Bucket O’ Bulletz

posted by Sun T. on Oct 4

I am getting my Native name. It’s official. On October 15th, my sister, my aunt, and I will all stand together and receive our tribal names. I can hardly wait. I am so excited that I finally will see the realization of a dream that I have had for many years. I only regret that my grandmother is not here to be the one to name me, as we had originally planned so long ago.
The thought that I finally get to speak that name that was given to me as a teenager out loud to the entire world is too overwhelming. I can feel my heart swell within me and the beat of mother Earth takes over my body’s vibrations. It sounds insane, but it’s the truth.
I have been meditating more lately. I have heard the hum of the world around me like it’s embedded into my mind. I have found a state of peace and rest there. It feels as though I am between two worlds when I am in that spot of rest. Only the melody of Mother Earth, the gentle breeze from the Four Grandfathers, and I are there. It’s like the first time I sat in the mysterious dark healing circle that loomed over the grass at my grandmother’s house all thos
e years ago. Nothing can explain it, no words can fully describe it, no mind can ascertain it…
My goal is to live my life in a state of peace. I have to learn how to meditate when all the world is buzzing around me, when my eyes are open, and I cannot get away.
Thank you Kishelemukong for this opportunity to get to know you in new ways…and thank you for allowing me to complete my journey to get my name. Show me how to wear it well. Amen.

posted by Sun T. on Aug 24

freaking…
every time i find a group of natives on the net, they are all so defensive! GAH. you cant ask or answer a question without someone *or a gang of someones* ripping you to shreds.
three different forums. three different groups of people…all claiming to be native, and they are grinding down on others with the highest levels of conceit, condescension, and disrespect. being NDN they should know better! maybe they are all just posers who are scared to death that some inquiring individual will find out the truth.

posted by Sun T. on Jul 19

Totems
The East totem guides you through spiritual challenges.
It guards your path to illumination.
The South totem protects the child within and reminds you when to be humble and when to trust. It also helps heal your inner child.
The West totem leads on your path to personal truths and inner answers.
It shows you the path to your goals.
The North totem gives wise counsel and when to speak and when to listen.
It also reminds you to be grateful for each blessing each day.
The Above totem is the guardian of the Dreamtime
and gives you access to other realms and dimensions.
The Below totem shows you how to stay
on your life path and how to stay grounded to Mother Earth.
The Within totem in the protector of your sacred space.
It teaches you how to find your life’s joy.
The Right totem protects your Male side
and it is your Father protector. This animal carries your courage and warrior spirit.
The Left totem protects your Female side
%0
Aand teaches you how to nurture yourself and about relationships and mothering.
Special Helpers and Protectors
There are also animal totems which appear when you need them and stay for only the time necessary. These are helper totems. These totems have certain characteristics that you need at that time in your life or when you are ready for the lesson that they can teach you.
You can also have protector totems that stay with you for many lifetimes and protect you from harm from negative and evil spirits.

