Our Native Carolina
@ournativecarolina.bsky.social
I'm Hope Thompson. I've been a freelance journalist since 2013. Join my page dedicated to celebrating and preserving the rich cultures of Native American and Appalachian heritage. Subscribe to my Substack! https://ournativecarolina.substack.com/
TRUE STORY! READ A powerful look at hunger, resilience, and history through the eyes of a Native American family in 1950s North Carolina. Discover how one simple sweet potato became a lifeline. #SNAP #foodstamps #lumbee #coharie #nativeamericanhistory
ournativecarolina.substack.com/p/the-sweet-...
ournativecarolina.substack.com/p/the-sweet-...
The Sweet Potato Story: Life Before Food Stamps
Native American History, Southern Culture, Social Issues
ournativecarolina.substack.com
November 13, 2025 at 1:51 PM
TRUE STORY! READ A powerful look at hunger, resilience, and history through the eyes of a Native American family in 1950s North Carolina. Discover how one simple sweet potato became a lifeline. #SNAP #foodstamps #lumbee #coharie #nativeamericanhistory
ournativecarolina.substack.com/p/the-sweet-...
ournativecarolina.substack.com/p/the-sweet-...
Have you ever heard of the Citizens Almanac?
This guide informs both new and native citizens in shaping our democracy. Your rights come with important duties.
open.substack.com/pub/ournativ...
This guide informs both new and native citizens in shaping our democracy. Your rights come with important duties.
open.substack.com/pub/ournativ...
The US Constitution and The Citizens Almanac: Nine Obligations Americans Are Bound to Uphold
What are the additional obligations we, as Americans, are bound to, beyond the US Constitution?
open.substack.com
October 7, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Have you ever heard of the Citizens Almanac?
This guide informs both new and native citizens in shaping our democracy. Your rights come with important duties.
open.substack.com/pub/ournativ...
This guide informs both new and native citizens in shaping our democracy. Your rights come with important duties.
open.substack.com/pub/ournativ...
Have you ever been accused of being something you're not?
I have. I was accused of being a witch and publicly shamed on my FB by my own family.
North Carolina’s first witch trial reminds us that innocence doesn’t erase the harm and hurt from the magic of words.
open.substack.com/pub/ournativ...
I have. I was accused of being a witch and publicly shamed on my FB by my own family.
North Carolina’s first witch trial reminds us that innocence doesn’t erase the harm and hurt from the magic of words.
open.substack.com/pub/ournativ...
The Magic of Words: North Carolina's First Witch Trial
Southern Culture
open.substack.com
October 5, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Have you ever been accused of being something you're not?
I have. I was accused of being a witch and publicly shamed on my FB by my own family.
North Carolina’s first witch trial reminds us that innocence doesn’t erase the harm and hurt from the magic of words.
open.substack.com/pub/ournativ...
I have. I was accused of being a witch and publicly shamed on my FB by my own family.
North Carolina’s first witch trial reminds us that innocence doesn’t erase the harm and hurt from the magic of words.
open.substack.com/pub/ournativ...
Spending my Friday searching and following all the creators banned on TikTok on @bsky.app.
MAGA has taken over Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (X) and now TikTok. I mean, they had Truth Social.
But they can't stand someone else having something they don't have.
MAGA has taken over Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (X) and now TikTok. I mean, they had Truth Social.
But they can't stand someone else having something they don't have.
August 1, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Spending my Friday searching and following all the creators banned on TikTok on @bsky.app.
MAGA has taken over Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (X) and now TikTok. I mean, they had Truth Social.
But they can't stand someone else having something they don't have.
MAGA has taken over Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (X) and now TikTok. I mean, they had Truth Social.
But they can't stand someone else having something they don't have.
Reposted by Our Native Carolina
MAGA has slashed their benefits, gutted their healthcare, and cheered while the rich wrote off private jets as tax deductions.
Not because it helped them.
But because they were told it would hurt someone else.
Not because it helped them.
But because they were told it would hurt someone else.
July 30, 2025 at 7:12 PM
MAGA has slashed their benefits, gutted their healthcare, and cheered while the rich wrote off private jets as tax deductions.
Not because it helped them.
But because they were told it would hurt someone else.
Not because it helped them.
But because they were told it would hurt someone else.
The Dog Days of Summer are here! When snakes go ‘blind,’ wounds refuse to heal, and dogs allegedly lose their minds.
Do YOU have any wild Dog Days superstitions? Read more & share your tales!
#Folklore #SummerHeat #DogDays
open.substack.com/pub/ournativ...
Do YOU have any wild Dog Days superstitions? Read more & share your tales!
#Folklore #SummerHeat #DogDays
open.substack.com/pub/ournativ...
Beware the Dog Days: Southern Folklore of Surviving the Summer Heat
Appalachian, Southern Traditions
open.substack.com
July 27, 2025 at 3:19 PM
The Dog Days of Summer are here! When snakes go ‘blind,’ wounds refuse to heal, and dogs allegedly lose their minds.
