Hidden History

hiddencityphila.org

October is more than Halloween, much more and more importantly it is an opportunity to celebrate and to WITNESS to Indigenous history in THE Delaware Valley.

It is true that we can't bring back the dead or give back the land or erase all that has come from the past to the present but we can and we do make the effort to honor the past. I believe with all my heart that it matters to honor those pioneer of righteousness, to honor the truth of the past, not the myths perpetrated by those whose greed propelled them to criminal acts but who have so often controlled the narrative.

For the autumn seasonal celebration, go to hiddencityphila.org for a beautifully written article about the hidden history of the Lenape people in the Delaware Valley. knowing and ackowledging is the least we can do.

I was fascinated to learn about the many tribal people who still live on their ancestral lands in New Jersey, in particular from Rancocas to Greenwich. There are tribes and tribal centers and even plans for creating places where the traditions can be celebrated and preserved.

The POW WOW is an ongoing moving tribal tradition that criss crosses the Americas continually, stopping here and there in reservations to share and celebrate the continued existence of First Peoples in Aerica. Many years ago, I was fortunate enough a pow wow at Rancocas. At the time there was a tribal center there but I have heard it has since closed.

We Quakers have a tradition of "witnessing" which gives us a way to speak truth to power when other means are not feasible. At least knowing the history and recognizing the trauma and the traditions is a way of witnessing. Check out the excellent essay at hiddencityphia.org

Happy Trails wrightj45@yahoo.com