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History, exploring environmental and Earth ethic and cultural celebration were all part of Secotan Alliance’s annual conference “In the Spirit of Wingina.”

An attendee for the past two years, this year, Pamlico-Tar Riverkeeper Katey Zimmerman was invited to be a speaker at the two-day event held in Manteo last weekend.

“The theme this year was ‘seeds of wisdom and sustenance’, and I spoke about industrial animal agriculture and its impact on our waterways and communities,” Katey said. “I shared how animal agriculture has evolved over the last few decades in North Carolina, how it impacts the communities these facilities are placed in and how they are an environmental justice issue with the air pollution, water pollution and economic impacts.”

Katey touched on the work Sound Rivers’ Riverkeeping team does: investigating water-quality impacts after waste spills at confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs), tracking facilities in the floodplain and formulating a Rapid Response protocol to follow after tropical events.

“We have all the swine lagoons mapped out in both watersheds, so after storms, we can do aerial surveillance to make sure none have flooded,” Katey said.

In addition to Katey, speakers at “In the Spirit of Wingina 3: Seeds of Wisdom and Sustenance” included Chief Marilyn Berry Morrison (Roanoke/Hatterask Tribe); Dr. Tom Shields (East Carolina University); Dr. Gabrielle Tayac (George Mason University); Dr. Arwin Smallwood (NC Central University); Dr./Reverend Michelle Lewis (Peace Garden Project); Cheryl Anby (Certified Master Gardener); David Webb (Tuscarora Nation of NC) and Sara Hallas (NC Coastal Federation).  

Secotan Alliance … And Beyond is an Indigenous-led nonprofit, formed in 2023 to honor Chief Wingina, leader of the Roanoke-Secotan tribe that occupied the Albemarle Peninsula during the 1580s English Roanoke Voyages. Chief Wingina formed the Secotan Alliance to protect his people’s territory, which spanned present-day Dare, Hyde, Beaufort, Washington and Tyrrell counties. His resistance efforts resulted in his assassination by English military forces in June 1586.

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