Category: Lenni Lenape

Every September 17, Americans across the country observe Constitution Day, an opportunity to remember and celebrate the monumental task our founding fathers took on in 1787 to create a new form of government. During the Constitutional Convention in the summer of 1787, Pennsylvania sent eight delegates to Philadelphia who would attempt to craft the most important document in American history using their expertise and experience in a variety of fields.

While the battle for an effective governmental structure raged in the East, a very different conflict continued to cause strife in the wild wilderness of central Pennsylvania: the struggle between Native Americans and westward expansion. 

Native Americans have existed in central Pennsylvania for thousands of years, with sites near modern-day Houserville dating back several thousand years. Centuries before European colonization along the East Coast, Native groups like the Lenape and Susquehannock thrived in the wilderness that was rich with with fish, game, and tillable soil. With the arrival of Europeans throughout the seventeenth century, changes had been forced on Native peoples. Tribes that were traditionally east of central Pennsylvania were forced from their homes by the increasing population of European immigrants. Clashes were common, but the results were the same. Eventually the frontline of those battles would make its way to the heart of the Appalachian Mountains.

By the mid-eighteenth century, conflict between Native Americans and Europeans, both French and British, were well documented. Many pushed for Great Britain or France to deal with the Native groups using direct force, but the European kingdoms responded by strategically constructing forts, likely defending themselves against each other as much as against Native attacks. At the onset of the French and Indian War, Native Americans all across America would be caught in the middle, forced to choose sides or face extinction.

Locally, the…

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“WHEN THE SHADBUSH BLOOMS, THE SHADFISH RETURN”: This acrylic on paper work by Susan Hoenig is featured in “On Lenape Land,” on view October 1 through December 31 at the Tulpehaking Nature Center in Hamilton.

“On Lenape Land,” an exhibition of paintings and forest compositions by Susan Hoenig, will be on view October 1 through December 31 at the Tulpehaking Nature Center, 157 Westcott Avenue, Hamilton. An opening reception is on October 1 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.

The artist states: “The land upon which we gather is part of the traditional territory of the Lenape, called Lenapehoking. The Lenape people lived in harmony with the land for thousands of years.

“Crosswicks Creek and the Bordentown Bluffs are at the edge of the Abbott Marshlands, an area in New Jersey that was the largest site for Middle Woodland occupation in the Northeast. For at least 13,000 years Native Americans were drawn to the Bordentown Bluffs overlooking the flood plains around the wetland margins, on the banks of the Delaware River. They often built their settlements on the bluffs; fish and the plants of the marsh areas were an important reason why they came. The size of the groups the Native Americans lived in varied significantly over time. They tended the natural plants on the land and gathered them for food and medicine for thousands of years before they started to plant corn.

“I took many Friends for the Abbott Marshlands walks led by Charlie and Mary (Allessio) Leck to observe avian and plant life. In the spring of 2021, Mary Leck, botanist and emeritus professor at Rider University, invited me to accompany her with naturalists and conservationists to walk the trails along the Bordentown Bluffs edge, 60 feet above Crosswicks Creek. Mary pointed…

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BRADFORD COUNTY, Pa. — “We need the trees to breathe, we need to save our mountain, Thank you”. Said Athens Township resident Kristine Litleer. Pollution and dust were some of the concerns residents say is all thanks to a controversial gravel and sand mine looking to set up shop in Athens Township.

The Department of Environmental Protection held a final hearing at Athens Area High School Tuesday night where township residents and even members of Lenape tribes came to say there is no need to open Minard Mine, a 350-acre piece of land located on the southeast side of the Chemung River.

“If we’re going to build something, let’s build an environment that is healthy. Let’s build an environment that is not filled with pollution or noise”. Said Samuel Savon, a member of the Lenape Tribe. 

“I understand aggregate is important to the production of a nation and the production of a community, and so are good jobs, but so is clean air and the safety of our children are important.” Said J.C. Christiansen of Athens Township. 

For three years, Bishop Brothers Construction out of Towanda has been acquiring permits to lease the farmland that the company says holds rock material sought for large-scale construction projects.

“Well, it’s going to benefit the area because of all the aggregates that our local municipalities and contractors need.” Said Dustin Bishop, Vice President of Bishop Brothers. 

Bishop says his company owns several other mines similar to the one proposed.

He listened to many of the complaints and said being someone who grew up in the township, he would never do anything to destroy it.

“So we’ve been working on this for a little over three years doing our due diligence to get through the process The right way to causes as little of an impact on the local resident as possible,”…

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Newton took the lead in the American Blue division of the SFC after defeating Kittatinny, 28-7, there Friday, Sept. 22.

The Braves hold a 3-1 record overall and a 3-0 record in the division, compared with Lenape Valley, which has a 3-2 record overall but a 2-0 record in the division.

Kittatinny’s record is 1-3; its only victory was against Hackettstown in the season opener.

On Friday, senior DeMarius Posey and sophomore Matt Ellsworth scored in the first quarter for Newton, and Brenden Lynch and Dylan Cottermade touchdowns in the third and fourth quarters, respectively. Sophomore Nick Kurilko made all four points after touchdowns.

Senior Cole Davis put the only points on the board forthe Cougars.

Posey rushed for a total of 121 yards and he threw a 15-yard pass to Lynch for a touchdown. Cotter rushed for a total of 94 yards.

Ellsworth completed four of seven pass attempts for a total of 60 yards.

Vernon wins shutout

Vernon struck down Lenape Valley, 28-0, at home Sept. 22.

The victory pushed the Vikings’ record to 4-1. They are tied with Lakeland at the top of the American White division.

Vernon will play at Lakeland on Friday, Sept. 29.

