The Tuscarora tribe, an Indigenous People of the Northeastern Woodlands, holds a rich and complex history spanning centuries of resilience and adaptation. As an Iroquoian Native American and First Nations people, their story is deeply intertwined with the landscapes of present-day Canada and the United States. From their ancestral lands in North Carolina and Virginia to their modern communities in New York, Ontario, and Oklahoma, the Tuscarora legacy, meaning ‘hemp gatherers’ in their Skarure language, continues to thrive through their federally recognized nations and vibrant cultural preservation efforts.
Ancient Roots and Cultural Life
While some historical records suggest origins in the Great Lakes region, by the late 16th century, the Tuscarora had established a prominent presence in what is now North Carolina and Virginia. They shared many lifestyle habits with Algonquian tribes but distinguished themselves through their unique Iroquoian language, Skarure. The tribe was organized as a confederacy of three primary groups: the Katenuaka, Kawenteaka, and Skaruren, further structured into approximately seven matrilineal clans including Bear, Beaver, Deer, Eel, Snipe, Turtle, and Wolf.
Their primary settlements flourished along the Pamlico, Neuse, Roanoke, and Tar Rivers. Each village, governed by a chief, operated within a sophisticated plantation system, with houses grouped into larger confederacies such as the Upper Town and Lower Town. The Tuscarora were semi-nomadic, adapting their dwellings to the seasons: circular, bark-and-wood homes for summer, and closely built, fire-pit-equipped houses for winter camps.
Their diet was diverse, relying on fish, large game like deer and bears, and cultivated crops. Animal furs provided clothing, while copper accessories and distinctive red hair dye, derived from the bloodroot plant, marked their cultural identity.
Encounters with European Powers
Contact with Europeans began as early as the 1520s with the Spanish, who eventually established an outpost in Tuscarora territory. By the mid-17th century, a fur trade had developed with northern Virginian settlers. A remarkable account from 1660 describes Welsh clergyman Morgan Jones being captured by a Tuscarora band who spoke Welsh, a testament to early and often surprising transatlantic interactions.
Explorers like the German John Lederera (1670) and the French Jacques Marquette (1672) documented the Tuscarora, noting their significant role in regional trade and their access to European goods. For nearly 50 years after the first successful English settlement in North Carolina (1653), the Tuscarora maintained an uncommon peace with the colonists, even as conflicts raged elsewhere.
The Tumultuous Tuscarora War (1711-1713)
The early 18th century saw the Tuscarora organized into northern (Chief Tom Blount) and southern (Chief Hancock) groups, with warrior numbers estimated between 1,200 and 2,000. However, increasing encroachment by English settlers, competition for resources, and cultural clashes ignited the brutal Tuscarora War from 1711 to 1713.
Following their defeat, approximately 1,500 Tuscarora were forced to flee north to New York and Pennsylvania. Despite this mass migration, a significant number—around 650 families—remained in North Carolina, Virginia, and South Carolina, with many eventually returning to North Carolina. Some southern Tuscarora even assisted colonists against the Yamasee Tribe in 1715.
Reservations, Alliances, and Dispersal
In 1718, under Chief Tom Blount, the remaining North Carolina Tuscarora signed a treaty, securing a 56,000-acre tract on the Roanoke River in Bertie County, known as “Indian Woods.” In 1722, the northern Tuscarora formally became the sixth member of the Iroquois Confederacy, reinforcing their ancestral linguistic and cultural ties.
Life on the Indian Woods Reservation was fraught with challenges. Colonists continuously encroached, leading to discrimination, illegal logging, and forced land cessions. By 1828, the Tuscarora in North Carolina relinquished their claim to Indian Woods, with many scattering across the region or migrating north. Further migrations occurred in the 1750s and 1760s, with many joining other Iroquoian peoples in Pennsylvania and New York.
During the American Revolution, most Tuscarora and Oneida nations allied with the rebel colonists, suffering attacks from British-allied Iroquois. Post-war, many pro-British Tuscarora settled at the Six Nations reserve in Ontario, Canada, while others established a community near Niagara, New York.
Resilience in the Face of Adversity
The 19th century brought further trials. The War of 1812 saw Tuscarora warriors bravely defending Lewiston, New York, against British and allied forces, a testament to their courage and commitment despite heavy losses. The federal Indian Removal Act eventually impacted some Tuscarora, leading to their relocation to Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma), where they would later unify into the Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma.
Even during the Civil War, Tuscarora in North Carolina faced conscription efforts by the Confederate Home Guard, highlighting the ongoing struggles for autonomy and safety.
The Tuscarora Today: Cultural Revitalization
Today, the Tuscarora Nation in Lewiston, New York, and the Tuscarora First Nation within the Six Nations of the Grand River in Ontario, Canada, are federally recognized tribes, maintaining government-to-government relationships with their respective national governments. Descendants in Oklahoma continue to thrive as part of the Seneca-Cayuga Nation, preserving longhouse ceremonies and cultural practices.
Recent decades have seen a powerful movement towards cultural revitalization, particularly in language preservation. In 2022, a formal Tuscarora language course was offered, a significant milestone after years of dedicated effort, ensuring the transmission of Skarure to new generations.
Conclusion
The history of the Tuscarora tribe is a testament to extraordinary resilience, adaptability, and an unyielding commitment to their cultural identity. From their ancient settlements along the rivers of the Southeast to their established nations in the North and West, the Tuscarora have navigated centuries of immense change, conflict, and displacement. Despite profound challenges, their spirit endures through their language, traditions, and the continued strength of their communities, ensuring that the legacy of the ‘hemp gatherers’ remains a vital part of Indigenous history and contemporary society.
