On the Swamp
Fighting for Indigenous Environmental Justice
Despite centuries of colonialism, Indigenous peoples still occupy parts of their ancestral homelands in what is now Eastern North Carolina-a patchwork quilt of forested swamps, sandy plains, and blackwater streams that spreads across the Coastal Plain between the Fall Line and the Atlantic Ocean. In these backwaters, Lumbees and other American Indians have adapted to a radically transformed world while maintaining vibrant cultures and powerful connections to land and water. This reality is paralleled in Indigenous communities worldwide as Indigenous people continue to assert their rights to self-determination by resisting legacies of colonialism and the continued transformation of their homelands through pollution, unsustainable development, and climate change.
Reviews
"Emanuel, a member of the Lumbee Tribe and a hydrologist at Duke University, is uniquely positioned to tell this story. . . . [On the Swamp illuminate[s] cyclical patterns of environmental injustice, rendered through deeply personal storytelling and vivid locality—down to the color of the water in seemingly every last rivulet in the county." —Sierra
"In writing that’s both affectionate and candid, On the Swamp is a warning about, and a celebration of, eastern North Carolina."—Grist
"On the Swamp is a key text for readers interested in working with tribes, both federally recognized and non federally recognized, within environmental planning and cultural resource management. The book not only highlights Indigenous perspectives on the environment and land stewardship but also provides important recommendations for shifting tribal collaboration from consultation toward consent."—Journal of the American Planning Association
"Ryan Emanuel takes you on a fascinating journey through time on his Lumbee homelands, focusing on contemporary tribal environmental protections efforts. The Lumbee tribe’s quest to preserve their natural environment and water is a valuable story of how many tribes try to mitigate the risk of climate change while knowing they’ll bear a greater burden of ecological harm for all of society. Emanuel captures in beautiful detail how tribes use traditional values around caretaking the environment while asserting their sovereignty."—Karen Diver, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
"This book is an extraordinary study of environmental and Indigenous history. Exhaustively researched and truly captivating."—Steven Semken, Arizona State University
