Lenape facts for kids
The Lenape are a group of Native American people. They are also known as the Delaware Indians. Their name, "Lenape" or "Lenni Lenape," means "the people" or "true people."
The Lenape share a common culture and language. They spoke two similar languages: Unami and Munsee.
The Lenape traditionally lived in an area called Lenapehoking. This land was mostly around the Delaware and lower Hudson Rivers. Today, this area includes parts of New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, and southeastern New York. It also covered the north shore of Delaware.
Today, many Lenape people live in different parts of North America. Large communities are found in Oklahoma, Wisconsin, and Ontario in Canada.
Contents
Lenape Languages and Names
The Lenape people are known by several names. These include Lenappe, Lenapi, and Lenni Lenape. The most common name used by others is the Delaware Indians. This name comes from the Delaware River, which was named after Lord De La Warr.
The Lenape spoke two main languages. These were Unami and Munsee. Both are part of the Algonquian language family. These languages helped connect different Lenape groups.
Lenapehoking: Their Traditional Home
The traditional homeland of the Lenape was called Lenapehoking. This large area stretched across what is now several U.S. states. It included the lands around the Delaware River and the lower Hudson River.
Lenapehoking covered all of present-day New Jersey. It also included eastern Pennsylvania, especially the Delaware and Lehigh valleys. Parts of southeastern New York, like the lower Hudson Valley, were also Lenape lands. The northern shore of Delaware was part of their territory too. This rich land provided everything the Lenape needed to live.
Where Lenape People Live Today
Over time, many Lenape people moved from their traditional lands. Today, Lenape communities are found in various places. Many live in Oklahoma, where several Lenape tribes are based.
Other Lenape communities are in Wisconsin. There are also Lenape First Nations in Ontario, Canada. These communities work to keep their culture and traditions alive.
Images for kids
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Jennie Bobb and her daughter, Nellie Longhat (both Delaware), Oklahoma, 1915
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Traditional Confederations of Lenape lands, the Lenapehoking, not showing any of the several divisions governed by matriarchies
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Susie Elkhair (died 1926) of the Delaware Tribe of Indians, wearing ribbonwork shawl
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Benjamin West's painting (in 1771) of William Penn's 1682 treaty with the Lenape
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Lapowinsa, Chief of the Lenape, Lappawinsoe painted by Gustavus Hesselius in 1735
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See also
In Spanish: Lenape para niños
