The Rising Nation River Journey Six, 2022
The Lenape Legend of the Four Crows:
"We now know that the First Crow was the Lenape before the coming of the Europeans. The Second Crow symbolized the death and destruction of our culture. The Third Crow was our people going underground and hiding. The Fourth Crow was the Lenape becoming caretakers again and working with everybody to restore this land."
Purpose: The journey down the Lenape Sipu (Delaware River) is a joint effort to raise awareness, awaken the spirit, and bestow the past, environmentally, culturally and historically, to the future. It is meant to promote consciousness that Lenape people living in Pennsylvania are carrying on their ancestral traditions, culture and spiritual beliefs, and are engaged in numerous projects to provide practical ways for all citizens to respect and protect our homeland and the health, welfare, and future of the next seven generations of our children. The aim is to bring understanding that the state of Pennsylvania is one of the few states not recognizing its indigenous people, and to invite citizens and political representatives to sign a treaty to fulfill the dream envisioned by our founding fathers, William Penn and Chief Tamamend. Finally, we desire to put the fear, pain and humility of the past behind us, once and for all, and to walk together into the future.
I have paddled in all six of the River Journeys and signed the treaty every four years beginning in 2002. It has been a joy and a true spiritual experience to be with the people and enjoy the natural treasure of the Lenape Sipu, the longest undammed river East of the Mississippi. This set of images is a small selection from the 2022 journey which I joined for the second and third weeks in August. The journey ended with a celebration at Reas Farm in Cape May on the day after the final paddle.