Do YOU have any wild Dog Days superstitions? Read more & share your tales!
#Folklore #SummerHeat #DogDays
open.substack.com/pub/ournativ...
Do YOU have any wild Dog Days superstitions? Read more & share your tales!
#Folklore #SummerHeat #DogDays
open.substack.com/pub/ournativ...
This chilling photo is a stark reminder: hate isn’t born—it’s taught.
These children didn’t choose racism; it was forced upon them. Break the cycle. Teach love, not fear. (N&O, 1976)
These children didn’t choose racism; it was forced upon them. Break the cycle. Teach love, not fear. (N&O, 1976)
July 27, 2025 at 2:27 PM
This chilling photo is a stark reminder: hate isn’t born—it’s taught.
These children didn’t choose racism; it was forced upon them. Break the cycle. Teach love, not fear. (N&O, 1976)
These children didn’t choose racism; it was forced upon them. Break the cycle. Teach love, not fear. (N&O, 1976)
Before funeral homes, we kept our own through the night—discover the tradition that defines the heart of Southern & Appalachia and why it still matters today.
Do rituals like sitting up with the dead still have a place in our communities?
ournativecarolina.substack.com/p/sitting-up...
Do rituals like sitting up with the dead still have a place in our communities?
ournativecarolina.substack.com/p/sitting-up...
Sitting Up With the Dead: Lost Appalachian Burial Customs
Appalachian and Southern Traditions
ournativecarolina.substack.com
July 23, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Before funeral homes, we kept our own through the night—discover the tradition that defines the heart of Southern & Appalachia and why it still matters today.
Do rituals like sitting up with the dead still have a place in our communities?
ournativecarolina.substack.com/p/sitting-up...
Do rituals like sitting up with the dead still have a place in our communities?
ournativecarolina.substack.com/p/sitting-up...
Appalachia and Native cultures, "Keep your traditions!" they say. Just don’t expect protection when your land, votes, and rights get auctioned off like clearance items.
July 23, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Appalachia and Native cultures, "Keep your traditions!" they say. Just don’t expect protection when your land, votes, and rights get auctioned off like clearance items.
Moses Walkingstick – Cherokee Indian Reservation 1942
Despite my best efforts, I haven’t been able to uncover much about this remarkable man. Who was Moses Walkingstick? What's his story, his legacy? I’d love to learn more to share his story with others. #nativeamericanhistory #ournativecarolina
Despite my best efforts, I haven’t been able to uncover much about this remarkable man. Who was Moses Walkingstick? What's his story, his legacy? I’d love to learn more to share his story with others. #nativeamericanhistory #ournativecarolina
July 21, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Moses Walkingstick – Cherokee Indian Reservation 1942
Despite my best efforts, I haven’t been able to uncover much about this remarkable man. Who was Moses Walkingstick? What's his story, his legacy? I’d love to learn more to share his story with others. #nativeamericanhistory #ournativecarolina
Despite my best efforts, I haven’t been able to uncover much about this remarkable man. Who was Moses Walkingstick? What's his story, his legacy? I’d love to learn more to share his story with others. #nativeamericanhistory #ournativecarolina
What is your most memorable experience with collard greens growing up?
Feel free to share stories, recipes, or photos that capture what collard culture means to you!
hopesparkles.substack.com/p/from-survi...
#lumbee #coharie #southerntraditions #soulfood #nativeamerican #africanamerican
Feel free to share stories, recipes, or photos that capture what collard culture means to you!
hopesparkles.substack.com/p/from-survi...
#lumbee #coharie #southerntraditions #soulfood #nativeamerican #africanamerican
From Survival to Celebration: Growing Up in Collard Culture
Lumbee Tribe, Coharie Tribe, African American, Southern Traditions
hopesparkles.substack.com
July 15, 2025 at 2:26 PM
What is your most memorable experience with collard greens growing up?
Feel free to share stories, recipes, or photos that capture what collard culture means to you!
hopesparkles.substack.com/p/from-survi...
#lumbee #coharie #southerntraditions #soulfood #nativeamerican #africanamerican
Feel free to share stories, recipes, or photos that capture what collard culture means to you!
hopesparkles.substack.com/p/from-survi...
#lumbee #coharie #southerntraditions #soulfood #nativeamerican #africanamerican
Rollins and MAGA think Medicaid is welfare. It's health coverage - 41% are children. 11% elderly, 13% disabled, 6% institutionalized adults 19-64, 1.6% new moms, 12% working poor with full or part-time jobs, 16% caregivers for children/elderly. Its the providers abusing the system, not patients.
July 9, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Rollins and MAGA think Medicaid is welfare. It's health coverage - 41% are children. 11% elderly, 13% disabled, 6% institutionalized adults 19-64, 1.6% new moms, 12% working poor with full or part-time jobs, 16% caregivers for children/elderly. Its the providers abusing the system, not patients.
