by Janice Tuck
SCNPS Supports Land Conservation, Indigenous Peoples’ Quest to Retain Lands As State Grows
South Carolina is one of the fastest growing states in the nation and with that influx comes greater threat to wild spaces and land held by indigenous people. SCNPS, in collaboration with many other environmental groups in the Palmetto State, advocates for policies which protect these lands from commercial interests and development and has been working with ten tribes for more than three years to promote their history and work toward recognition.
Photo Credit: Rick Huffman
Advocacy chair and Upstate Chapter President Rick Huffman and Membership Chair Ian Portwood traveled to Columbia on February 5th to witness the signing ceremony of The Tribal Alliance of South Carolina Nations, the treaty between the state’s ten recognized tribes formalizing their commitment to work together to preserve their culture, way of life, and economic stability, and gird tribal lands from encroachment.
“Tribal working groups unified the voices of the tribes and highlighted the need for long-overdue recognition,” explained Huffman. “It was a historic day for our tribes.”
Photo Credit: Rick Huffman
There are about 80,000 Native Americans in South Carolina with nine state-recognized tribes and one federally recognized tribe, The Catawba Nation, which gained federal recognition in 1941.[1] The state of South Carolina began recognizing tribes in 2005. Federal recognition affords a tribe rights of self-government and federal funds similar to states whereas state recognition grants powers similar to those afforded local county governments.[2] Several other SC tribes are seeking federal recognition, with the backing of the 3,000-member Catawba Nation, which holds 700 acres in York County.[3]
Photo Credit: Rick Huffman
Indigenous people are believed to have inhabited the Americas 11,000-12,000 years prior to the arrival of European settlers, dating back to 17,000 B.C. South Carolina recognizes three categories of Native American Indian entities in the state: Native American Indian Tribes, Native American Indian Groups, and Native American Indian Special Interest Organizations.[4]
SC Recognized Native American Tribes
- Beaver Creek Indians
- Edisto Natchez-Kusso Tribe of SC
- Pee Dee Indian Nation of Upper SC
- Pee Dee Indian Tribe
- Piedmont American Indian Association, Lower Eastern Cherokee Nation of SC
- The Santee Indian Organization
- Sumter Tribe of Cheraw Indians
- The Waccamaw Indian People
- The Wassamasaw Tribe of Varnertown Indians
Federally Recognized Native American Tribe
- Catawba Indian Nation
Source: South Carolina Commission on Minority Affairs
Other Sources
- Laird, Skylar. ‘SC Native American tribes sign…” South Carolina Daily Gazette. February 5, 2025. https://scdailygazette.com/2025/02/05/sc-native-american-tribes-sign-treaty-promising-to-work-together/
- SC Department of Archives and History. https://scdah.sc.gov/historic-preservation/resources/native-american-heritage/federal-and-state-recognized-native
- Barlow, Chloe. “10 South Carolina Native American tribes sign historic alliance at Statehouse.” Post and Courier. Feb 6, 2025. https://www.postandcourier.com/columbia/news/sc-native-american-tribes-catawba-state-recognized/article_51a36fa8-e319-11ef-b209-f769220c3a05.html
- SCDAH
