Category: Lenni Lenape

If you walk through Battery Park in lower Manhattan, you will find the Netherland Monument — a 1926 piece by the Dutch sculptor Hendrik van den Eijnde, and one of the many structures in New York that perpetuate the myth of the sale of this island. In all his glory, you can see Dutch colonial governor Peter Minuit “purchasing” the land with wampum beads, worth a staggering sum of $24, from a “Lenape Native” whose name no one seems to know. This Native man is wearing a headdress of the sort typically worn by Plains Natives hundreds of miles away. One doesn’t get the sense that van den Eijnde tormented himself trying to get the details right.

The only proof of the “sale” of Manhattan is a small section in a letter written by a colonist in 1626. There’s no mention of beads or trinkets, and no deed of sale, only a passage cited from the Dutch National Archives that reads: “Our people are in good spirit and they live in peace. They have purchased the island of Manhattes from the savages for the value of sixty guilders.”

The problem here is that Lenape peoples, along with most Indigenous peoples, are inextricably connected to the land as stewards, and did not share the concepts of money or land ownership as Europeans did. And so they were strategically displaced from their ancestral homelands, despite having shown graciousness to the Shouwunnok, otherwise known as salt water (read: white) people.

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This displacement of the Lenape peoples was a huge motivation for Mary Kathryn Nagle’s play “Manahatta,” which tells the story of Jane Snake, a Lenape woman who moves to Manahatta from Oklahoma during the 2008 financial crisis for a banking job — thus reconnecting with…

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On Saturday, November 18th, you are invited to the William Trent House for the premier of a compelling new project, “Native American Government and Sovereignty”. The day’s activities will begin at 1pm at the Trent House Visitor Center, located at 15 Market St, Trenton, NJ 08611. If you plan on driving, there is plenty of free parking available to guests  across from the Hughes Justice Complex. This program is free to attend, so be certain to bring the whole family for an engaging afternoon of education.

The host for the afternoon, Brianna Dagostino, is a member of New Jersey’s state-recognized Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribe. Ms. Dagostino recently received her Master’s Degree in history from Rowan University, submitting “Tribal Rights Are Important Rights”: The Origins, Travails, And Impact Of The Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribe V. The State Of New Jersey” as her thesis. Brianna lectures throughout the east coast about her people, cultivating an appreciation of the Nanticoke Lenape people all throughout the country.

The day’s presentation, “Native American Government and Sovereignty”, is a premiere screening of a new series intended to inform teenagers ​and adults about the history, culture, and contemporary life of the Lenape people of New Jersey. This video series has been produced and funded by the New Jersey Council for the Humanities. A massive asset to public education, these videos will no doubt be foundational in continuing to share the lives and cultures of our nation’s indigenous population.

This event is hosted by the William Trent House Museum, a destination for history in the Capital City. The Trent House is instrumental in telling the full story of Trenton history, sharing the perspectives of all those present at the start of this nation, including Indigenous populations, European settlers, and people of African descent, both enslaved and free. At the…

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The state formally recognizes November as Native American Heritage Month.

Gov. John Carney, joined by members of the Lenape Indian Tribe of Delaware and Nanticoke Indian Tribe, signed a proclamation Tuesday.

The U.S. officially began recognizing National Native American Heritage Month in 1990. Delaware trailed behind, with lawmakers first introducing a resolution for the monthin 2011.

Carney says it’s important for Delawareans to learn more about the history and heritage of Native Americans.

“How important they were to the settling of the State of Delaware. To celebrate those who carry on those traditions. To recognize our responsibilities to help them with lands that have been set aside- buildings, museums. And the people, most importantly the people themselves,” said Carney.

The Lenape Tribe wasn’t formally recognized by the state until 2016.

Since then, they have established a strong relationship.

That’s according to Lenape Chief Dennis Coker, who says the tribe is working closely with the Delaware Department Of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.

“Which has been most recently evidenced by a joint use agreement that we have signed with the Fork Branch Preserve,” explained Coker. “It is a state property holding very close to our community and the Fork Branch area where we have several environmentally focused projects that we’re working on right now.”

The Lenape have also partnered with the Office of Historical and Cultural Affairs to continue to explore pre-contact history and have their perspectives heard in that conversation.

And while the state’s relationship with both the Nanticokes and Lenape has grown over the past few decades, the Office of Historical and Cultural Affairs recognizes more work needs to be done to amplify Native American voices, support their economic development, and address the challenges they face.

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NEWLIN — What some say was the last living Lenape Indian in Chester County, Hannah Freeman, sometimes known as “Indian Hanna,” was honored on Nov. 5.

As part of an Outstanding Women in American History Ceremony, the Chester County Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution honored Freeman.

The event was attended by about 120 history lovers at the site of hallowed ground where Freeman was likely buried. Many of the bodies at the site were moved to make way for the Embreeville complex.

