The People of Turtle Island

​Humans first reached the east coast of North America around 12,000 years ago. Their descendants who lived in what became New Jersey were the Lenni-Lenape. Lenni-Lenape translates to "we, the people," The land on which the Trent House was built is part of the traditional territory of the Lenni-Lenape, called “Lenapehoking.”

​Indigenous people in New Jersey began to garden about 900 CE (Common Era). They grew corn, beans, squash, and harvested wild berries and fruits. The Lenape had knowledge of healing plants and used them to treat ailments. They hunted and fished as well.

​The Lenape society was matrilineal. Lineage was traced through the mother's side and clan affiliation was determined by the mother. When they got married, Lenape were expected to marry outside of their clan, and husbands lived with their wives' families. Lenape lived in small villages organized by clan and lived communally in wooden longhouses.​
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Researched and narrated by Dr. Karelle Hall, a member of the Nanticoke Indian Tribe of Delaware, this Trent House video, "Lenape Relationship with the Natural World," explores relationships within the Lenape tribal nations, as well as with the natural world, and the Lenape's steadfast role as stewards of the Earth. ​​

Made possible by a grant from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities (NJCH), a state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this video do not necessarily represent those of the NEH or NJCH.

Based on European accounts, the Lenape were tall and healthy. They often adorned themselves with body paint and tattoos. They wore clothes made out of skin and fur.

The spiritual beliefs of ancient Lenape cannot be completely verified. According to oral tradition passed down through many generations, they believed that the world was made by a creator and that everything in creation had a spirit--good or bad. Like some other indigenous American groups, their creation story was that the land they lived on was created on the back of a turtle in the midst of the sea, given the name “Turtle Island.”

RESOURCES:

The Lenape: Archaeology, History, and Ethnography (1986) by Herbert C. Kraft
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Lenape Country: Delaware Valley Society Before William Penn ( 2016) by Jean R. Soderlund