Honoring Catawba Nation’s Heritage and Community: A Recap of HEARTS Catawba Nation ‘25

Amanda Wilson, Catawba jewelry and pottery artisan, showcased her wares at HEARTS Catawba Nation ’25.

HEARTS was delighted to host the second annual HEARTS Catawba Nation at historic Cedar Grove on October 18, 2025, featuring guest speakers Ensley Guffey, Tribal Archivist for the Catawba Nation; Dr. Robert Carter, Ethnobotonay Specialist for the Catawba Nation and Forestry and Wildlife Agent for Clemson University, and Kassidy Plyer, a Catawba Citizen and Cultural Public Programs Specialist.

Guests had the opportunity to take a piece of Catawba heritage home with them, from featured Catawba artisans Justin Johnson, Jeannie Sanders, Debbie Sanders, and Amanda Wilson. These artisans showcased and sold their handmade jewelry and ceramics with techniques passed down from generations, using special clay exclusively from the Catawba Nation.

H is for History in HEARTS, and this event dove deep into better understanding the Catawbas who lived here in our region before the arrival of Europeans, and their history through the twenty-first century.    .

Ensley Guffey, the Catawba Nation’s Tribal Archivist, opened our program by grounding the audience in rich history from the Catawba’s vital alliances during the American Revolution to their perseverance through centuries of displacement and cultural loss. His presentation reminded everyone that the Catawba story is not one of disappearance but of endurance and renewal.

Following Ensley Guffey, next up was Dr. Robert Carter, who shared an engaging talk on ethnobotany, the deep relationship between the Catawba people and the plants that sustain them. Drawing from his own work in forestry and wildlife, Dr. Carter illustrated how the Catawba’s understanding of the natural world is rooted in balance, reciprocity, and respect.

He spoke of plants like black walnut, milkweed, river cane, red mulberry, and yellow poplar, not merely as resources, but as relatives, each holding a purpose and a story. Drawing from his work in forestry and wildlife over the years, Dr. Carter highlighted how Catawba knowledge of the land, passed down through generations, embodies balance, reciprocity, and respect for ecology long before the term ever existed.

Following Dr. Carter, Kassidy Plyer opened her presentation in the Catawba language, offering thanks to the land, to those gathered, and to the Earth itself, a kind gesture that immediately grounded the moment in gratitude.

Kassidy shared her own experience growing up immersed in Catawba traditions and her work today at the Catawba Cultural Center, which serves as both a museum and community hub. The Center welcomes visitors free of charge, offering many exhibits, different trails, and hands-on learning that celebrate the Catawba Nation’s heritage, a culture that predates even the world’s oldest trees.

She reminded the audience that the Catawba story is not forgotten in the past but alive in every artisan, language learner, and child who continues to carry their culture forward.

As the program moved from the speakers indoors to the grounds outside, guests followed to experience the next part of the celebration, live music and traditional Catawba dances, bringing the Nation’s culture vividly to life in motion and sound. The Catawba Nation members performed their traditional dances that included the Fancy Dance, which is known for its intricate footwork. The Jingle Dance is a healing dance marked by the rhythmic sound of metal cones. Each dance carries deep cultural meaning, honoring community, storytelling, and connection.

Lastly, to close out our event, all of our guests were encouraged to join in on the last dance, the Friendship Dance. All of our guests had smiles and nothing short of a fun time being incorporated into this last dance to close the evening.

​Thank you to all our guests who joined us for HEARTS Catawba Nation’25. Thank you to Lake Norman Realty as our Presenting Sponsor and all of our HEARTS Circle members for their continued support of HEARTS (history, ecology, art, reunion, trails, and store) and our mission to preserve and celebrate the importance of history and heritage within our region.  If you’re not yet a HEARTS Circle member, now’s a perfect time to join our growing community. Together, we’ll continue to preserve and connect the stories, people, and places that have shaped this land.  

Mark your calendars, and we hope you can join us for our next HEARTS Happening on November 8th from 2:00 pm-5:00 pm for HEARTS Harvest '25: Milk and Honey. For more information on this event and other upcoming events, click the button below;