Five Indigenous Lenape elders returned to their native land with a recent program at West Chester University, writes Bill Rettew for The Daily Local News.
The five elders are members of the Delaware Tribe of Indians, a federally recognized tribe of the Lenape people. They traveled from Oklahoma for the visit.
The presentation took place on Sept. 11 in the Philips Autograph Library. The Chester County History Center organized the visit as a part of its America250 programming, and the event was completed in partnership with WCU and the Humphry Marshall Fund.
Centuries of colonization and displacement led many Indigenous peoples to forcibly relocate to Oklahoma, where the recent five Lenape elders are now based. Lenape elder Annette Ketchum, or Tah Koykwe, shared that thirty-nine current Indigenous nations relocated to Oklahoma.
About the forced move, Ketchum said, “We had no choice, it is what it is. I don’t know what it would have been if we’d stayed. Indian tribes are very progressive.”
During their visit to WCU, Jana Jolynn Roth spoke about the powerful role of Lenape women. Women in the nation hunt and raise crops in addition to protecting the home.
The elders also wore handmade garments, including the traditional colors of red, white and black.
About the visit, the elders shared that they found folks in Pennsylvania to be very energetic and friendly, and the scenery to be beautiful. Ketchum shared that she especially hopes that children will continue to learn about the Lenape people to carry the culture forward through future generations.
Read more about the recent return of five Lenape elders to Chester County in The Daily Local News.
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