YOUR SUPPORT NEEDED NOW
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Tell Pennsylvania lawmakers that they
must give State Recognition to the
Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania!
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Step 1: Click here to sign the petition
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Step 2: Write your local & state legislators.
Click here for a downloadable sample
letter with important talking points.
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Click here for a QR code flyer to print and hang.
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More information, including legislator
contact info, on our home page.
(Scroll Down)
Events, Education, and Collaborations
See below for information on upcoming events, classes, exhibits, documentaries,
and arranging programs or consultations.
Online Course: Lenape Art, Craft, and Curation
Sunday, November 3 - Saturday , December 7
In this online course, hosted by the Woodmere Art Museum and UPenn Morris Arboretum and taught by Clan Mother Teri Hislop and Chief Adam Waterbear, attendees will learn about Lenape craft such as beading as pine needle weaving, participate in curations of Lenape exhibits, and discuss Lenape representation in art, film, and other media. The course will run Sundays, 4:00-5:30 via Zoom, and will include an optional day-long in-person gathering and workshop on 12/7. Registration required.
Postponed Until Early 2025. Contact Woodmere to register early!
The Past and Present
of the Lenape
Saturday, November 16, 1:00 - 2:00
Join us at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, where Chief Adam Waterbear will set up the Nation Table and discuss the past and present of the Lenape people, including pre-colonial life, relationships with William Penn, the era of Penn's Sons and the Walking Purchase, the Lenape diaspora and homeland Lenape, and what the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania is doing today to revitalize Lenape culture and continue their role as caretakers of the environment. Discussion and questions from the audience will be welcome and encouraged.
Keepers of the Way Documentary Screening & Panel Discussion
Saturday, November 20, 7:00p
Join us Northampton Community College for a screening of Evan Cohen's award-winning short film Keepers of the Way, which 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. Afterward, join in a panel discussion with LNPA councilmembers and filmmakers and enjoy Lenape drumming!
An Evening of Storytelling with the Lenape Nation of PA
Thursday, November 21, 6:30p - 8:30p
In honor of Native American Heritage Month, the Woodmere Art Museum and UPenn Morris Arboretum invite you to attend an evening of storytelling with indigenous voices from the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania. We will hear stories of Lenape history, language, and culture, and be treated to drumming and singing by the Stone Dog Drum. Registration required.
Historic Richmond Town's Hearth & Harvest Festival
Saturday, November 23, 10:00 - 4:00
Harvest celebrations have been a part of Native culture for thousands of years. After a long growing season, crops would be gathered in abundance, and shared with family and the wider community, signaling the beginning of winter. Explore native life and culture through presentations of indigenous dance, storytelling, and crafts. See demonstrations of hearth cooking in North America by costumed interpreters who use 18th & 19th century recipes, tools and techniques in historic kitchens throughout the village.
Lenape Talk
and Goat WalK
Saturday, November 30, 1:00 (sharp) - 3:00
Join us when the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania once again partners with the Philly Goat Project to bring you education, relaxation, exercise, and fun! Take a walk through the farm and arboretum with Chief Barbara Bluejay Michalski and the Philly Goats while you learn about the culture and history of the Lenape people. Free to the public. No reservations needed. Check Philly Goat Project's social media for weather-related changes. Rain Date is Sunday December 1st, same time.
Touchstone Theater: PRACTITIONERS OF PEACE
Saturday, February 2, 3:00
Clan Mother Shelley DePaul will conduct the Opening Ceremony and represent the Lenape faith tradition at this interfaith gathering uniting around the mystery of life in gratitude, and in the pursuit of peace, beauty, and justice. Bring a friend or loved one to this beautiful event featuring music, prayers, poetry, dance, and wisdom stories, followed by refreshments and conversation.
Participants from faith communities including Hindu, Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Baha'i, Taoist, Buddhist, Sufi, Sikh, and non-affilaited contributors!
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 Exhibit Seeking its next installation site
We created this exhibit with Haverford College in 2022, based on and expanded from our
2019 exhibit Enduring Presence, Everyday Artistry: The Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania at Temple University. It was featured at Haverford in Spring '23, and then hosted at Arcadia University in Fall '23. We are now seeking the next host for a truly unparalleled expansion centered on theme "Art of the Fourth Crow," and featuring a host of incredible artists who have produced work to support the Nation. Visit the exhibit website for information, including a downloadable PDF catalog with curator essays.
KotW Documentary Screenings available!
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.
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.
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.
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.