posted by Sun T. on Jul 2

The following is from our 2006 Tribal Info Handout
“We Are Still Here!”
The Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape People are a tribal confederation of the core families of the Nanticoke of the Delmarva Peninsula and the Lenni-Lenape of Southern New Jersey and Northern Delaware. Our people were among the first to resist European encroachment upon our lands, among the first to sign treaties in an attempt to create a peaceful co-existence… and, we were among the first to be forced onto reservations on the Delmarva Peninsula and in New Jersey, disbanded and long forgotten in the public memory.
The history of our tribe in its homeland goes back over 12,000 years. We are the descendants of those Nanticoke and Lenape who remained, or returned, to our ancient homeland after many of our relatives suffered removals and forced migrations to the mid-western United States and Canada.
Our ancestors who inhabited New Jersey, Delaware, Southeastern New York and Eastern Pennsylvania at the time the Europeans came, called themselves “Lenni-Lenape,” which literally me
ans “Original People.” From the early 1600’s, the English settlers called the Lenape people “Delaware Indians.” The ancestors of the Lenni-Lenape lived in the area for as much as 12,000 years.
Three main dialect clans, each made up of smaller independent but interrelated communities, extended from the northern part of our ancient homeland at the headwaters of the Delaware River down to the Delaware Bay. The Munsee (People of the Stony Country) lived in the north. The Unami (People Down River) and Unalachtigo (People Who Live Near the Ocean) lived in the central and southern part of the homeland.
The peace loving Lenni-Lenape are considered the most ancient nation of the Algonquian language family. We are still called the “grandfathers” or “ancient ones” by many tribes and are considered to be among the most ancient of the Northeastern Nations, spawning many of the tribes along the northeastern seaboard. The Lenape were often called to settle disputes among neighboring tribal groups and were admired by European colonist for their hospitality and diplomatic skill.
Our Nanticoke ancestors dwelled along the Nanticoke River in Southeastern Delaware and the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Called the “Tidewater People,” the Nanticoke, like many of their neighboring tribes, have ancient origins in common with the Lenape, o
riginating from among them.
The Nanticoke were among the first of the Northeastern Nations to resist European colonial intrusion into their homeland. After years of struggle, Nanticoke people still survive today in Delaware and are also throughout the United States and Canada.
Nanticoke migration began in the early 1600’s from the Eastern Shore of Maryland through Southeastern Delaware. By the 1800’s many were along the shores of the Delaware River. As a result of this migration, Nanticoke people united with the Lenni-Lenape Indians who remained in New Jersey.
Because of continuing conflict with European settlers encroaching upon Tribal lands, many of the Tribe’s members were killed or removed from their homelands. Many either moved to Canada, Kansas, Oklahoma and other areas, or faced elimination. Some were able to continue to live in the homeland, however, they lived in constant fear. Those who remained survived through attempting to adapt to the dominant culture, becoming farmers and tradesmen. It was difficult during those years (early 1800-1940’s) to retain community, but the Tribe persevered. By 1978, most of the Tribe’s population resided in and around Cumberland County in New Jersey.
In 1978, The Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Indian Tribe formed a non-profit tribal corporation to promote the well-being of the tribal community. This modern “reorganization” led to the establishment of a tribal headquarters and the purchase of tribal grounds in Bridgeton, New Jersey. Since that time, the Tribe has put its efforts into cultural retention and outreach, providing services to Tribal members, and ensuring maintenance of its sovereignty.
Today, The Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribe consists of over 3000 enrolled citizens in over 1500 families, with many more non-enrolled Nanticoke-Lenape descendants and extended family still living in Southern New Jersey and the surrounding area, who participate in tribal activities.
The Tribe is a voting member nation of the National Congress of the American Indian and is acknowledged by the US Dept. of the Census.
The Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribe is a New Jersey State Recognized American Indian Tribe (SCR 1982 No.73; N.J.P.L. 1995 c. 295; N.J.S. 52:16A-53 et. seq.) and is not in any way affiliated with the “Unalachtigo Band of the Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribal Nation”

posted by Sun T. on Jul 2

Wemi Elangomelleeq’ Endchijeeq’ ['All You-to-whom-I'm-related As-many as-you-are'],
Kwangomelhummo! [I-greet-you! (plural)]

There are two historical questions that have been raised regarding the relationship between the Nanticoke and the Lenape. The first is whether the Nanticoke are Lenape in origin. The second is whether the Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribe can rightly use the name �Nanticoke.� While I am not a genealogist or historian by profession, in response to these two concerns, I felt that I should share some of what I had already known in additional to what I have learned through my own research.

