Date: 08/13/2002 4:00:22 PM Eastern Daylight Time
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Subj Subj: Lenape Nation, Greenway Partnership canoe the Delaware for a cause
Date: 08/13/2002 3:51:38 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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Lenape Nation, Greenway Partnership canoe the Delaware for a cause
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They hope to raise awareness of culture, renew friendship.
By Gail Scudder
Special to The Morning Call
August 13, 2002
Canoeists on a two-week, 330-mile trip from Hancock, N.Y., to Cape May, N.J., on the Delaware River pulled ashore just beyond the Easton-Phillipsburg Free Bridge late Monday afternoon.
About 20 participants in the Rising Nation River Journey are traveling the river to raise awareness that the Lenape Nation continues to be a viable society working to restore and preserve their heritage.
Lenape Jim Beer Petokoah (which means Thunder), is participating in the project for his two sons, he said.
On the journey he passed ridges where his people stopped and prayed ''for seven generations to come,'' he said.
''They were praying for me and my kids,'' Beer said. ''How could we not do this.''
''We will get it all together and when I am food for worms, they will have something solid to work with.'' Beer said.
About 2,500 Lenapes currently live in Pennsylvania, according to Richard McNutt, president of the Delaware River Greenway Partnership Inc. Lenapes, or Lenni-Lenapes, also are known as Delaware Indians.
The partnership, with over 100 organizations, churches, environmental and historical groups participating in the project, will sign a new treaty of brotherhood with Lenape Nation Chief Bob Red Hawk at noon on Aug. 24, at Pennsbury Manor in Morrisville, Bucks County, the former estate of William Penn, McNutt said.
They also plan to build a cultural center to hold Lenape artifacts and to preserve the language, history and culture of the Lenape, McNutt said. Several sites are being considered at this time, he said.
The 20 participants who landed at Phillipsburg planned to camp overnight and leave at 7:30 this morning, traveling another 18 miles to Upper Black Eddy.
They will make stops at Washington Crossing State Park, Quaker Penn Park, Palmyra Cove Nature Park and then Pennsbury Manor, staying overnight along the way.
After the celebration at Pennsbury Manor, the journey will continue to Philadelphia and then Cape May, McNutt said.
The trip has special meaning for Beer. While on the river, he and his mates exchange pleasantries, stories and more. But in the silent moments, he feels connected to his heritage.
''It's always sustained, always; a continuum,'' Beer said. ''Our people have done traditional ceremonies; it's never ended here, never.''
Gail Scudder is a freelance writer.
Copyright (c) 2002, The Morning Call
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This article originally appeared at:
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-b3-3canoes.2079166aug13.story
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