INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY - Local Immigrant Origin Story

 by Brian T. Lynch, MSW

Today, October 11th, we celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day! We should take a moment to reflect on the fact that the ground beneath our feet was occupied for many thousands of years by intelligent, caring human beings who loved their families, cared for their children, and sacrificed when necessary for the welfare of their community. They lived in harmony with the natural land we now occupy.

America's indigenous people are a forgotten minority. Many of them live in small, impoverished enclaves that are often far from their ancestral homeland. They still struggle for recognition, fair treatment, and fulfillment of the broken promises we made to them. We should also accept the truth that 95% of us are the children of immigrants on this continent.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/10/08/a-proclamation-indigenous-peoples-day-2021/

Four years ago, in 2018, I wrote a Facebook post about the native New Jersey people at the time of the first European settlers in Morris County, NJ. I am reprinting it here. 

LOCAL ORIGINS

The first Europeans to set foot in this area were Dutch fur traders who arrived sometime around 1629, give or take a few years. It is believed that these trappers and fur traders gradually worked their way up the Raritan River basin from Perth Amboy. The river basin was a rich source of wildlife, such as fish, otters, beavers, deer, and bears. It was also fairly easy terrain to cross. It is relatively unobstructed land, and there were many animal trails and Indian trails to follow.

In the 10,500 years since the last ice age, the Leni Lenape natives of New Jersey probably made countless journeys along these trails on their migrations to the sea. It’s possible they may have wintered along the shore where seafood was plentiful, and temperatures were less severe. The Lenape migrated seasonally to take advantage of different natural resources. It is an underappreciated fact that many of the back roads in New Jersey today follow the game trails and pathways of these natives Americans.

The Leni Lenape was mostly a peaceful, gentile people occupying the territory from southern New York State, all of New Jersey south to Delaware, and from the Atlantic Ocean to eastern Pennsylvania on both sides of the Delaware River. Leni Lenape is the name they called themselves. Their self-identified name translates as Leni, which means "original," "real," or "pure,” and Lenape means “man.” In documented testimony of at least one Lenape tribesman, he clearly stated that his tribe was among the original people of the Earth. The English later referred to them as the Delaware Indians because of their strong connections to that river, which they called “wihittuck”, the river of the Lenape. (see map and pictures)

When English settlers came along, they often referred to Lenape villagers by the native name for the particular lake or river near which they camped. This may be how the Lenape addressed themselves to these foreigners, but it apparently is not how they thought of themselves as a people.

This naming protocol by the settlers would be like space aliens coming down and calling us the Mine Hillian tribe because we say we live here or calling the inhabitants just east of here the Doverite tribe. It was an expedient reference in the early 1700s, but it created the impression that there were many native tribes in the area, tribes with such place names as the Pascack (Passaic), Hopatcong, Succasunnia, Tuckahoe, Pequannock, Minisink, etc. All of these were Leni Lenape villagers from one of several large clans who were also members of the much larger Algonquin nation. For an interesting aside, check out the list of Lenape place names in New Jersey here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/.../List_of_place_names_of...

The Dutch traders got along well with the local natives they encountered along the way and treated them as trading partners. They probably traded metal tools, knives, blankets, hats, and clothing with the Lenape in exchange for the pelts and animal furs they sought.

The first English settlers followed the same route up the Raritan basin arriving in the Succasunna plains some 30 or 40 years after the Dutch fur traders. This corresponds to the period following the English takeover of New Amsterdam (New York City) and most of the other Dutch colonies in New Jersey, New York, and Delaware. According to the historians I’ve read, like the Dutch traders before them, the early English settlers to this area had an amicable relationship with the local natives. The peaceful, productive relationships that the Leni Lenape enjoyed with the Dutch no doubt set the tone for subsequent contacts with other European colonists.

