Category: Lenni Lenape

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A new 25-year lease will help the Museum of Indian Culture bring Allentown’s indigenous history to life, according to its executive director.

City Council members this month unanimously approved a new quarter-century lease — at $1 a year — for the museum in the Little Lehigh Parkway.

Pat Rivera, who’s served as the museum’s executive director for two decades, said her organization is “thrilled with” the new lease, as it can move forward with plans to “expand beyond our four walls (to) where the Lenape story actually happened.”

The museum recently received just over $1.5 million to build a Lenape village on three-quarters of an acre.

“We’re going to be able to take the landscape and the history and meld it all together.”

Pat Rivera, Museum of Indian Culture executive director

That land will include seven “educational pods” featuring demonstrations of indigenous “lifeways,” like fishing, cooking and making nets, Rivera said.

The demonstrations will show “how life existed primarily in the 17th century, the very start of when the European settlers got here and started with trade,” she said.

Courtesy

/

Pat Rivera, Museum of Indian Culture

A concept plan for the Lenape Village established in April 2021.

“We’re going to be able to take the landscape and the history and meld it all together,” Rivera said. Once the upgrades are complete, “we’ll be able to reflect that history for generations to come. So we’re really excited to be able to share the Lenape story.”

The village is scheduled to open in the fall of 2025.

The money will also fund a new welcome center at the museum, an extension of the Lenape Trail and an audio tour, she said.

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NYC Parks are celebrating Native American Heritage month with free events throughout the city – Learn more about the Lenape of Staten Island on Sunday November 26th. Via the Official Website of the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation

During Native American Heritage Month, explore the past and present experience of Native Americans. Learn about the Lenape, as we connect the cultural significance of various flora and fauna in the park to the heritage of native people.

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Stop breadboarding and soldering – start making immediately! Adafruit’s Circuit Playground is jam-packed with LEDs, sensors, buttons, alligator clip pads and more. Build projects with Circuit Playground in a few minutes with the drag-and-drop MakeCode programming site, learn computer science using the CS Discoveries class on code.org, jump into CircuitPython to learn Python and hardware together, TinyGO, or even use the Arduino IDE. Circuit Playground Express is the newest and best Circuit Playground board, with support for CircuitPython, MakeCode, and Arduino. It has a powerful processor, 10 NeoPixels, mini speaker, InfraRed receive and transmit, two buttons, a switch,…

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A screenshot of LenaGPT, an AI powered language platform designed to translate indigenous Lenape languages.

A Penn student has co-created LenaGPT, an AI-powered platform designed to translate indigenous Lenape languages. 

Engineering first-year Ashmit Dewan, along with West-Windsor Plainsboro High School North senior Shiva Tripurana, created the translator. Most existing translation websites, such as Google Translate, do not offer English to Lenape translations. Tripurana and Dewan sought to address this gap by developing a translation model for the languages. 

“I started to realize that you could use computational linguistics to preserve language, information, and culture of the Lenape. And that’s kind of when we streamlined into LenaGPT,” Tripurana said.

LenaGPT allows users to pose questions and receive comprehensive answers, drawing on expertise and collaboration with the Lenape community. The platform facilitates learning and communication by providing translations of Lenape phrases and words.

“It’s really important that people understand that a language is a tremendous part of culture,” Tripurana added.

Tripurana and Dewan began developing the program approximately six months ago, meeting at least twice weekly to brainstorm and create a model akin to ChatGPT that offers both translation services and historical information. 

Unlike most translation models that rely on coded algorithms scanning a set of words, LenaGPT employs a large, sophisticated language model, necessitating extensive information coding. 

Tripurana is also the founder of LenaLingua, a non-profit created in 2020 that promotes the preservation and understanding of Lenape language and culture through computational linguistics. 

According to Tripurana, LenaLingua can be “a catalyst for people who don’t know anything about Indigenous cultures to kind of start learning about indigenous cultures.”

The site contains up-to-date information…

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If You go You’ll find this in Battery Park in Lower Manhattan Dutch monument – a 1926 work by Dutch sculptor Hendrik van den Eijnde and one of the many structures in New York that perpetuate the myth of this island being sold. In all its glory, you can see Dutch colonial governor Peter Minuit “purchasing” the land with wampum beads worth a staggering $24 from a “Lenape native” whose name no one seems to know. This native wears a headdress typically worn by Plains natives hundreds of miles away. You don’t get the impression that van den Eijnde struggled to get the details right.

The only evidence of the “sale” of Manhattan is a small section in one letter written by a colonist in 1626. TThere are no mentions of pearls or jewelry here, nor a purchase certificate, just a quoted passage from the Dutch National Archives that reads: “Our people are in good spirits and live in peace. They bought the island of Manhattan from the savages for sixty guilders.”

