This story is excerpted from an interview conducted in Bennettsville in October 2026

Karen: It’s a I don’t know. I really that we’re people too. I mean, we’re not like those freaks over in the corner. This is just our culture. Whereas your culture may be, you know, your history may be from Scotland, or your history may be from England, or you know, wherever. This is our culture, and we. It’s nothing to be afraid of. It’s something to be proud of, and and that’s what we teach our children as they grow, and we’re not those freaks in the corner. 

Savannah Turgal: Yeah, 

Karen: we are here. 

Savannah Turgal: Yeah, 

Karen: and we’re we weren’t put on a reservation. 

Savannah Turgal: Yeah, we 

Karen: are here. 

Savannah Turgal: Yeah, 

Karen 1: some some people were. Some of our ancestors were, but we’re we were born and raised here, and this is the Mother Earth we serve.