Sunday, November 11, 2007
Lenape
Lenni Lenape means "original people" in Algonquin.
It referred to the people living along the Delaware River Basin area.
The Lenape called the river "Lenape-wihittnek", meaning "river of the Lenape."
The Lenni Lenape Indians are divided by three dialects of the Algonquin language:
Munsee: symbol is wolf
"people of the stony land" upper Delaware River valley
Unalichtigo: symbol is turkey
"people near the ocean" southern half of NJ
Unami: symbol is turtle
"people down river" southeastern/ Bucks Co., PA area
William Penn was friendly toward the Indians and preferred to 'purchase' lands legitimately. However, the Indians did not see such transactions in the same light as the Europeans. A fundamental belief shared by all Indians was that land cannot be purchased since it belongs to no one. They viewed the treaty as more of a lease or mutual agreement to cease attacks and allow settlement. The Indians who willingly evacuated agreed-upon lands were being forced out of their new locations and so soon viewed the colonists as having broken these agreements. Any aggressive actions afterwards towards settlers on behalf of the Indians was not actually due to anger towards individual settlers encroaching on their lands, but was rather an objection to what they considered deceptive and dishonorable behavior of the colonist leaders.
William Penn's efforts to deal fairly did make an impression on the Lenape and he was able to earn their loyalty. Unfortunately, when he died, the new government was impatient for expansion with new immigrants arriving, filling up the cities and clamouring to officials for land in order to earn a living and support their families. Settlement of Indian lands increased, often taken by force, causing much friction with the Lenape. The sons of William Penn did their part to undermine the previously good relationship. Lenape Indians were forced to move farther westward and by late 1800's known Lenape remaining were "removed" to Oklahoma but were soon even cheated out of much of this land by corrupt officials about the time of the Oklahoma Land Race.
Today, only about 14,000 Native Americans of any affiliation still reside in PA.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)