November is Native American Heritage Month — a time to reflect on the cultures, traditions, language, spiritual teachings and stories of those who lived here long before European settlers arrived. The Lehigh Valley is part of a greater Lenape group that stretched across the Northeastern United States and into Canada.

Earlier this year, the community gathered for its first all-day conference under Chief Adam “Waterbear” DePaul, tribal storyteller and director of education for Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania. The historic gathering met at Northampton Community College on Green Pond Road. The conference, titled “Homecoming: The Lenape Speak,” included topics such as Lenape history, language, crafts, horticulture, food sovereignty and justice, medicine and storytelling.

The event had a special emphasis on the indigenous language. The importance of carrying on the language is a coveted legacy in the Lenape culture, as reflected by Brent Stonefish: “We are not Lenape without our language.”

The event was attended by over 170 people, a number far exceeding the expectations of the hosts. The audience had a serious tone; members carefully listening to the discussions, taking notes, learning about the struggles and the connection to nature evident through the numerous stories told.

When Clan Mother Shelley DePaul spoke on botany and plants, she stated, “Native Americans determine wealth by not how much they have, but how much they have to give away.”

“Wanishi” was heard often during the conference. It means thank you.

The schedule included three separate panel discussions with long breaks in between for attendees to discuss the teachings with each other. Crafters demonstrated different styles of artisan work. Authors shared information they had collected celebrating Lenape culture. The breaks also featured drum circle players, as sound filled the room – songs vocally delivered along with the meaningful drumbeat.

Three Lenape inspired meals were served, buffet style. During the meals, community gathered. People who traveled from different regions got to know each other, building new relationships. The message by Chief Vincent Mann rang true: “We can’t live in a world of individualism.”

Throughout the day of panel speakers, messages of humility, gratitude, sharing, and mindfulness were repeated through lessons of the land, medicine and food, and storytelling depicting animals like, bear, dogs, chipmunks and squirrels.

Then there was a time of testimony. The childhood stories were often difficult to hear, but important to understand.

The biggest take-away was offered by Chief Adam “Waterbear” at the end of the day.

“Everybody here came to sit in a room, talk to experience and learn from a culture whose biggest struggle today is that of being erased,” he said. “It’s having their story literally illegalized [sic], thrown into boarding schools for trying to embrace their culture. The legacy of the future is to bring it forward.”

“It is an understanding that we went away,” offered Clan Mother Teri Hislop, “but we are still here.”

To learn more or attend the next conference or event, please visit www.lenape-nation.org.