There is more to be said about the Lenape and the early colonists in this area, but first, an homage must be extended to the original Dutch settlers. When the British took over the Dutch colonies, a conscious effort was made to destroy or suppress Dutch history. Dutch records and documents were destroyed by the British. This created a skewed historic view of the early colonies. Yet the character and culture of the Dutch in New York and New Jersey resulted in such successful colonies that the basic culture and structural institutions created in these colonies were left intact. As a result, the subsequent mixing of English and Dutch cultures combined to create a distinctly new "New World" culture that greatly influenced colonial America. To this day that early Dutch culture is best reflected in the culture of the largest Dutch colony, New York City.

For a full and fascinating tour of discovery on the liberal (formal meaning) nature and influence of our early Dutch history, I recommend a book by Russel Shorto titled “The Island at the Center of the World. The Epic Story of Dutch Manhattan and the Forgotten Colony That Shaped America.”

And for those who didn't click on the Proclamation Link above:

A Proclamation on Indigenous Peoples’ Day, 2021

Since time immemorial, American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians have built vibrant and diverse cultures — safeguarding land, language, spirit, knowledge, and tradition across the generations. On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, our Nation celebrates the invaluable contributions and resilience of Indigenous peoples, recognizes their inherent sovereignty, and commits to honoring the Federal Government’s trust and treaty obligations to Tribal Nations.

Our country was conceived on a promise of equality and opportunity for all people — a promise that, despite the extraordinary progress we have made through the years, we have never fully lived up to. That is especially true when it comes to upholding the rights and dignity of the Indigenous people who were here long before colonization of the Americas began. For generations, Federal policies systematically sought to assimilate and displace Native people and eradicate Native cultures. Today, we recognize Indigenous peoples’ resilience and strength as well as the immeasurable positive impact that they have made on every aspect of American society. We also recommit to supporting a new, brighter future of promise and equity for Tribal Nations — a future grounded in Tribal sovereignty and respect for the human rights of Indigenous people in the Americas and around the world.

In the first week of my Administration, I issued a memorandum reaffirming our Nation’s solemn trust and treaty obligations to American Indian and Alaska Native Tribal Nations and directed the heads of executive departments and agencies to engage in regular, meaningful, and robust consultation with Tribal officials. It is a priority of my Administration to make respect for Tribal sovereignty and self-governance the cornerstone of Federal Indian policy. History demonstrates that Native American people — and our Nation as a whole — are best served when Tribal governments are empowered to lead their communities and when Federal officials listen to and work together with Tribal leaders when formulating Federal policy that affects Tribal Nations.

The contributions that Indigenous peoples have made throughout history — in public service, entrepreneurship, scholarship, the arts, and countless other fields — are integral to our Nation, our culture, and our society. Indigenous peoples have served, and continue to serve, in the United States Armed Forces with distinction and honor — at one of the highest rates of any group — defending our security every day. And Native Americans have been on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, working essential jobs and carrying us through our gravest moments. Further, in recognition that the pandemic has harmed Indigenous peoples at an alarming and disproportionate rate, Native communities have led the way in connecting people with vaccination, boasting some of the highest rates of any racial or ethnic group.

The Federal Government has a solemn obligation to lift up and invest in the future of Indigenous people and empower Tribal Nations to govern their own communities and make their own decisions. We must never forget the centuries-long campaign of violence, displacement, assimilation, and terror wrought upon Native communities and Tribal Nations throughout our country. Today, we acknowledge the significant sacrifices made by Native peoples to this country — and recognize their many ongoing contributions to our Nation.

On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we honor America’s first inhabitants and the Tribal Nations that continue to thrive today. I encourage everyone to celebrate and recognize the many Indigenous communities and cultures that make up our great country.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim October 11, 2021, as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. I call upon the people of the United States to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities. I also direct that the flag of the United States be displayed on all public buildings on the appointed day in honor of our diverse history and the Indigenous peoples who contribute to shaping this Nation.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighth day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-sixth.

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.