Learning About and From our Ancestral Native American Tribe

The Lenape, also known as the Delaware Indians, are a Native American tribe and a federally recognized Indian nation. They are one of the oldest tribes in the United States, with a history that dates back to the 1600s.

The Lenape’s historical territory included present-day northeastern Delaware, all of New Jersey, the eastern Pennsylvania regions of the Lehigh Valley and Northeastern Pennsylvania, and New York Bay, western Long Island, and the lower Hudson Valley in New York. Today, communities are based in Oklahoma, Wisconsin, and Ontario.

Lenape Tribal Leader, Curtis Zunigha, spoke at Marywood in the fall. There was a good crowd, including students from Marywood and the University of Scranton, a significant representation of IHMs, including EarthCARE committee members, and others. There is a course at Marywood that includes the history of the Lenape Tribe.

Curtis spoke about “Connecting Spirit and Nature.” He discussed the return of the Lenape descendants to their original homeland, where he and other contemporary Lenape leaders from Delaware tribal nations are forming community partnerships that bring Indigenous knowledge to the area’s history and environmental advocacy. He expressed a deep desire for Lenape leaders to have a place at the table where important topics concerning politics, environmental issues, and other affairs are discussed. He spoke about how Spirituality is a vital part of his farming techniques. He prays at each stage of the planting and harvesting process. The community comes together in prayer and song to give thanks for the harvest each year.

Curtis is also involved in community partnerships with Marywood, the University of Scranton, and the Greenhouse Project in Nay Aug Park, where he attended a recent event. The exciting news is that he will bring native seeds to plant a Lenape Garden at Nay Aug Park in 2026. He hopes to establish many more connections in the future with Northeastern PA.