Culture, connection draw thousandsat Lumbee showcase held at GPAC

PEMBROKE — For a heartbeat, the audience sat in silent anticipation. Thousands of elementary students leaned forward in their seats and strained to make out figures on the darkened stage of the Givens Performing Arts Center.

The first drumbeat cracked through the stillness. Then a second, and third, as the lights began to rise. The room shifted — eyes widening as dancers in vibrant regalia stepped center stage. Cheers and excited applause erupted across the crowd, a wave of discovery that set the tone for the annual Lumbee Tribe Cultural Showcase at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke.

More than 3,000 students attended the Nov. 20 showcase, co-sponsored by GPAC and the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. The third annual event featured two one-hour performances filled with traditional Lumbee dancing, drumming and storytelling. Students from 23 schools across Robeson, Cumberland, Hoke and Bladen counties packed the theater — an increase of nearly 300 participants over last year.

Designed as an educational experience, the showcase invites young learners to connect with Lumbee history and culture through the power of live performance. For many, it is also an introduction to the performing arts — a chance to feel the vibration of the drum, watch the swirl of color as dancers move across the stage and hear stories passed down through generations.

Cassandra Bell’s students were captivated.

“I was able to expose my students to some of the Lumbee traditions, and it resonated with them academically and personally,” said Bell, a third- and fourth-grade teacher at Union Elementary School. “The children talked a lot about their favorite dance styles on the way back to school.”

Lumbee Tribal Chairman John Lowery said he was encouraged by the enthusiasm and attentiveness of the students who attended the shows.

“It is wonderful to have this opportunity to share about Native culture and Lumbee traditions with so many groups from across the region,” Lowery said. “The excitement of the crowd from the beginning of the show until the very end was amazing.”

The Lumbee Tribe’s territory and service area includes Robeson, Scotland, Hoke and Cumberland counties. The tribal housing complex, located on Highway 711 and known locally as “The Turtle,” is home to many of the tribe’s core services and community programs. Education and cultural awareness are important components of the tribe’s outreach efforts.

The Lumbee Tribe and GPAC partner each year to present the showcase, continuing UNCP’s long-standing connection to the Lumbee community and its commitment to expanding cultural understanding throughout the region. The program also strengthens access to arts experiences for children — many of whom are stepping into a theater and seeing a live performance for the very first time.

“What moves me most is seeing students with such openness and wonder because moments like this spark understanding and strengthen the ties that have connected UNCP and the Lumbee community since our founding,” said James Bass, executive director of GPAC. “We’re grateful to team up with the Lumbee Tribe each year to offer an experience that stays with these students long after they leave our theater.”