The Lenape, also called �Lenni-Lenape,� have always been acknowledged as one of the most ancient Algonquian Nations. �Algonquian� refers to the language family spoken by many North American Indian Tribes. Many historians assert that the Lenape are the root of the Algonquian (also spelled �Algonkian�) group of tribes and the Lenape language is the root of all Algonqu
ian Languages (properly known as �Algic� to linguists). The Algonquian language family includes Lenape (also know as �Delaware�), Mohegan / Pequot, Mohican / Mahican, Nanticoke, Shawnee, Narragansett, Wampanoag, Ojibwe, Ottawa, Patawatomi, Blackfoot, and MANY others. This linguistic understanding is also supported by the honored description �Grandfathers� or �Ancient Ones� given to the Lenape by ma ny other tribes. Many nations have descent from the Lenape in their ancient oral tradition as well as within Lenape historical tradition. While the authenticity of the Walum Olam (a pictorial record of Lenape ancient history on wooden strips revealed to the non-Native public in the mid 1800�s) is debated by some, it certainly affirms that during the 1800�s, there was a well accepted assumption that the Shawnee and Nanticoke branched off from among the Lenape. Several historical accounts of interactions between Nanticoke Chiefs with European settlers during the time that the Nanticoke were mostly still along the eastern shore of Maryland (1600�s and the 1700�s prior to the migrations) clearly indicate that the Nanticoke ancestors viewed themselves as the offspring of their Lenape neighbors in northern and central Delaware. These accounts also indicate that the relationship with their Lenape �cousins� was
cyclical, with periods of friendly relations and not-so friendly ones. Some of this tension may have been due to Nanticoke dominance on the central Delmarva Peninsula (combined with occasional friendly relations with the Powhatan Confederacy of the western Chesapeake), while Lenape influence reached into their area, but was more prominent in New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania. Additionally, the close connection between the Nanticoke and Lenape was a point of concern for the Maryland Colony, as there were periods of hostility with the Nanticoke and the potential for alliances with the numerous and well connected Lenape to the North (who were at times under treaty relationships with the Iroquois Confederacy). THEREFORE, ACCORDING TO THE ANCIENT TRIBAL HISTORICAL TRADITION, LINGUISTIC EVIDENCE AND CULTURAL COMMONALITIES, THE ANCIENT NANTICOKE DERIVED FROM THE ANCIENT LENAPE. I do not know exactly when this happened, but the history was orally preserved by both Nanticoke and Lenape elders through to the 1700�s, when it was further documented by European Missionaries. It is important to note that reluctance to embracing this fact may be due to resentment toward any implication of the dilution of Nanticoke political sovereignty or cultural uniqueness. Certainly, the Nanticoke of Delaware are an independent sovereign American Indian Nation. We must remember that the declaration �all Nanticoke are Lenape� is not a political statement, but based in common genealogy and ancient history.

Migration also created additional ties between the Nanticoke and Lenape. Many Nanticoke began moving away from the eastern shore of Maryland over 200 years ago. Many joined migrating Lenape as some of the Lenape moved westward into Pennsylvania and the Ohio Valley, eventually settling in Oklahoma. Some moved with the Lenape northward into New York and even Canada. Some came under the protection of the Iroquois Confederacy. This period has many Nanticoke leaders being counted alongside of, and often even among, the Lenape leadership in treaty interactions with European colonial authorities and, eventually the United States Government. Among those Nanticoke who remained in the Delmarva, most moved eastward into southern Delaware, infusing the Indian River Community with additional Nanticoke bloodlines. Some migrated into the central Delaware and southern New Jersey, infusing the Lenape communities with Nanticoke bloodlines. Three main interrelated tribal communities from this time period have continued: The Nanticoke Community of Sussex County Delaware; The Lenape Community of Kent County Delaware (formerly erroneously referred to as �Moors�); and, the Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Community of Cumberland County New Jersey.

Intermarriage between the communities has alw
ays occurred (in an effort to keep the Indian Blood continuous). Surname and Genealogical evidence clearly bears this out (with a recent scholarly study at one point referring to the communities as �genetically indistinguishable�). Satellite Nanticoke and Lenape mixed neighborhoods sprung up from migrating families from the three primary tribal communities in the mid 1800�s and early 1900�s in central New Jersey and Philadelphia. The shared tribal surnames continue to repeat themselves among the satellites as they do in the three primary tribal communities.

