Catawba History and Culture

The Catawba Indian Nation exercises its full sovereignty, achieves self-determination, and advances Nation rebuilding by establishing a diverse and vibrant economy grounded in cultural values, based on key assets, and leverages strategic partnerships that foster Native entrepreneurship, encourage innovation, attract capital investment, and create employment opportunities that improves the quality of life and overall well-being of the Catawba people.

Nicholas Galanin’s work is rooted in his perspective as an Indigenous man, deeply connected to the land and his Tlingit/Unangax culture. His exhibition at the Van Every/Smith Galleries, Dreaming in English, includes an installation of the same title that speaks directly to the forced removal and relocation of Indigenous children from the reservation into residential “schools.” These so-called “schools” were not focused on education but rather on assimilation; the intent was to eradicate both culture and spirit.

A collection of artwork by or of indigenous peoples.