Native American Heritage Month is a time to celebrate the rich and diverse culture, traditions, and histories of Native American tribes and acknowledges the significant contributions they have made to society. This month also serves as an opportunity to raise awareness of the indigenous populations residing in the United States and the obstacles they have endured in the past and still face today. Celebrating this inspiring and insightful month pushes Americans to become more educated and knowledgeable about their nation’s history.
Most are aware that the first people in the Americas were not European. When the Dutch arrived in the 17th century (present-day New York City), they encountered an indigenous tribe, known as the Lenape. According to historical records, the Lenape were described as mostly amicable. This made it easier for the Dutch to “purchase” the land from them. “As the myth goes, the Dutch even ‘purchased’ Manahatta island from the Lenape in 1626. The transaction, enforced by the eventual building of a wall around New Amsterdam, marked the very beginning of the Lenape’s forced mass migration out of their homeland.” The Lenape helped shape the geography of modern-day New York City. The wall eventually became what we now know as, Wall Street, and Manahatta became the borough of Manhattan. Also, the Lenape trade route, known as Wickquasgeck, then became Brede weg, and then eventually what we now know as Broadway. Unfortunately, any other trace of the tribe has vanished from the city.
It’s unfortunate that many of the citizens who live in New York City are unaware of the history of their home. Today, two memorials in New York City acknowledge the Lenape, and both contain historical inaccuracies. A monument in Battery Park (lower Manhattan) and a bronze plaque in Inwood Hill Park (located far uptown) both commemorate the “sale of Manhattan,” perpetuating a myth that hasn’t seemed to die down since it originated. The plaque in Inwood Hill Park reads: “According to legend, on this site of the principal Manhattan Indian village, Peter Minuit in 1626 purchased Manhattan island for trinkets and beads then worth about 60 guilders.” Neither statue depicts the Lenape in the way that they truly were. While these memorials might commemorate the history (or myth) of the Lenape people, their culture remains alive in modern-day tribal communities. According to the Smithsonian Magazine, “the Delaware Tribe of Indians hosts summer camps for children to learn Lenape spiritual practices, dances, and songs. They have also secured grants to help revitalize the endangered Lenape language, of which there are only a few fluent speakers left in Canada and the United States.”
It’s nice to know that despite the lack of awareness about the indigenous people of New York City, there are some still trying to keep the community’s traditions and customs alive. Even though this is how history has played out, the Lenape can never be forgotten because their culture is always around no matter what.
References
Magazine, S. (2018, October 5). The true native New Yorkers can never truly reclaim their homeland. Smithsonian.com. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/true-native-new-yorkers-can-never-truly-reclaim-their-homeland-180970472/