Despitecenturiesofcolonialism,IndigenouspeoplesstilloccupypartsoftheirancestralhomelandsinwhatisnowEasternNorthCarolina--apatchworkquiltofforestedswamps,sandyplains,andblackwaterstreamsthatspreadsacrosstheCoastalPlainbetweentheFallLineandtheAtlanticOcean.Inthesebackwaters,LumbeesandotherAmericanIndianshaveadaptedtoaradicallytransformedworldwhilemaintainingvibrantculturesandpowerfulconnectionstolandandwater.LikemanyIndigenouscommunitiesworldwide,theycontinuetoasserttheirrightstoself-determinationbyresistinglegaciesofcolonialismandthecontinuedtransformationoftheirhomelandsthroughpollution,unsustainabledevelopment,andclimatechange.EnvironmentalscientistRyanE.Emanuel,amemberoftheLumbeetribe,sharesstoriesfromNorthCarolinaaboutIndigenoussurvivalandresilienceinthefaceofradicalenvironmentalchanges.Addressingissuesfromthelossofwetlandstothearrivalofgaspipelines,thesestoriesconnectthedotsbetweenhistoricpatternsofIndigenousoppressionandpresent-dayeffortstopromoteenvironmentaljusticeandIndigenousrightsontheswamp.Emanuel’sscientificinsightanddeeplypersonalconnectionstohishomeblendtogetherinabookthatisbothaheartfeltandananalyticalcalltoacknowledgeandprotectsacredplaces.
