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2 <br />OCCANEECHI BAND OF THE SAPONI NATION <br />511 Latimer Street <br />Hillsborough, NC 27278 <br />January 1, 2001 <br />Orange county commissioners <br />Stephen Halkiotis, Chair <br />200 South Cameron Street <br />Hillsborough, NC 27278 <br />Dear Commissioner Halkiotis and colleagues <br /> <br />JAN 4 2001 <br />For the past five years, the second weekend of June, member's of the <br />occaneechi Band of the saponi Nation have held their.Annual spring Festival <br />and Pow Wow on Friday and Saturday. This event is held on the site just <br />behind the "new" Court House on Margaret Lane in downtown Hillsborough. <br />This is the historical area where the occaneechi dwelled for many years <br />before visitors from other lands joined them. <br />As was the way for generations, some of the people who come to share in the <br />festivities would like to camp at the site. We have indigenous people <br />coming from across the United States of America to participate in the <br />Festival and Pow Wow every year. These visitors have only the greatest <br />regard and respect for the people of Hillsborough, Orange County, North <br />Carolina. <br />The members of the occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation are, therefore, <br />requesting "continuous open permission" to allow camping on the site of the <br />Festival and Pow Wow each year. This request covers three days: Thursday, <br />Friday, and Saturday. some friends of the occaneechi come on Thursday to <br />help set up for the upcoming festivities. Most of the participants have <br />departed by late Sunday evening to return home for work, school and other <br />family obligations. Please note that many others do utilized hotel/motel <br />accommodations within the county. <br />Mazy of you have joined us during the preparations and the celebration, and <br />can speak of what it meant to you to participate on this weekend. It is <br />always our way to leave the area cleaner than we found it. When the <br />festivities are over, the grounds are policed and all collected trash is <br />placed where it can easily be picked up. We are most appreciative of all <br />the town and county has done to afford us this opportunity to celebrate on <br />the land our people once called home. This in itself makes this Festival <br />and Pow Wow very unique on the east coast. <br />Thank y?u for your consideration regarding this request. <br />Most::sinc rely. <br />John"'Black£e they- 'Jeffries, Chair <br />occaneechi Band of the saponi Nation