History was made Saturday when the first building to be wholly owned by the Lumbee tribe opened to the public.

The 22,000-square-foot Tribal Housing Complex, located just outside Pembroke on N.C. 711, will serve as the home for the tribe’s housing program and provide meeting space for the tribal government. Other tribal departments also will have offices in the building. The facility also is capable of providing temporary shelter in emergency situations, said tribal Chairman Jimmy Goins.

The $4 million complex, paid for with a loan from BB&T, is long overdue, Goins said. It was in the development stage for about five years.

“This is something the people have wanted for years. Every Lumbee can say this is my own,” the chairman said. “This will give individual tribe members a new sense of deep pride.”

The tribe rents the office space currently used by the tribal government.

“I am thrilled. I’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” Tribal Speaker Ricky Burnett said. “This is something that will touch every Lumbee’s heart. It goes to show that if we stick together and stay positive, anything can happen.”

About 150 attended Saturday’s grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony. Tribal officials and others spoke about the importance of the day’s event as it pertained to Lumbee heritage and culture.

The building’s turtle design was inspired by a dream former tribal administrator Leon Jacobs had in 2004. In American Indian culture the turtle, represents wisdom, according to Burnett.

“I had a dream that we should construct a building emphasizing our culture and history,” Jacobs said after the ceremony. “One of my first brainstorms as administrator was that we needed a good building.”

Purnell Swett, who in January will replace Goins as tribal chairman, used the occasion to make tribe members aware that one of his top priorities as the tribe’s new leader will be to work toward tribal recognition.

“This is a very historic day for the Lumbee people, a day some said they would never see,” he said. “It is an important day for the present generation and for future generations to come.”

State Sen. Michael Walters described the new building as an opportunity for American Indians in and around Robeson County to display their heritage and culture.

Greg Richardson, the executive director of the N.C. Commission of Indian Affairs agreed

“This is a great tribute to the Lumbee people,” Richardson said. “It will meet the needs of present and future generations.”

After the ceremony, Rosa Lewis, who works as a receptionist for the tribe, said she is certain members of the tribe are going to be pleased with the way the new facility makes it easier for them to receive services.

“I think it is going to be a lot better for people when they can come into one building and receive all tribal services,” she said.