Another well documented Nanticoke migration into New Jersey�s already mixed Nanticoke and Lenape community in Cumberland County ocurred during a crop blight in the early 1900�s. It is important to state that not only was there intermarriage among migrating Nanticoke into the Lenape Communities, but that over the past century there were Nanticoke men who went into the related Lenape Communities to marry and return back to Sussex County, Delaware.

Misunderstanding regarding the interrelatedness of the communities stems primarily from a clouded legacy of relatively recent socio-political animosity (from the 1900�s) in which branches of the same families, with shared surnames and common ancestry, erroneously deny relation to each other. Commonality is evidenced, albeit mistakenly denied by some, regarding genealogy, culture and history. There is even testimony from the late 1800�s which shows that the two communities in Delaware at one time acknowledged common regional leadership (c.1785).

Chief Gould is ABSOLUTELY 100% CORRECT in his assertion of a mix of Nanticoke and Lenape blood among the people of the Tribe. With regard to New Jersey�s Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape, there is NO CREDIBLE ARGUMENT AGAINST DUAL DESCENT from the historic Nanticoke and Lenape, while the evidence clearly shows both bloodlines continue within the Tribe. My own bloodline includes Nanticoke Indians documented in the 1881 Delaware state acknowledgement of Nanticoke rights in addition to core family descent from the Lenape of Kent County, Delaware.

Kiluwa Ehoalelleeq’ Wulangundik [�You You-whom-I-love� (pl.) be-at-peace-with-one-another']

Wawullamallessik! [�Fair-thee-well-continually!� (pl.)]

John Norwood
Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape

posted by Sun T. on Jun 28

He; this message comes from me with many questions. Before anyone
declares who we are not: Have you or anyone else checked to see who are
and who we married for the past 300 years, why we fought so hard to
keep to ourselves, why we have names to identify our communities, why we
have sayings that nobody outside our community understood,why we all
celebrate as United Methodest, why with a last name like Gould, when
asked who my parents were, I said my grandmother was Big Annie Carney, I
was embraced and brought into the Tribe and the big why; how we end up
with the last names not just in the tribe, but tribal counsel leaders.
Some that would make it hard to distinguish are Carney, Durham, Norwood,
Jackson, Moseley, Ridgeway and Johnson. Thats just a taste of our names
from our two communities in Deleware. I admit that when we first
reorganized we didn’t know all there was to know. Our elders were
affraid to devolge what might harm us. They reluctantly gave us there
blessing. They were affraid, not for themselves, but for us. Most had
experenc
ed or seen what happened to those who challenged or stepped
outside our circle of protection. When we applied for State Recognition
in 1982 we had 800 members, ALL RELATED. Now over3500 in the corperation
and well over 5000 that either have the blood quotem and feel that they
don’t need to belong to a government sponsered agency or are just of the
blood quotem. Quess what, they are still part of our tribal family AND
ALL RELATED! I was there from the first day, the first chief, the first
one to ask why,but I’m so glad that we were tought to honor and respect
the wisdom of our elders. The Creator put my mother and Aunt Mary
Jackson Ward there to insure our path.We are as much Nanticoke as
Lenape. Check your history.
Mark
— In TurtleTalk1@yahoogroups.com, “Suni” wrote:
>
> He’
> I have posted in the new forum and I thought I would post here, as
well
>
> I am getting a lot of feedback from other tribal members who say that
> our tribe isn’t truly Nanticoke Lenni Lenape. That Nanticoke are NOT
> Lenape and Lenape are NOT Nanticoke. Lots of disturbing things about
> how the tribal leaders were begged not to name our tribe with
> Nanticoke attached.
>
> All I am seeking is the truth. I want to learn the spiritual pathways
> of our tribe
. I want to learn the full truth as we know it about our
> tribal roots.
>
> I have posted excerpts from the answers that I was given when I was on
> a Nanticoke site. I would appreciate any information, websites, phone
> numbers even, so that I can get the real truth and not just what other
> tribes think of us.
>
> I was also looking for the Gouldtown registry of our entire family.
> Who has it and where can I get one? How much is it?
>
> I appreciate any information you can give.
>
> Wanishi and Lapich Knewell
>
> SUNI
>