After a scoreless first quarter, senior running back Franco Luna made two touchdowns in the second quarter and another in the third. The last one was on a 48-yard run.

Senior wide receiver Colin Dignan made three receptions resulting in one touchdown in the second quarter.

Junior quarterback Aden Karwoski completed all seven of his pass attempts for a total of 63 yards.

Senior running back Logan Pych carried the ball 14 times and gained 112 yards, and Luna rushed for a total of 62 yards.

Wallkill Valley loses

Wallkill Valley was defeated by Jefferson, 38-16, on Saturday, Sept. 23, bringing…

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Off-Broadway News See Who’s Starring in New York Premiere of Manahatta at The Public

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

Mary Kathryn Nagle

Full casting has been revealed for The Public Theater‘s upcoming New York premiere of Mary Kathryn Nagle‘s Manahatta, taking the Off-Broadway company’s Anspacher Theater November 16–December 17. Opening night is December 5 with Laurie Woolery 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.

The work follows a young Native American 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.

“It is nothing less than incredible to witness the first production of Manahatta on the island of Manahatta,” shares Nagle. “The Lenape may have been forcibly removed from their home hundreds of years ago, but they…

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For years, American history has been taught through the lens of colonization. The erasure of America’s indigenous people has persisted for centuries, suppressing the rich and profound history of generations of native populations. Despite decades of displacement and disenfranchisement, however, America’s indigenous populations persist and advocate for a brighter future for their people. Today, let’s look inside Trenton’s native population and explore the vast world of the Lenni-Lenape people.

The Lenape, or the Lenni-Lenape, were the first settlers of Trenton and communities throughout the region. The tribe’s historical territory includes New Jersey, Pennsylvania, the Lower New York Bay, and parts of Delaware. Lenni means genuine or original, while Lenape translates to “real/original person,” inferring that this was the region’s original people. The tribes were then broken into three subdivisions:

• The Minsi, or “the people of the stony country,” lived in the North
• The Unami, or “the people down the river,” lived in Central regions
• The Unilachtigo, or “the people who lived near the ocean,” lived in the South

The Lenni-Lenape were great stewards of the land, working with the seasons to maximize food and crop production. A highly skilled community familiar with the ins and outs of New Jersey’s ecosystem, the Lenape population could rely on the land for food, clothing, shelter, and more. Known as skillful hunters, gatherers, and fishermen, the Lenape built a thriving civilization alongside the ebbs and flows of the natural world.

Illustration of a typical Lenape village

Regretfully, however, as is the case for many of America’s native populations, European colonization proved a vast detriment to the Lenape tribe. With European settlement came war, disease, and displacement, resulting in great turmoil for tribes throughout the United States. The…

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According to Indigenous folklore, Earth began on the back of a giant turtle. The creation story often begins with a woman falling from the sky, hurtling toward a watery grave. Animals spot her descent and intervene to save her life. She lands on the back of a turtle, packed with mud to form solid ground, and once she gives birth, a new world is born.

While versions of this tale appear in many different cultures, the Lenape have been telling it for at least hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Also known as the Delaware, these Indigenous Americans inhabited land on both sides of the Delaware River long before English settlers arrived.

William Penn signed a peace treaty with the Lenape one year after he established the colony of Pennsylvania in 1681, as memorialized in a painting, but subsequent colonists pushed the Lenape across the country to Oklahoma. Though many settled there permanently, Lenape influences are still felt all over the state and in the city of Philadelphia, in words derived from their language like Manayunk, Kingsessing, Passyunk and Wissahickon. Some Lenape people also remain in Pennsylvania — and are currently fighting for state recognition.

Now, their myths and traditions have been collected in a new book from Camilla Townsend, a history professor at Rutgers University, and Nicky Kay Michael, president of Bacone College and a member of the Delaware. “On the Turtle’s Back: Stories the Lenape Told Their Grandchildren” traces the Lenape’s folklore through stories recorded by anthropologists and the authors’ own interviews and expertise. They range from fables warning against the neglect or abuse of nature to the humorous exploits of Strong Man, a literal-minded character the authors compare to Amelia Bedelia.

The Lenape’s values and core beliefs shine through in these stories, and often highlight the Lenape’s striking differences from Western…

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By John Fey

Published: 5:10 am EDT September 18, 2023Published: September 18, 2023Updated: 6:34 am EDT September 18, 2023

Image via Michener Art Museum.

The Michener Art Museum, located at 138 S Pine Street in Doylestown, has been awarded a large grant for a major upcoming exhibition. For the exhibition, the museum is commissioning an installation from jackie sumell.

The Michener Art Museum, located at 138 South Pine Street in Doylestown, has been awarded a large grant for a major upcoming exhibition.

The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage awarded the museum with a large grant for the 2024 exhibition “Behind These Walls: Reckoning with Incarceration.” The museum, whose property was once a jail until it was made into an art hub in the 1980s, will discuss concepts of incarceration in the exhibit, as well as its own past as a prison in the area.

An advisory committee, which will be led by local community leader Marlene Pray, will initiate this project. The themes of the exhibition, as well as a detailed history of the Bucks County jail, will be important parts of next year’s showing.

For the exhibition, the museum is commissioning an installation from jackie sumell, whose work critiques incarceration by foregrounding and humanizing incarcerated people.

“sumell will collaborate with community volunteers to plant and tend a ‘solitary garden’ designed in correspondence with an incarcerated person,” the museum said online. “The solitary garden will be the size and layout of a standard prison cell, but it will be overtaken by plants chosen by the incarcerated ‘solitary gardener.’”

Learn more about the grant and the upcoming exhibition at the Michener…

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