Replica Site
HillsboroughSee on mapServing as a reminder of the tribe’s presence in local history, this site is home to a reconstructed 17th-century village on the banks of the Eno River. The layout is based on excavations of Occaneechi Town, a nearby anthropological site.
6 Pettigrew State Park
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6 Pettigrew State Park
CreswellSee on mapMore than 30 dugout canoes have been discovered in Lake Phelps, some dating back 4,000 years. The lake within this state park holds other relics dating as far back as 11,000 years.
7 Living History Center at Catawba Meadows Park
7 Living History Center at Catawba Meadows Park
MorgantonSee on mapWalk through a grouping of structures modeled after a 16th-century Catawba Indian village that once stood here.
8 Cliffs of the Neuse State Park
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8 Cliffs of the Neuse State Park
Seven SpringsSee on mapThe lands currently known as Cliffs of the Neuse State Park were once the ceremonial grounds for the Tuscarora and Saponi tribes – and a gathering place for hunting parties. Although the tribes relocated, the cliffs remain virtually unaltered.
9 Town Creek Indian Mound
9 Town Creek Indian Mound
Mount GileadSee on mapTown Creek Indian Mound is the only state historic site dedicated to Native American heritage. See the reconstructed mound and learn about the farming traditions of the South Appalachian Mississippian peoples, who inhabited this area from 1000 to 1450 C.E.
Powwows
Join tribal nations as they participate in traditional dance and song, connect through cuisine, and celebrate their distinctive identities.
10 Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe Blooming of the Dogwood Powwow
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10 Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe Blooming of the Dogwood Powwow
HollisterSee on mapThe oldest powwow in North Carolina celebrates state recognition of the tribe in 1965. The powwow’s timing coincides with the annual blooming of the dogwood tree, which, in addition to its medicinal uses, holds significant cultural value for the tribe.
11 Dix Park Inter-Tribal Pow Wow
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11 Dix Park Inter-Tribal Pow Wow
RaleighSee on mapSet near downtown Raleigh in Dorothea Dix Park, this recently established event features a day of dancing, music and vendors, uniting and celebrating all Indigenous tribes in North Carolina. Be sure to taste warm, puffy fry bread from The Cookhouse and Goin’s Kitchen.
12 Onslow Veterans Pow Wow
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12 Onslow Veterans Pow Wow
JacksonvilleSee on mapCoinciding with Native American Heritage Month and Veterans Day, the colorful celebration attracts visitors from the largest Marine Corps base on the East Coast, making it a popular event for active-duty military and veterans.
Continue to broaden your cultural and culinary horizons with The Official 2025 North Carolina Travel Guide.