The problem here is that the Lenape peoples, like most indigenous peoples, are inextricably linked to the land as stewards and do not share the concepts of money or land ownership like the Europeans. And so they were still strategically expelled from their ancestral homelands Grace shown to the Shouwunnok, also known as the Saltwater People (pronounced white people).

This displacement of the Lenape peoples was a major motivation for Mary Kathryn Nagle’s play “Manahatta“,” It tells the story of Jane Snake, a Lenape woman who moves from Oklahoma to Manahatta for a banking job during the 2008 financial crisis – reconnecting with her ancestral homeland. “When I return to our country, I feel a connection…

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NOTE: These teams were selected by coaches from the Olympic Conference, not members of NJ Advance Media.

NATIONAL DIVISION

Champions: Camden Catholic

FIRST TEAM

• Josette DeGour, Bishop Eustace, Sr., F
• Sophia Stazi, Camden Catholic, Fr., F
• Sydney Kowalczyk, Moorestown, Sr., F
• Ava Thomas, Seneca, Jr., F
• Isabella Moore, Camden Catholic, Jr., M
• Tatum Woods, Cherry Hill West, Jr., M
• Kyleigh Welusz, Seneca, Sr., M
• Reagan Stauts, Camden Catholic, Sr., B
• Riley McClelland, Seneca, Sr., B
• Maddie Stillwell, Seneca, Jr., B
• Madeline DiLemme, Bishop Eustace, Sr., G
• Emily Nicholls, Camden Catholic, Sr., G
• Rebecca Armstrong, Cherry Hill West, Sr., G
• Soph Mazza, Moorestown, Jr., G

SECOND TEAM

• Isabella Farnoly, Paul VI, Sr., F
• Fiona Sokorai, Seneca, Fr., F
• Anna Marquat, Bishop Eustace, Jr., M
• Lauren Iaccio, Camden Catholic, So., M
• Madison Logan, Camden Catholic, Jr., M
• Addison Petti, Cherry Hill West, Jr., M
• Adelae Chierici, Moorestown, Jr., M
• Rosie Rockell, Moorestown, Sr., M
• Kylee Donegan, Seneca, Sr., M
• Julianna Racobaldo, Bishop Eustace, So., B
• Olivia Stazi, Camden Catholic, Sr., B
• Ailani Ubarry, Cherry Hill West, Jr., B
• Olivia Montgomery, Seneca, So., B
• Raign Ridley, Winslow, Jr., G

AMERICAN DIVISION

Champions: Eastern, Lenape, Shawnee (Three-way tie)

FIRST TEAM

• Olivia White, Eastern, Sr., F
• Savannah Freeland, Lenape, So., F
• Mikayla Simmons, Rancocas Valley, Sr., F
• Liv Martino, Shawnee, Sr., F
• Brynn Somers, Eastern, Jr., M
• Brooke Halfpenny, Lenape, Sr., M
• Carly Seal, Rancocas Valley, Sr., M
• Abby Davidson, Shawnee, Jr., M
• Ellie Gipe, Cherokee, Sr., B
• Chloe Yoder, Eastern, So., B
• Caroline Cristella, Lenape, Sr., B
• Kasey Abbott, Shawnee, Jr., B
• Erin O’Brien, Cherokee, So., G
• Charlotte Kent, Shawnee, Sr., At-Large

SECOND TEAM

• Tessa Connor, Eastern, Fr., F
• Sydney DePativo, Lenape, Sr., F
• Julia Moon, Lenape, Sr., F
• Angie Cooker, Shawnee, Sr., F
• Victoria Geissler, Cherokee, Jr., M
• Allie Beckendorf, Cherokee, So., M
• Paige Gray, Rancocas Valley, Sr., M
• Laney Errickson, Cherokee, Sr., B
• Sarai Morrison, Cherry Hill East, So., B
• Melanie Mosier, Eastern, Jr., B
• Julianna Palumbo, Lenape, Sr., B
• Madison Krieger, Cherry Hill East, Jr., G
• Gabby Hoffmaster, Eastern, Jr., G
• Maddie Guerry, Lenape, So., G

Brian Bobal may be reached at bbobal@njadvancemedia.com.

The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days…

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Elizabeth Frances and Enrico Nassi in the New York premiere production of

Elizabeth Frances and Enrico Nassi in the New York premiere production of “Manahatta,” written by Mary Kathryn Nagle and directed by Laurie Woolery, at the Public Theater.

Ifyouwalk 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…

Continue reading

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…

Continue reading

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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