State recognition won't bring Horry County's Waccamaw Tribe members the opportunities for economic development and public assistance that come with federal tribal recognition. But in formally recognizing the Waccamaws as a tribal group Thursday, the S.C. Minority Affairs Commission effectively declared their culture and history to be distinct - and important.

This is a bigger deal than some readers may think. Four centuries of interaction with European settlers and their descendants obliterated the cultures of many S.C. tribes. The Waccamaws are one of a number of S.C. tribes whose members have worked for years to recover lost history and traditions. The 2003 law in which Gov. Mark Sanford and the General Assembly authorized state recognition of Indian tribes gives greater meaning to those efforts.

State recognition doesn't qualify the Waccamaws and other tribes honored Thursday to pursue land claims in the courts or to seek Class 3 federal casino licenses. Tribes have to achieve federal recognition to gain those rights - an especially difficult task for tribes from the Southeast, due to the documentation required. Western tribes whose members made peace with the government in the 19th century tend to have more complete records of their traditions and their history since the arrival of the Europeans.

But state recognition does end centuries of neglect while dispelling the erroneous popular impression that the population at large has absorbed American Indians. Many residents have Indian blood, and some may not realize that. The Waccamaws, the Pee Dee and other tribes recognized Thursday, in contrast, take great pains to show that they have never lost their American Indian identity, and to show what sets it apart from the dominant culture.

On the practical side, state recognition also allows the Waccamaws and other recognized tribes to sell crafts designated as American Indian-made. Recognition also makes tribes eligible to receive grants from the federal government and private nonprofit organizations.

Congratulations to the Waccamaws and other tribes honored Thursday. The sense of validation they feel must be sweet, indeed.