A Study of the Cultural Significance of a Dugout Canoe to People of the Past and Present

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the significance of canoe No.SOR0001 and the impacts that it has on the Coharie Tribe of North Carolina. This involved compiling a belonging biography of the canoe including its creation, use, abandonment, recovery, preservation, adoption into the Coharie Tribe, and its final curation. There is a special focus on the more contemporary period from the canoe's recovery to the present to fully understand how a belonging such as this can help preserve the spiritual connection between modern people and their ancestors.