I am U.S. citizen of Dutch and French-Canadian descent, who has spent more than half my life living as a resident-guest in the watershed of the Lenape Sipu—renamed the Delaware River by the English.

Yet, the Lenape people have cared for this land and this watershed since time immemorial. Indeed, they are honored as the “grandfathers” or “ancient ones” by indigenous people across Turtle Island. And, to paraphrase the Rev Dr John Norwood of the Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Nation, [they] “are still here“–offering a living testimony, not just a historical memory.

I am, personally, grateful to Chief Bob Red Hawk, now Chief Emeritus of the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania, for all the ways he has taught me about caring for our histories, for the land, and for all our relations. Waneshi.

Related Projects by Mx Chris Paige:

• A Philadelphia-area Guide to Land Acknowledgements (spring 2021) – A resource for Christian churches in the Philadelphia metro area.
• We Are Still Here! Native Americans and United Methodists in New Jersey (fall 2021) – An Exhibit especially for United Methodists at Drew Theological School
• Welcome to Lenapehocking: A Lenape Archive in Support of Decolonizing Drew University (summer 2022)

Some Leaders of note in Lenapehocking:

Chief Mark Gould

Rev Dr John Norwood

Curtis

Bob Red Hawk