♪ The South Carolina Hall of Fame was founded in Myrtle Beach in 1973. to recognize and honor contemporary and past citizens.

who have made outstanding contributions to South Carolina's heritage history and progress.

♪ drumming ♪ >> King Haiglar was a chief of the Catawba Native American Indian tribe from the early 1750s to his death in 1763.

Known as the patron saint of Camden, he had a reputation as peacekeeper with other tribes and colonists, yet he was also known as a fierce warrior and a cunning leader of the Catawba Nation.

♪ drumming ♪ >> He was for peace to obtain peace within the nations from here to upstate New York.

so he was - he understood you know that native people were becoming the smaller of the group in America and he understood quickly that you know that it was all about preserving the native people that was going to keep the cultures alive.

so peace was a way of making that happen.

>> He was very passionate about his people and he was a leader not by title, but by action he led his men into battle and he was a warrior and that gained a lot of respect from his people.

<narrator> An incident arose when a Catawba warrior stole livestock from the Spratt family.

King Haiglar, being close friends with the family shot the Catawba warrior himself in order to restore peace and trust.

<Bill> He called his people together and that person was in that group and as he came across the field Haiglar shot the man dead and it was you know, he understood that, you know, if he didn't distribute the justice it was going to come on to his land and be distributed and that was going to do more harm than good.

So, he took it upon himself to distribute that justice knowing that if he did not justice was coming and the people would not accept it from the colonists.

♪ This is the speech that Haiglar made in North Carolina in August 29th, 1754 and it begins "As to our living on these lands we expect to live on these lands we now possess during our time here.

For when the great men above made us he also made this island.

He also made our forefathers and of this color and his hue.

We in those days had no instruments to support our living, but bows which be completed with stones.

Knives we had none.

Our clothing were skins and fur, instead of which now we enjoy these cloths, which we got from the White people and ever since they first came amongst us we have enjoyed all these things.

We have lived in a brotherly love and peace with them and more especially with these three governments, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia.

And it is our earnest desire that love and friendship which has long remained shall ever continue.

So as you can tell by the words the man spoke elegantly in 1754.

He spoke of friendship.

He spoke of love.

He knew that you know it was all about people coming together and understanding it.

Its collectively, we become better.

♪ drumming ♪ One of the things that history has taught us is that Catawbas were a fierce, one of the fiercest warriors on the east coast.

They were feared by many people and so being feared by many there was a benefit if you could get a Catawba Scout.

♪ drumming ♪ Also that meant you had you had survived an ordeal.

There were several tribes who were at war with Catawba and they were always looking to obtain a scout.

It just so happened that there was a group of Shawnee who would come out of the Ohio Valley on a raiding party and they were looking for a Catawba Scout.

They caught him between two villages and he was ambushed and killed there.

♪ drumming ♪ <narrator> King Haiglar was the first Native American to be inducted into the South Carolina Hall of Fame in 2009.

<Wenonah> King Haiglar was very proud of his people he was very proud of what he was trying to do in a selfless manner and he also learned that through sharing of cultures, you can take the best and still be proud of who you are and keep your culture.

<Bill> Some people don't know this, but if you look at this piece of pottery in front of you that face that you see there is actually - the people created that that face in remembrance of of Haiglar.

So he is - you'll see this this shape on a lot of pieces of pottery and different shapes but that that face stays the same and it's Haiglar's.

It was their way of honoring him for his leadership.

We've never had another, another tribal leader that's ever been been encased in such way.

♪ drumming ♪