Indians of New Jersey - In Depth Notes

Indians of New Jersey

Paleo-Indians (10,000 B.C.E.-8000 B.C.E.)

  • Time Frame: 12,000 B.P. – 10,000 B.P.

Archaic Period (8000 B.C.E.-1000 B.C.E.)

Early Woodland Period (1000 B.C.E.-500 B.C.E.)

Middle Woodland Period (500 B.C.E.-900 C.E.)

Late Woodland Period (900-1600 C.E.)

Lenni Lenape

  • The regional Indians referred to themselves as Lenni Lenape, meaning "original people" or "common folk".
  • The Iroquois referred to them as "old women, the peacemakers, the wise ones".
  • They were known as "Delaware Indians" by Europeans, due to their residence along a river named after Lord De La Warr.

Paleo-Indians

Migration and Arrival
  • Paleo-Indians migrated from Siberia to Alaska about 30,000 years ago, spreading across the Americas.
  • Lenape Folk Tradition: Suggests a group moved eastward to the Atlantic seaboard, from which the Lenape descendants emerged.
Entry into New Jersey
  • They entered New Jersey around 12,000 years ago as glaciers from the Wisconsin Ice Age retreated.
  • The environment was marked by tundra and boreal forests, which were rich in biodiversity.
Ecosystem Overview
  • Tundra: Open ground with lichens, grasses, and dwarf shrubs.
  • Taiga: Spruce and fir forest, sphagnum bogs.
  • These ecosystems supported large ice-age mammals (mammoths, mastodons, caribou, etc.).
Lifestyle and Tool Use
  • Paleo-Indians were large game hunters, utilizing tools such as spearpoints, knives, choppers, and scrapers made from high-quality stones.
  • Fossil evidence has been found in Southern and coastal New Jersey, but none in the Pine Barrens.

Archaic Period

Climate and Adaptation
  • With the Holocene geological period (~10,000 years ago), the climate warmed, leading to dense oak and pine forests replacing ice-age fauna.
  • The Lenape adapted their lifestyles to exploit forest and marine resources.
Resources and Tools
  • Forests provided nuts, berries, and resources for hunting, fishing, and gathering food.
  • Dugout canoes and shelters were crafted from trees using stone tools for felling.
Daily Life and Food Preparation
  • Women's roles included chopping firewood and domestic chores, while hunting and gathering were communal activities involving the whole family.
  • Foods were primarily consumed raw or roasted; clay pots appeared towards the end of this period, indicating semi-permanent settlements.
The Savich Farm Site
  • Located in Marlton, Burlington County, dated 2300-1900 B.P.
  • Excavations revealed house patterns, burial customs, and over 5000 artifacts.
Mortuary Customs
  • 39 graves within the Savich Farm site showcase cremation processes and communal burials, alongside objects placed with deceased individuals.

Early and Middle Woodland Periods

  • Characterized by elaborate burials and ceremonial practices.
  • Introduction of woven cloth and tobacco pipes during this era.
  • The bow and arrow became prominent for hunting replacing spears.

Late Woodland Period

Population and Settlement
  • Estimated 3000-4000 Lenape in New Jersey by 1600, part of approximately 10,000-12,000 across DE, PA, NJ, & NY.
  • Notable for a lunar calendar system and subsistence lifestyle involving gardening.
Agricultural Developments
  • Introduction of garden crops (corn, beans, squash, melons, possibly tobacco) alongside traditional hunting.
  • Resulted in more permanent housing structures, a shift from temporary to semi-permanent settlements.
Social Structure and Health
  • A communal approach to land and resources, with no defined personal property.
  • Health indicators noted healthy skeletal remains, though childhood mortality and dental issues were prevalent.
Spiritual Beliefs
  • Lenape held a belief in a single creative force and a spiritual worldview lacking a concept of hell.

Contact Period

Interactions with Europeans
  • Early Lenape were described as taller, attributed to their balanced diets.
  • They helped Europeans survive harsh winters but encountered significant cultural shifts with the introduction of European goods and trade.
Impact of European Arrival
  • Introduction of alcohol and diseases devastated native populations (up to 90% mortality), profoundly impacting communities.
Societal Changes and Land Deals
  • Lenape were pressured to engage in land treaties, often with inadequate compensation, particularly noted with figures like William Penn.
  • Post treaties of 1699, demographic conflicts increased.

Brotherton Reservation

  • Established in 1758, was the first Native American reservation, later dissolved in 1801.
  • Marked a forced displacement of Indians from their homelands to an involuntary settlement that eventually led to their relocation.

The Lenape Today

  • Currently fragmented and mostly reside in Oklahoma, Wisconsin, and Ontario; cultural identity is threatened through intermarriage and loss of traditions.

Walam Olum

  • A controversial historical narrative of the Lenape, originally published in the 1830s, later deemed a hoax by some scholars as analyzed in the late 20th century.