10/13/2025
When my grandmother shared that her grandmother was of Cherokee Indigenous descent, I was fascinated. It all began to make sense. I spent time learning about our nation's history, traditions, struggles, food, values, mission, and culture. On this Indigenous People’s Day, I encourage you to explore the indigenous people of the land you live on and acknowledge their name. Find ways to support and donate. Here in Wilmington, we reside on the colonized land of the Lenape people. The Lenape people were semi-nomadic, skilled farmers and hunters who also developed sophisticated games and made wampum from shells. Their society was matrilineal with significant female leadership, and their culture was deeply connected to nature, with a reverence for spirits in all things. They developed intricate traps for hunting and had a major annual harvest ceremony.