Frequently Asked Questions

There are Native Americans in New Jersey?

There have always been Lenape people in New Jersey (well, at least for the last 10,000 years). Also, since at least the late 1600s, Nanticoke people also lived in the southern part of the State. While many departed in several waves of migrations north and west, many also stayed. Because of racial persecution, Eastern Tribal Communities often avoided unneeded attention. With the cultural movements and federal protective laws of the 1960's and 1970's, tribal communities began to act more assertively in an effort to promote their heritage, serve their people and protect their sovereignty.

What is the relationship of the Delaware Indians to the Lenape?

"Delaware" is the name used by the British to refer to the tribe, which lived along the river. They're-named after one of their nobility. Lenni-Lenape, or just "Lenape," is what we called ourselves, in addition to the regional designations based upon our villages and bands.

I thought that the Nanticoke and the Lenape were two different tribes... Where do you get "Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape" from?

The Nanticoke and the Lenape are distinct, but interrelated, people with the Nanticoke of the Delmarva having emerged from the Lenape in ancient times Our tribe's ancestors were predominantly from the border area of Nanticoke and Lenape territories, and have intermarried and inter-migrated for generations The compound name acknowledges and honors our ancestors from the two dominant, and documented, tribal histories and bloodlines that make up our modern tribal nation. Such compound tribal names are not uncommon among American Indian Nations Often,, our people will identify themselves as Nanticoke and Lenape in order to avoid confusion..

Who are the people in the images on the website?

The images at the top right of this page are Tishcohan and Lappawinsoe from portraits by Swedish-born painter Gustavus Hesselius from the mid 1700's. Both were among the Lenape Chiefs who were tricked by Thomas Penn (the son of William Penn) under the terms of the infamous "Walking Purchase," which lost 1.2 million acres of the land of the Lenape.