It's been said more times than necessary, but it's true that the digital age has revolutionized the way Catawba citizens stay informed. As we get closer and closer to election season for the Catawba Nation, keeping up-to-date with current events is becoming even more important as we decide who to vote for and why. Two Kings Casino, citizen benefit plans, punitive and legal processes all stand to be affected by who sits in the seats of leadership for our tribe over the next few years.
The Longhouse staff has also seen immense change and growth over the past couple of years, especially since the opening of Two Kings Casino. The day to day operations, skills, and capacity required to run corporations of its magnitude simply did not exist prior to July 2020.
Furthermore, considering the upcoming election season, the Catawba Future team was curious about how citizens feel about communications and the relationship the tribe has with our leaders. Our goal will always be to inform honestly and promote transparency so citizens can make decisions on their own. To do this, information we share must be accurate.
From October 2-18, 2022, we published a survey1 to solicit feedback from the community. Members of our community were encouraged to share the link with their personal social networks to maximize response and get a better picture of how our community perceives the current administration of the Catawba Nation. The below information encompasses 106 responses from self-identifying Catawba Citizens and family members2.
95.3% of respondents declared they are enrolled citizens of the Catawba Nation. 4.7% declared they are a spouse or parent of an enrolled citizen of the Catawba Nation. No responses were received indicating they were not citizens of the Catawba Nation.
The majority response for this question was “Direct phone call” with a response rate of 34.9%. This question had an “other” option. Additional responses received include:
“No way as I have found but if I had to pick one it would be direct face to face.”
“None are really that effective any longer but I'd have to say direct phone call if you have their number.”
“Depends on when and who you calling”
“No one ever responds either way"
“I can't ever reach anyone”
“Luck”
“For me it is through email since I am out of the area. I live in Florida.”
The prevailing response was email with a rate of 63.2% indicating it was the first method used to connect with tribal leadership or the Longhouse team.
On a scale from 1 to 5, with one being not confident and five being very confident, 34% of respondents indicated 1 (not confident).
33% of responses indicated social media as the most reliable method of learning accurate information about Catawba Nation programs, updates, and policies. Additional responses to the “other” option include:
“This is sad but comments on Facebook post"
“Face to face weather zoom or in person or the news letter”
“Not sure”
“From other members"
“I have to check their page every day orat least once a week"
“The newsletter"
"Flyers posted”
Most respondents indicated they had contacted the Longhouse for assistance or information 1-3 times in the past six months at a rate of 45.3%.
On a scale from 1 to 5, with one being not confident and five being very confident, 42.5% of respondents indicated 1 (not confident).
On a scale from 1 to 5, with one being not confident and five being very confident, 33.1% of respondents indicated 3 (somewhat confident).
Based on 106 responses, the majority of Catawba citizens feel that the most effective way to reach the Longhouse is by direct phone call. Other than reaching out directly, citizens feel that the most reliable way to learn accurate information about tribal updates, programs, and policies is through social media. Additionally, while citizens felt somewhat confident about being able to connect with tribal employees for information and assistance, citizens are not confident they can reach members of the Catawba Nation Executive Committee.
It's been an eventful year for the Catawba Nation and it seems like we're experiencing growing pains. Communication and transparency are essential for any government to function. While this editor personally knows there are people within the current administration that actively work towards this end, concern is growing that the efforts to maintain this are diminishing or are being overshadowed by other voices and goals. This survey was conducted almost on a whim out of curiosity and the responses should not have been as surprising as they were. Clear communication and honest conversations are more important now than ever and will forge our pathway forward as a tribe, for better or worse. Let's work together to create a future our descendants will be proud of.
Update 10/26/22, 7:49 AM: We’re still learning the ins and outs of Substack, so unfortunately we had to remove a couple of links that weren’t working properly. Don’t worry, though - all the same info is here!
Update, 12:56 PM: We have been notified that we stated email is the first method used by respondents to contact the Catawba Nation Longhouse when, in fact, it's actually by phone. This has been corrected.
This survey was published and facilitated independently and was in no way connected to the Catawba Nation tribal government.
During our editor's time working at the Catawba Nation Longhouse, surveys were facilitated in the same way as ours. To remain anonymous within the context of surveying, there is no way to verify responses when it comes to Catawba enrollment, however it should be noted this is the same margin of error accepted by the Catawba Nation Longhouse in the past. If you have questions, please feel free to reach out to our team directly at editor@catawbafuture.com. To reach the Longhouse communications team, email media@catawba.com.
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