Events, Education, and Collaborations
See below for information on upcoming events, classes, exhibits, documentaries,
and arranging programs or consultations.
River Festival & Frack Ban Press COnference
Wednesday, Sept. 2nd | 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Stand for the Delaware River Fracking Ban at Washington Crossing Historic Park Visitor's Center during the Delaware River Basin Commission's Founding Waters Day! Visit the Nation Table, attend the Delaware River Frack Ban Coalition press conference, and stay for the Delaware River Basin Commission's annual Public Business meeting & Open Public Comment Session.
9:30 - 11:30: Community River Festival
11:30 - 12:00: Delaware River Frack Ban Coalition press conference
12:00 - 2:00: Public Business Meeting and Open Public Comment Session
Frenchtown Riverfest
Sunday, Sept. 6th | 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Join us in wonderful Frenchtown NJ for another annual Riverfest! Visit the Nation Table, hear Lenape stories about the Delaware River and wildlife, and enjoy many other festivities and attractions! Established in 2004, Frenchtown's Riverfest is a celebration of life along the river. Riverfest is a one day event held on Sunday of Labor Day weekend. Riverfest features two entertainment stages along with 60+ vendors showcasing local talent.
Return to Mauch Chunk Pow Wow
Saturday & Sunday, Sept. 12th & 13th | 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
All are invited to our annual Return to Mauch Chunk Pow Wow at beautiful Mauch Chunk Lake Park! Join us for intertribal dancing and drumming, storytelling, craft tents, environmental booths, food vendors, children's activities, raffles, give-aways, and more--plus, special musical performance by multi-award nominated Jim Beer Saturday at 4:00! Admission is free, but we are grateful for donations--proceeds benefit the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania Scholarship Fund. Have fun while learning about Lenape and other Native American cultures! Spread the word, and please feel free to circulate the flyer. Vendors contact info@lenape-nation.org.
Online Lenape Language Classes (Unami Dialect)
Our language classes, which have been featured in K. David Harrison’s The Last Speakers: The Quest to Save the World’s most Endangered Languages (published by National Geographic), have moved online! Clan Mother Shelley DePaul, Director of Language, has taught the Unami dialect of the Lenape Language in colleges, schools, and in the community. Over decades of research and teaching, she has developed a 390 page textbook for our language students, who are composed of nation members, community participants, university professors, and many others. Classes are free, but students need the textbook.
Enduring Presence: Art of the Fourth Crow
Our travelling art exhibit, which has been featured at Temple University, Haverford College, Arcadia University, and Northampton Community College, now has a home at our Lenape Cultural Center! Due to limited space at the Center, the exhibit is truncated, and we are always open to seeing it travel to venues that can display it in its entirety; if your organization is interested in hosting Enduring Presence: Art of the Fourth Crow, don't hesitate to get in touch.
Fulfilling a Prophesy: The Past and Present of the Lenape in Pennsylvania
Visit this exhibit in person at our Cultural Center or tour the exhibit website. We created this exhibit with the University of Pennsylvania in 2008. It was hosted at the Penn Museum for three years, and afterward travelled to our Cultural Center, where it remains today. This exhibit tells the story of our people in four stages, arranged around a story of four crows.
Keepers of the Way Documentary Screenings
Evan Cohen's award-winning short film Keepers of the Way has recently completed the independent film festival circuit and is now available to be shown at public locations! The film documents the LNPA's Walking Purchase Healing Journey, a two-day trek up the path of the infamous Walking Purchase to educate the public about the historical travesty and heal some of the lingering pain that still surrounds it. Screenings and panel discussions with the filmmakers and LNPA councilmembers are now available to public venues! Don't hesitate to reach out if your venue would like to host a screening and/or panel discussion.
Speaking engagements, Public events, and programs
We offer educational programs for all audiences, including K-12, colleges and universities, museums, historical societies, environmental organizations, faith-based organizations, and many others. Our drummers and dancers are happy to participate in public events (but we do not conduct our cultural ceremonies for the public). We speak on many topics, including Lenape history, presence, culture, stories, politics, art, and environmental stewardship. Feel free to contact us about these collaborations.
Lenape Gardens
and Horticulture
We have collaborated on many Lenape gardens and planting projects with colleges and universities, arboretums, farms, nature preserves, and other organizations that would like to dedicate a space to growing traditional Lenape medicinal herbs or food crops. Whether the space spans feet or acres, a Lenape garden is a wonderful way to embrace indigenous culture in a beautiful and useful way. See this link for our Lenape Garden at the University of Pennsylvania, or download the article here. See this link for our garden at Staten Island's Skyline Community Garden. Feel free to contact us if you are interested in discussing.
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Consultations: Curriculum Development, representation, and other topics
We are always happy to hear from people who want to assure that education about, or representation of, our people is accurate and appropriate. We have professional and cultural educators who are always willing to discuss curriculum, land acknowledgements, exhibits, mascots, and other issues. Please get in touch if you would like to consult with us.