Vickie Jeffries, or Mihe Heyananhes Yattse, is a beader, basket weaver and Indigenous herbalist. She was born in Alamance County and is an enrolled citizen of the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation.
Jeffries is the tribal administrator for the OBSN, a Native American tribe indigenous to Alamance County. She said that unveiling a stone on Sept. 9 at Elon’s campus was a feeling that words can’t describe.
“You wouldn't think that it would actually happen, but it did, and all things are possible,” Jeffries said. “To know that people will finally see this stone, they can read it and read about the evolution.”
The historical marker is placed on a walking path next to Dwight C. Schar Hall, surrounded by Korean plum yew and Autumn Rouge. Engraved in gold letters, it states: “Elon University’s main campus is located on land of Siouan-speaking native people, including the Saponi, Eno, Tutelo, Occaneechi and Shakori tribes.”
“Elon being on here, they're stewards of the land now, and you have to respect it and honor it,” Jeffries said. “The trees, even all the squirrels that run around here, the ground, Mother Earth, just respect that.”
During the ceremony, Jeffries smudged the area with sage and cedar out of a wooden bowl, clearing any negativity.
“People walk through here all the time, and where the stone is placed means that all the negativity that has surrounded that is gone,” Jeffries said. “You know it's cleared of that.”
Anne-Marie Iselin, an Elon psychology professor, was part of the OBSN heritage language and learning workforce working group at Elon. She said the unveiling highlighted the importance of culture, especially since the smudging herbs were sacred. Smudging is the burning of dried herbs in Native American purification rituals.
“This smudging was a process of making sure that the platelet is good and that there are positive dimensions,” Iselin said.
Iselin also recognized the number of people who attended the ceremony.
“It was a great turnout,” Iselin said. “It was really nice to see faculty, staff and students, as well as community members, here. I think it was an excellent showing.”