Native American Resilience in South Carolina 

Presented by Joshua Shumak 

In 1513, the first European settlement in what is now South Carolina was established on Parris Island. It’s inhabitants were the first of many settlers to cross the Atlantic Ocean and settle in the area, but the land had been occupied for centuries by various tribes of Native peoples. Over several era’s of American history, Native Americans have faced disease, violence, and exile from land once held by their ancestors. As the populations of several of these tribes dwindled, the preservation of their culture was a struggle, but many members of these tribes still remain, and their voices come together to tell the history of their peoples. Join Joshua Shumak as he highlights the resilience and challenges of Native American communities in South Carolina.

Joshua Shumak is Vice Chief of the Wassamasaw Tribe of Varnertown Indians and Native American Affairs Program Coordinator for the South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs. A nationally respected advocate and educator, he has received multiple Keys to the City and became one of the the youngest recipients of the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian honor. His work has earned numerous national and international awards for leadership, cultural preservation, and public service. In 2024, Joshua made history as the first representative of a South Carolina–recognized tribe to speak at the United Nations Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Geneva.

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