11/1/2024: Celebrating National Native American Heritage Month

November is Native & Indigenous American Heritage Month! This is a time to acknowledge the important contributions of indigenous communities and to celebrate their rich and diverse cultures, traditions and histories as well as the unique challenges indigenous peoples have faced both historically and in the present. Here at the Preserve, we recognize and honor the Lenape (Leh-NAH-pay) peoples—the original inhabitants of Eastern Pennsylvania. In our organization-wide efforts to create a more inclusive culture, as outlined in our strategic plan, it is imperative that we establish a shared practice for acknowledgement of the land and build partnerships with organizations that serve Indigenous communities.

In collaboration with local Lenape and the Preserve’s educational programs, we hope you will join us for tonight’s Thursday Night Nature: Caretakers of the Land (Local Ecological Knowledge for a Sustainable Future) with Barbra ‘Bluejay’ Michalski, Nov. 7, 7 to 8 pm. Can’t make the livestream? All registrants will receive a limited-time recording of the class to view on their own.

We are also happy to share two past Lenape-centric classes with you for free. These videos will be publicly available on the Preserve’s YouTube Channel for the month of November:

At the Preserve, we are in the process of adding Indigenous made books and other items to the Twinleaf Book & Gift Shop. This already includes Iwigara: The Kinship of Plants and People by Enrique Salmon, and we are hoping to expand our selection to include Lenape specific wares by the holiday season.

We encourage everyone to celebrate and honor Indigenous Americans all month long by spending time learning and supporting the local Lenape or any of the Indigenous groups that are local to your regions, such as purchasing directly from the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania’s online shop.