A 2,600-year-old bald cypress tree stands quietly in North Carolina’s Three Sisters Swamp—older than the Roman Empire, untouched by time, and protected by a resurgent tribal community.
In this powerful episode, Travis Loop joins members of the Coharie Tribe on a World Water Day paddle through their ancestral waters on the Black River.
Guided by Kullen Bell and other tribal leaders, the journey reveals a deep cultural revival grounded in environmental stewardship. The conversation explores the tribe’s restoration of forgotten waterways, their discovery of a 650-year-old dugout canoe, and the creation of a paddling trail that reconnects people to place.
Bell also discusses the Great Coharie River Initiative and how community action has led to visibility, funding, and a new generation of programs.
Film supported by the Clean Water For All Coalition.
waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet exploring solutions for water sustainability. Visit https://www.waterloop.org/
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