A marker in Newlin Township where Indian Hannah Freeman might have been originally buried. (BILL RETTEW/MEDIANEWS GROUP)

A 1909 marker on a large rock at the site reads: “Here rests Indian Hannah the last of the Lenni-Lenape Indians in Chester County who died in 1802/Marked by the Chester County Historical Society 1909.”

Freeman was a healer, artisan, farmer, basket weaver and herbalist who was born in 1731 and died in a poorhouse in 1802.

According to an agreement with land developer, and namesake of Pennsylvania, William Penn, the Lenape would own a piece of land along the Brandywine Creek until the last Lenape died. Freeman was likely incorrectly cited as the last Lenape.

Freeman acted as a placeholder of traditions and customs for the Lenape Indians who wandered, according to Marilyn Konicky, chair of the PSSDAR American Indians Committee.

Konicky said that Freeman was intelligent, strong, independent and a survivor.

“She was well respected by the Lenape community and her neighbors,” Konicky said.

Artist Adrian Martinez painted a rendering of Freeman that was displayed at the ceremony, Walking by the Light of the August Moon. No one knows precisely what Freeman…

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Off-Broadway News Upcoming New York Premiere of Manahatta Extends Off-Broadway at The Public Theater

The new play from Mary Kathryn Nagle begins performances November 16, with Laurie Woolery at the helm.

Mary Kathryn Nagle

Off-Broadway’s The Public Theater has extended the upcoming New York premiere of Mary Kathryn Nagle‘s Manahatta, with performances now set to run through December 23 at the company’s Anspacher Theater. Previews begin November 16 ahead of a December 5 opening night. Director Laurie Woolery is at the helm.

The cast will include Rainbow Dickerson as Toosh-ki-pa-kwis-i and Debra, Elizabeth Frances as Le-le-wa’-you and Jane, David Kelly as Jonas Michaelius and Michael, Jeffrey King as Peter Minuit and Dick, Enrico Nassi as Se-ket-tu-may-qua and Luke, Joe Tapper as Jakob and Joe, and Sheila Tousey as Mother and Bobbie. Jessica Ranville and Rex Young will round out the company as understudies.

Manahatta follows a young Native woman with an MBA who reconnects with her ancestral Lenape homeland after moving from Oklahoma to New York for a banking job in 2008. The piece was written as part of The Public’s Emerging Writers Group, and returns to The Public for a full production following earlier runs at Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Yale Repertory Theatre.

The production will feature scenic design by Marcelo Martínez García, costume design by Lux Haac, lighting design by Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew, sound design and composition by Paul James Prendergast, fight and intimacy direction by Kelsey Rainwater, and movement direction by Ty Defoe. Amanda Nita Luke-Sayed will be the production stage manager, and Janelle Caso will be the stage manager. Lenape Center Executive Director and Cofounder Joe Baker is serving as cultural consultant.

Visit PublicTheater.org.

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[] A Celebration of Native American Heritage at Judy Weston Garden – Montclair Local e,set(t){if(t&&t.fn&&!jQueriesArray.includes(t)){t.fn.ready=t.fn.init.prototype.ready=function(e){pmDOMLoaded?e.bind(document)(t):document.addEventListener(“perfmatters-DOMContentLoaded”,function(){e.bind(document)(t)})};let r=t.fn.on;t.fn.on=t.fn.init.prototype.on=function(){if(this[0]===window){function e(e){return e=(e=(e=e.split(” “)).map(function(e){return”load”===e||0===e.indexOf(“load.”)?”perfmatters-jquery-load”:e})).join(” “)}”string”==typeof arguments[0]||arguments[0]instanceof String?arguments[0]=e(arguments[0]):”object”==typeof arguments[0]&&Object.keys(arguments[0]).forEach(function(t){delete Object.assign(arguments[0],{[e(t)]:arguments[0][t]})[t]})}return r.apply(this,arguments),this},jQueriesArray.push(t)}e=t}})}function pmProcessDocumentWrite(){let e=new Map;document.write=document.writeln=function(t){var r=document.currentScript,n=document.createRange();let a=e.get(r);void 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Join the Ramapo-Munsee Lenape and the South Street Seaport Museum for a special Land and Water Acknowledgement Ceremony and engaging storytelling to honor the Native people of the region the Seaport Museum now calls home. Together, we will delve deeper into the history of the waterways that influenced New Amsterdam and get a deeper understanding of “Where New York Begins.” The free event will be held on Sunday, November 19, 2023, at 2pm, at 12 Fulton Street. southstreetseaportmuseum.org/lenapehoking

Ramapo-Munsee Lenape Tribal Leaders will give remarks and discuss the history of Lenapehoking, the Indigenous territory of the Canarsee and Manahatoos, who once cultivated and protected the lands that are now known as the South Street Seaport. The ceremony will include screening of the short film Silent Tribute, A Rainey Film & Media Production, and close with a traditional flute song.

Following the ceremony, Amy Martinez, Ramapo-Munsee Lenape tribal member, will present an Indigenous book reading of a work authored by a member of the Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape.

A reception will follow the program. Registration is encouraged for this free event but walkups will be accommodated as possible.

