The ancient ritual of wampum and the Treaty of Renewed Friendship
Witness a profound Eastern Woodlands tradition as the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania gathers for the signing of the Treaty of Renewed Friendship, a ceremony centered on the passing of sacred wampum.
The ceremony begins with an opening prayer and the passing of wampum, a ritual used for centuries in the Eastern Woodlands to establish bonds of trust and responsibility. These woven belts and strings serve as historical commemorations of significant events and treaties.
The event highlights ongoing collaboration between the Lenape peoples and institutions like the Penn Museum, which accepted a string of wampum in 2010. On August 13, the tradition continues as the wampum is passed to the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, an organization dedicated to the Delaware River Watershed.
Source: "Treaty of Renewed Friendship" Signing
