Lenape Indians get historic recognition by

state
Aug 4th, 2016 by Matt Bittle Comments: 11

Delaware Gov. Jack Markell signs legislation Thursday to officially recognize the Lenape as a Delaware Indian
tribe. (Delaware State News/Marc Clery)

DOVER For the first time, the Lenape Indian tribe was officially recognized by the
state of Delaware Thursday.
Gov. Jack Markell signed into law a bill granting the Lenape tribe legitimate status. The
law allows members to market goods as official Indian-made products and work with
the Small Business Administration for added economic development, but the impact
goes well beyond the financial realm.
Im just very happy, Principal Chief Dennis J. Coker said. This is a major, major
milestone for us as a community, so our people can stand up and be very proud of who
they are and their ancestry and not have to worry about the naysayers who may argue
otherwise.

The proposal that provided recognition, House Bill 345, may have passed unanimously,
but it was the culmination of years of work.
The Lenape sought to have legislation passed in 1993 but were unsuccessful, Chief Coker
said. After that effort failed, members of the tribe decided additional work was needed.
I started to do a lot of collaboration with state agencies and the federal government and
federal agencies because as I mentioned earlier, weve always had an acknowledgment.
So there was the idea that we did exist, Chief Coker said. Now, formal recognition was
they were a little bit apprehensive because there are those that thought that state
recognition would lead us to a casino, and that is absolutely not the case.

The Lenape tribe members during smugging ceremony in front of the Truitt Building after Gov. Jack Markell
signed legislation recognizing the Lenape tribe in the Governors office on Thursday. (Delaware State
News/Marc Clery)

The state now will have two officially recognized tribes: the Lenape and the Nanticoke. A
companion piece of legislation passed this year gives the status to the Nanticoke
retroactive to 1881.
Thursday, dozens of people, including members of the Lenape tribe and lawmakers who
supported the legislation, attended the ceremony in the governors office across the
street from Legislative Hall.
This is a historic event, main bill sponsor Rep. Sean Lynn, D-Dover, said. This is
something that many people in this room have worked for and worked on for literally
generations.

Afterward, most of the audience gathered outside the governors office for a celebration.
Before playing two sacred songs, members took part in the practice of smudging,
where herbs are burned to purify the body.
After breathing in the smoke, seven members of the tribe sat together in a circle, beating
a drum and chanting, while others looked on proudly at the ritual.

Lenape tribe member Terry Sammons drums in front of the Truitt Building after Gov. Jack Markell signed
legislation recognizing the Lenape tribe in the Governors office on Thursday. (Delaware State News/Marc
Clery)

The Lenape people can trace lineage back 300 years and have been living around
Cheswold for at least that long.
The tribe partnered with the U.S. Census Bureau in 2010, with the agency giving the
organization state designated tribal statistical area status for the 2010 census. About
850 people identified themselves as Lenape in that survey, although Chief Coker said he
believes there are more. Members have also intermarried with the Nanticoke LenniLenape Indian tribe in Bridgeton, New Jersey, and share many traits with the Nanticoke
in Sussex County.
Its been 400 years and change since we roamed the Delmarva Peninsula at will, freely,
as a free, independent sovereign nation of people, and our recognition legislation
actually acknowledges the sovereignty of our tribal government and its democratic form
of constitutional government, so to have that sovereignty recognized by the state of
Delaware is just an immense, immense historic accomplishment, Chief Coker said.

Reach staff writer Matt Bittle at mbittle@newszap.com