To commemorate Native American Heritage Month, Bucks County Community College invites the public to “Teachings from the Turtle Clan” on Wednesday, Nov. 8, at 12:30 p.m. on the Newtown Campus, 275 Swamp Road, and online.
Join Chief Chuck Gentlemoon DeMund for a discussion of the history, current issues and cultural practices of the descendants of the original inhabitants of Lenapehoking. Chief DeMund is keeper of ceremony and intertribal liaison for the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania.
Among current issues is an effort to get the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to officially recognize the Lenape Nation, as neighboring states Delaware and New Jersey have done. That effort has been underway for more than 30 years, and as recently as last May, the Lenape and their supporters rallied in Harrisburg. Although several lawmakers and other officials have pledged their support of the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania, this has yet to lead to action. Learn more at lenape-nation.org.
Native American Heritage Month was officially proclaimed as the month of November in 1990. But as early as 1915, efforts began to gain a day of recognition for the significant contributions the first Americans made to the establishment and growth of the United States. To learn more, visit nativeamericanheritagemonth.gov.
“Native Americans did not come to the United States from the southern border or Ellis Island — they were here long before the Europeans and the Africans,” said Kevin Antoine, J.D., the college’s associate vice president of community and government relations and chief diversity officer. “The Lenape people, before the arrival of Europeans, had advanced environmental and agricultural practices that are accepted and used today.”
“Teachings from the Turtle Clan” takes place in the Orangery Building on campus. Admission and parking are free. The presentation will also be streamed live on the internet to those who register in advance at bit.ly/BCCCLenape.
The event is sponsored by the college’s Office of Community & Government Relations and DEI Programs, as well as the Newtown Township Human Relations Commission. It’s among several educational forums at Bucks County Community College to encourage dialogue on issues surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion. To learn more, visit bucks.edu/diversity or contact diversity@bucks.edu.