Brief Indigenous Seaport History

This history is included in the South Street Seaport Museum Land Acknowledgement that will be dedicated by Ramapo-Munsee Lenape Tribal Leaders.

Although natives used tributaries as central highways through the middle of town, they were obligated to use the same rivers as boundaries with colonial land speculators, thus upsetting their own sense of relationship to the land. All headwaters were considered sacred-places where warfare were banned. Rivers and streams were the main forms of transportation. Canoers would take full advantage of the tides to conserve the (muscle and caloric) energy of the day.

An effective energy conserving practice was to hoist the canoe and all their gear over their heads and walk from one river…

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Native American group starts to reclaim land that once belonged to ancestors in NJ

Native American group starts to reclaim land that once belonged to ancestors in NJ 02:08

QUINTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. (CBS) — A Native American group is reclaiming 63 acres of land in Salem County that once belonged to its ancestors.

The land is tucked away in the woods in Quinton Township, and it’s one of the few examples in New Jersey of Native Americans reclaiming their ancestral land.

Ty Gould Jacinto, who runs the Native American Advancement Corporation (NAAC), which now owns the land, said it originally belonged to the Cohanzick Lenape people before the arrival of European settlers.  

A South Carolina church eventually came to own the land and placed it for sale last year.  

With help from the state, and nonprofits, including the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, Jacinto’s organization purchased the 63 acres, returning it to Indigenous ownership.  

“People will be able to come and work with this community and learn about the native plants and species that live here,” Rob Ferber, who works at the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, said. “The greatest thing about it for me is the sense of peace that comes over me. It’s very calming here. It’s quiet.” 

The NAAC plans to turn the former church building into a cultural center and open the surrounding land up to the public as a nature reserve.

It’ll be called the Cohanzick Nature Reserve.

John Barry, who works at the NAAC, said they’ll use this land’s calming nature to teach Indigenous conservation practices and environmental stewardship.  

“Just to slow down and that there’s a place for you to slow down and hear nature,”…

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A Native American group has successfully reclaimed 63 acres of land in Quinton Township, New Jersey that once belonged to their ancestors. This extraordinary achievement marks a rare example of Native Americans reclaiming their ancestral land in the state.

The land, nestled in the woods of Quinton Township, was originally owned by the Cohanzick Lenape people before European settlers arrived. Over time, the land came under the ownership of a South Carolina church, which put it up for sale last year.

With the help of the state and various nonprofits, including the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, the Native American Advancement Corporation (NAAC) was able to purchase the 63 acres and restore Indigenous ownership.

The NAAC has ambitious plans for the land. They intend to transform the former church building into a cultural center, offering visitors the opportunity to learn about the native plants and species that inhabit the area. Additionally, the surrounding land will be opened up to the public as a nature reserve named the Cohanzick Nature Reserve.

John Barry, an advocate at the NAAC, expressed his excitement about the potential for using the land to educate others on Indigenous conservation practices and environmental stewardship. He emphasized the importance of taking the time to slow down and connect with nature.

This inspiring endeavor not only allows the Native American community to reclaim their historical ties to the land, but it also offers an opportunity for the public to learn about the rich cultural heritage and deep connection to nature that has shaped the Cohanzick Lenape people for centuries.

FAQ

1. Why is this land significant to the Native American community?

This land in Quinton Township, New Jersey, was originally owned by the Cohanzick Lenape people, making it an important piece of their…

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NEWTOWN, PA — To commemorate Native American Heritage Month, Bucks County Community College invites the public to “Teachings from the Turtle Clan” at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8 on the Newtown campus and online.

Join Chief Chuck Gentlemoon DeMund for a discussion of the history, current issues, and cultural practices of the descendants of the original inhabitants of Lenape Hoking. Chief DeMund is keeper of ceremony and intertribal liaison for the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania.

Among current issues is an effort to get the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to officially recognize the Lenape Nation, as neighboring states Delaware and New Jersey have done. That effort has been underway for more than 30 years, and as recently as last May, the Lenape and their supporters rallied in Harrisburg. Although several lawmakers and other officials have pledged their support of the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania, this has yet to lead to action. Learn more at lenape-nation.org

Native American Heritage Month was officially proclaimed as November in 1990. But as early as 1915, efforts began to gain a day of recognition for the significant contributions the first Americans made to the establishment and growth of the United States. To learn more, visit nativeamericanheritagemonth.gov.

“Native Americans did not come to the United States from the southern border or Ellis Island – they were here long before the Europeans and the Africans,” noted Kevin Antoine, J.D., the college’s associate vice president of community and government relations and Chief Diversity Officer. “The Lenape people, before the arrival of Europeans, had advanced environmental and agricultural practices that are accepted and used today.”

“Teachings from the Turtle Clan” with Chief Chuck Gentlemoon DeMund takes place at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, November 8, in the Orangery Building on the campus at 275 Swamp Rd., Newtown, 18940. Admission and parking are free.

The presentation…

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