NORTH CAROLINA INDIANS
INDIANS LONG AGO
Indians were the first people to live in our country. That is why they are called Native
Americans. Because they were here before the white settlers, it is important to remember and
thank the Indians. Indians gave modern Americans many gifts and taught the settlers many
new ways of doing things. Each year in North Carolina, we celebrate Indian Heritage Month
in November.
FOOD
Indians taught the settlers new ways to hunt and fish when they came to North Carolina
many years ago. The Indians caught their fish in nets, called weirs, that were made from reeds,
woven or tied together. They would place the weir across the stream and anchor it with rocks
or poles that stuck into the sand. Another way Indians caught fish is with spears. Indians
hunted big animals mostly with bows and arrows. They hunted deer and bear. Some Indians
used blow guns for hunting smaller animals such as rabbit and squirrel.
The Indians cooked the fish and meat over a grill made of reeds or sticks. But, most of the
cooking was done in clay pots. They would put the pot on the fire and boil different foods.
In this way they would cook vegetables, fruits, nuts, roots and meat.
Native Americans planted gardens much like gardens are planted
today. They grew beans, peas, melons, pumpkins, sunflowers,
potatoes and other foods. The men took turns guarding the fields and
scaring away the birds and wild animals. They were probably some
of the first scarecrows!
HOUSING
Indians in North Carolina did not live in teepees.
Most of the Indians in North Carolina lived in small
buildings made of wood and reeds. The frame of the house was made from wooden poles that
were tied together. The walls and roof were made from reed mats or sheets of tree bark. Long ta-bles
or benches were usually the only furniture in the structure.
DRESS
Indians wore clothes made from deer skins. It took many days to prepare the
skin before it was ready to be sewn. First, the hair had to be scraped off the skin.
Then the excess flesh had to be removed. Next the hide was stretched and soft-ened.
The final step was to smoke the hides to give them a golden brown color.
Earrings, necklaces and bracelets were worn by men and women. This jewelry was
made from bone, copper, shell and polished- stone beads.
Most men wore their hair long. Women usually had long hair with bangs across
the forehead. Both men and women would use braid wraps that were decorated
with certain beads. This is one way that showed which tribe they belonged to.
CANOES
Indians often used canoes for transportation. Each canoe was made from a single tree. The
only tools the Indians used to build these boats were fire and stones or sharp
shell. They burned a small area of the tree trunk to make the tree fall down.
Then they burned one side of the log to hollow it out. Indians used paddles,
called oars, to help move the boat once it was in the water.