The mighty Delaware River flows for 330 miles, from its source in the Catskill Mountains of New York to its mouth in the Delaware Bay between New Jersey and Delaware. It provides drinking water for 13 million people, abundant scenic beauty, a corridor for trade and commerce, and habitat for diverse wildlife.
Many people love the Delaware, but perhaps none more than the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania, the descendants of the original people who lived along the river for thousands of years before European settlement.
“The river is very sacred to us; we say it’s our lifeblood,” said Barbara Bluejay, secretary of the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania, which draws members from all four states along the river and beyond.
Every four years, the Lenape Nation celebrates its ancestral lands and seeks peace and healing through a unique tradition: a month-long canoe paddle down the Delaware, with stops along the way for public signings of a ceremonial friendship treaty.
This year’s “Rising Nation River Journey” began on July 20 in Hancock, N.Y., on the upper Delaware, and will wrap up on Aug. 20 in Cape May. Treaty signings are scheduled in 10 locations, including Milford, Frenchtown, Lambertville and West Cape May in New Jersey.
The river paddle emphasizes the Lenape Nation’s spiritual connection to the river and nature. “We want people to take care of the river and take care of the Earth, because the Creator gave them to us,” said Bluejay. “I did the river trip in 2010 and it was a magical experience,” she added. “You should see the eagles that followed us, and the dragonflies.”
The public is invited to bring their own canoes and kayaks and join the sojourn. But even people who don’t paddle can be part of the treaty signings.
“Our trip is all about…