posted by Sun T. on Jun 23

x posted in my mindsay:
An excerpt from our monthly newsletter:

“Our meetings are marked with prayer filled devotionals, songs, and study. This program year, we have studied an overview of traditional Nanticoke and Lenape religious beliefs and practices as compared to historic biblical Christianity in order to increase an appreciation for the religious tradtions of our ancient ancestors and to dicern the many ways that the Creator prepared our people to receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Native beliefs across North America were not, and are not, monolithic…….However, ancient Nanticoke and Lenape religion can be studied as a single faith traditions because fo common historic roots and core beliefs.”

A summary of the other points made:
* We believe in the Heaven that is above and separate from the cosmos..we call it the good place.
* We believe that the Creator made everything for a specific purpose.
* We believe that the heavens need no light other than that of the Creator.
* We believe that God can do anything He wants.

* We believe that humans need spiritual cleansing and therefore we still do smuging and sweats as purification and healing rituals. There is no once and for all rite as we must daily be cleansed.
* We believe that smoke is related to purification, as in the old days of the Bible.
* We use musical instruments, dance, feasts, and celebrations that are similar to what the Bible describes.

posted by Sun T. on Jun 11

Part One

The powwow was great. Not a great many people there, but still a few hundred. The dancers were totally awesome. I am going to post the uncut, uncensored picture links here in a minute. My son had a ball and also got on my last nerves. He was into the drums and needed to dance. We did get a chance to dance in the big circle for the all nations dance. He concentrated really hard to get the step right, then it became effortless. I was proud of how well he did. His attitude was terrible though. He had such a fit for the entire time from 11:30am to the time he finally went to sleep at 3:30pm. Ridiculous! I still had a good time and we both got feathers for our hair. I had some fry bread, sassafrass tea, and an indian taco. I love those things. My mom and baby sis came with. I was happy cuz the day started out so weird. I forgot where the powwow was and ended up 15 minutes past it on a different street. How do you forget something that is ingrained into your brain? *sigh*

Part
Two

Finally there…after more than ten years of waiting. Finally there. Watching the American flag stand at attention over the celebration of life and culture. Finally, after hearing the beat of my people echo within my heart. Standing still, holding my breath, as I watch the parade of feathers float by. Walk solemnly, stiffly, toward the seats ready and prepared for the spectators of sport. Sacred songs sung by the drum while the players play on. Dancers, the cheif, all walk reverently past as the silence is broken by the first drummer’s call. We watch. We wait. We pray. The elders and cheif stride out from the arena after giving hommage and thanks to our Creator and His son, for our ancestors, and those Veterans who have fought in wars whether they were native or not. All honor is given where due. The flags of our people reaching out to those watching. The dancers make their way around the entire arena and begin to do their chosen steps. Each beat of the drum wedging deeper and deeper into the heart till my own son must leap from his place beside me and dance to the heartbeat of Mother Earth. Tears springing to my eyes till I can no longer see the beauty of my people, only the blur of their extravagance. The beat of the drum and the taps of the American flag upon its post are one. The heartbeat of the Earth flows. The spirits of our ancestors fly round us all as the dancers move, step by step, one by one. The smell of fry bread, sassafras, fish, and white cedar fill the air. Incense burned in honor of our Creator and Mother Earth. Praising with every beat of the drum. Thanksgiving with every step of the dance. God made us for this moment. The beat of the drum goes silent, as my heart takes on the rythym.