Was it a prayer? A spell? For some folks, it was both—a whispered petition to the Divine that worked as sure as any medicine. The words themselves were holy, but the way they were used- That was pure folk magic.
hopesparkles.substack.com/p/bibles-roo...
hopesparkles.substack.com/p/bibles-roo...
Bibles, Roots, and Spirits: The Secret Magic of Southern, Appalachian and Native American Faith
Southern, Appalachian and Native American Culture
hopesparkles.substack.com
April 16, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Was it a prayer? A spell? For some folks, it was both—a whispered petition to the Divine that worked as sure as any medicine. The words themselves were holy, but the way they were used- That was pure folk magic.
hopesparkles.substack.com/p/bibles-roo...
hopesparkles.substack.com/p/bibles-roo...
Project 2025 ain’t just politics—it’s about our roots. From tobacco fields to hog farms, this plan could change the way of life in NC. Find out how these policies change our farming, traditions, and the land itself. #protest #appalachia #ncpolitics
hopesparkles.substack.com/p/protecting...
hopesparkles.substack.com/p/protecting...
Protecting Our Roots: Understanding Project 2025's Impact on NC's Cultural Heritage
Appalachian, Southern and Native American Communities
hopesparkles.substack.com
April 6, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Project 2025 ain’t just politics—it’s about our roots. From tobacco fields to hog farms, this plan could change the way of life in NC. Find out how these policies change our farming, traditions, and the land itself. #protest #appalachia #ncpolitics
hopesparkles.substack.com/p/protecting...
hopesparkles.substack.com/p/protecting...
Reposted by Our Native Carolina
Amid the chaos, people still do amazing work. Watch a segment on the Great Coharie River Initiative & Coharie Tribe airing soon on State of Change (PBS North Carolina). Beloved river, powerful story, beautiful production. Pairs well with Ch. 7 of my book, #OnTheSwamp
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzwZ...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzwZ...
The river that disappeared – and the tribe bringing it back | State of Change
YouTube video by PBS North Carolina
www.youtube.com
March 31, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Amid the chaos, people still do amazing work. Watch a segment on the Great Coharie River Initiative & Coharie Tribe airing soon on State of Change (PBS North Carolina). Beloved river, powerful story, beautiful production. Pairs well with Ch. 7 of my book, #OnTheSwamp
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzwZ...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzwZ...
Did you know a "poisonous" weed fed generations of Southern & Native families?
Pokeweed Salet is now a fading tradition holding stories of resilience, innovation, and even modern medical promise.
#AppalachianHistory #WildFood #Foraging
hopesparkles.substack.com/p/dangerousl...
Pokeweed Salet is now a fading tradition holding stories of resilience, innovation, and even modern medical promise.
#AppalachianHistory #WildFood #Foraging
hopesparkles.substack.com/p/dangerousl...
Dangerously Delicious: The Southern Delicacy of Pokeweed Salet
Appalachian, Native American and Southern Culture
hopesparkles.substack.com
March 30, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Did you know a "poisonous" weed fed generations of Southern & Native families?
Pokeweed Salet is now a fading tradition holding stories of resilience, innovation, and even modern medical promise.
#AppalachianHistory #WildFood #Foraging
hopesparkles.substack.com/p/dangerousl...
Pokeweed Salet is now a fading tradition holding stories of resilience, innovation, and even modern medical promise.
#AppalachianHistory #WildFood #Foraging
hopesparkles.substack.com/p/dangerousl...
Reposted by Our Native Carolina
This tradition resonates deeply with me, not just because of its beauty but because it feels like a reflection of the South I know and love—a place where the past is always present and where the simplest acts can carry the weight of the divine.
open.substack.com/pub/hopespar...
open.substack.com/pub/hopespar...
The Easter Rock Ceremony: Celebrating Faith and Heritage in Appalachia
African American Spirituality
open.substack.com
March 27, 2025 at 12:54 PM
This tradition resonates deeply with me, not just because of its beauty but because it feels like a reflection of the South I know and love—a place where the past is always present and where the simplest acts can carry the weight of the divine.
open.substack.com/pub/hopespar...
open.substack.com/pub/hopespar...
This deeply personal article explores the struggles, resilience, and triumphs of Native Americans in the Carolinas during Civil Rights Era and my own family’s experiences.
It’s a piece I’ve poured my heart into and I can’t wait for you to read it.
hopesparkles.substack.com/p/civil-righ...
It’s a piece I’ve poured my heart into and I can’t wait for you to read it.
hopesparkles.substack.com/p/civil-righ...
Civil Rights in Carolina: A Native American's Story
During the Civil Rights era, the common narrative often revolves around the struggles and progress of the black community.
hopesparkles.substack.com
March 22, 2025 at 10:02 PM
This deeply personal article explores the struggles, resilience, and triumphs of Native Americans in the Carolinas during Civil Rights Era and my own family’s experiences.
It’s a piece I’ve poured my heart into and I can’t wait for you to read it.
hopesparkles.substack.com/p/civil-righ...
It’s a piece I’ve poured my heart into and I can’t wait for you to read it.
hopesparkles.substack.com/p/civil-righ...