Mission – WE ARE TREATY PEOPLE
Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribal Nation’s People and Salem Quarter Religious Society of Friends have a loving relationship grounded by original oral treaties honouring Tribal sovereignty, perpetual peace & friendship. With intention of releasing love among Lenape Tribes who have remained on their ancestral homeland, “keepers of the land” Lenapehoking, we are blessed with the formation of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM) First-Contact Reconciliation Collaborative. PYM Religious Society of Friends of Truth seek a more inclusive, equitable beloved community, one that honors Lenape culture and proprietary lifeways, recognizing local sovereign Lenape Tribal Nations: Lenape Indian Tribe of DE, Ramapough Lenape, Powhatan Renape, Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape.
What We Do
We faithfully respond to the still small voice within, opening us to Indigenous sovereignty, calling us to shift ways of learning and being. With revelation, we listen to voices of local authentic Lenape Tribal Nations leadership and accept invitation to Lenape Tribal Nations’ events; we acknowledge historic truths toward decolonizing causative oppressions that deny human rights and liberties; we acknowledge that of the Creator of all things, bearing responsibilities of being citizens of an unjust empire; and as invited by Lenape Tribal Nations leadership, in solidarity, we pursue acts of justice from the predominant society (see our Call to Action page).
Who We Are
We are worshipers throughout Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, over 100 Meetinghouses and worship groups, who provide a place of reciprocity with the original people of this land, sovereign Lenape Tribal Nations’ People of NJ and DE. We are F/friends who acknowledge the diversity within our Beloved community, and we seek truth telling toward reconciliation with the original people, hosts to this land, Lenapehoking. Our contemporary lifeways strive to honour the original treaties of perpetual peace and friendship among local authentic Lenape Tribal Nations (“keepers of the land”) and immigrant seekers – Religious Society of Friends and all others who pursue livelihoods in Lenapehoking
When We Meet
First-Contact Reconciliation Collaborative core members meet with local Lenape Tribal Nations leadership as needed and accept invitation to gather at Lenape Tribal Nations non-public as well as public events. Spirit moved, the FCRC hosts open events throughout the year, posted on the PYM calendar and/ or as a PYM News Story. We strive to have a presence during Friendly gatherings – Tri-Quarter, Annual Sessions, and Continuing Sessions. As a collaborative there is intention to network with other organizations when mutually beneficial – Joint Yearly Meeting committees on Indian Affairs, PYM Eco-Justice Collaborative, Quaker Earthcare Witness, Friends Peace Teams-Toward Right Relations, Coalition of Natives and Allies, with Indigenous Peoples – Lenape (NJ & DE), St. John United Methodist Church (NJ historic designated Native American Church), Indigenous Philly, National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition….
Get Involved
First-Contact Reconciliation Collaborative calls on Friends to take into one’s individual and collective heart the realities of local sovereign Lenape Tribal Nations who continue to reside on their ancestral homeland, Lenapehoking. A valuable introduction, We Are Still Here, is offered by the Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribal Nation as a free download. Additional FCRC web pages offer a multitude of opportunities toward creating space for that which has been missing. Representatives from the collaborative welcome requests of consultation for community clearness/ next steps, as well as to find inspiration from hearing initiatives that lift up authentic Tribal Nations of the PYM region and address concerns of Lenapehoking. Journey the FCRC pages; there are many possibilities awaiting; be still…what might be calling-in your heart, mind, soul?
Philanthropy, honey, it’s time for an intervention.
— Edgar Villanueva, Decolonizing Wealth