November is National Native American Heritage Month, and we at the American Littoral Society are honoring the original stewards of our coasts by highlighting the Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape people and the ways they continue to keep their culture alive today. ​

The Lenni-Lenape—whose name is generally translated as “Original People”—have a history in this region dating back more than 10,000 years. Long before European colonization, they lived in small, semi-permanent villages along rivers and coasts, including the Delaware Bay and its tributaries, where they fished, hunted, and farmed. Their communities in what is now New Jersey included three main groups, the southernmost of which were the Unami (“People Down River”) and the Unalachtigo (“People Who Live Near the Ocean”). 

In the 1600s, the Nanticoke—known as the “Tidewater People”—began migrating from Maryland and Delaware to the Delaware River region, eventually uniting with Lenape who remained in the area. By the 18th century, many Lenape had been pushed westward into Pennsylvania, Ohio, and beyond. 

Given the meaning of their names, it is clear that the Delaware River watershed—including its tributaries and the bay—has always been central to their cultural identity. The descendants who remained or returned to New Jersey are citizens of the Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribal Nation, and many of them work to preserve their culture and continue advocating for tribal recognition. The Littoral Society is proud to partner with the Nation to help protect South Jersey’s waterways and the communities that depend on them. 

To highlight this month, we spoke with one of our partners, Charlene Johnson, Cultural Retention Chairperson and a proud citizen of the Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribal Nation. For the past decade, the Society has worked with Charlene and other tribal members through environmental education programs, and we are honored to share her perspective. 

Thursday, January 1 
11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
From Fort Tilden in New York and
Littoral Society HQ on Sandy Hook, NJ
Free

Ring in the New Year with the American Littoral Society by joining us for brisk walks in New York and New Jersey.

For the New York walk, meet at the little church just inside the 169th street entrance to Fort Tilden (note the Main gate may be closed). We'll hike along the beach and visit the hawk watch platform on top of Battery Harris east (about a mile on roads and trails).

For the Sandy Hook Walk, meet at Littoral Society headquarters (Building 18 in the Fort Hancock Section of Gateway National Recreation Area). We will walk to the northern tip of Sandy Hook (a little over 2 miles on roads, trails and sand). Hot dogs and hot chocolate will be served after the walk.

Once at their respective destinations, both groups will attempt to signal each other across the New York bight.