Digital Scholarship and Initiatives

This installment in a series on the context of the Lumbee focuses on similarities and differences between the Lumbee and other Native American groups. One difference between the Lumbee and some other groups is that the Lumbee do not now speak an ancient language or use ancient styles of dress or housing; however, this is also true of many other Native Americans. The Lumbee are similar to other Native American groups in that they have higher than average rates of gall bladder disease, diabetes, middle ear infections, and lactose intolerance. Other similarities are the Lumbee emphasis on kinship, extended family, and informal leadership structures.