For Immediate Release
September 18, 2023
Contacts:
Anjuli Ramos-Busot, NJ Sierra Club, (267) 399-6422, Elliott Ruga, NJ Highlands Coalition (973) 722-4934
Hana Katz, Association of NJ Environmental Commissions (ANJEC) (856) 209-4105, Isabel Molina, NJ League of Conservation Voters (201) 887-7784
Local and Statewide Environmental Organizations and Educators in New Jersey Celebrate the Heritage of the Ramapough Luunape People and ask for Federal Recognition of the Turtle Clan
TRENTON – A coalition of environmental organizations and educators presented an evening of cultural celebrations honoring the rich history and heritage of the Ramapough Munsee- Luunape people on Sunday, Sept. 17. on the South Lawn of Liberty State Park Flag Plaza at 200 Morris Pesin Drive in Jersey City. All Event Photos.
Elliot Ruga, Policy Director at the NJ Highlands Coalition
At 6 p.m, Turtle Clan Chief Vincent Mann and the program sponsors gathered at the South Lawn’s Flag Plaza for a news conference to discuss the historical and contemporary impacts to the region’s indigenous people by today’s dominant culture.
Chief Mann, Turtle Clan Chief of the Ramapough Lenape Nation
The organizers are asking that members of the Turtle Clan of the Ramapough Luunape, which has state recognition, be granted federal recognition, that the Clan be relocated from their contaminated community in Ringwood, New Jersey, and that there be acknowledgement of the Pavonia Massacre, when 129 Dutch soldiers killed 120 indigenous people, including women and children, with a memorial.
New Jersey LCV stands with Chief Mann and the Turtle Clan and Ramapough Luunape people as they seek federal recognition, relocation from their contaminated lands in Ringwood, and acknowledgement of the Pavonia Massacre,” said Isabel Molina, Environmental Justice Policy Coordinator, New Jersey LCV. “Uplifting indigenous communities such as the Ramapough Munsee Luunape people is a vital part of the New Jersey LCV mission to advocate for a safe and healthy environment for all New Jerseyans no matter their zip code, especially people of color who have suffered the burden of environmental racism.”
“The New Jersey Sierra Club is a proud sponsor of tonight’s event elevating the history and legacy of the Ramapough people,” said Anjuli Ramos-Busot, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “It is imperative that we center Indigenous voices in the overall narrative of New Jersey’s history, and not erase the consequences of colonialism that caused harm to both Indigenous communities and the natural environment. We look forward to continuing to work with the Ramapough people and leaders like Chief Mann to better protect sacred land in New Jersey and continue to fight for environmental justice.”
Anjuli Ramos-Busot, NJ Director of the Sierra Club
“Learning through our local Ramapough leaders - their history and beliefs in living sustainably and harmoniously upon our planet - provides lessons from the past that are essential to addressing our environmental and social challenges today,” stated Greg Remaud, NY/NJ Baykeeper.
“In the vicinity of this Park was one of the darkest days of our common history with the native people of the Highlands, the Ramapough Luunape,” said Elliott Ruga, Policy and Communications Director of the New Jersey Highlands Coalition. “In what became known as the Pavonia Massacre, Colonial Dutch Soldiers slaughtered over 100 Munsee men, women and children during the night of February 25, 1643. The story of what happened to this region’s native people, who were gone or in hiding by the time of America’s independence, must be told. We are going to talk about that history tonight.”
There was a free, outdoor event at 7 p.m. on the South Lawn of Liberty State Park. Guests heard a transformative talk by the Clement Price Institute’s Dr. Jack Tchen on the impacts of Colonialism, observe a ceremonial drum performance by the Turtle Clan of the Ramapough Luunape, and participate in the screening of the recent documentary, “The Way of the Ramapough,” featuring Turtle Clan Chief, Vincent Mann.
It was a unique opportunity to engage with the ancestral traditions and stories of the native inhabitants of the region, to understand the impacts of colonization, from European contact through contemporary times, to hear their vision for a hopeful future, and the vital role of the Ramapough people in helping us adapt to the changing climate.
In a period of 150 years, from European contact through the Revolutionary War, the native population of the Hudson Valley along with others was devastated, their lands taken and their people decimated. Only a few stayed behind, or fled to the hills. This event brings attention to the harm that’s been done to this indigenous nation, while honoring and celebrating their traditions and people.
“Rivers are life. It is our sacred duty to protect and respect our rivers, for their own sake and the sake of everything – plant, fish, bird, animal and human – that depends on them. We should be guided by the wisdom of indigenous peoples, who have always understood the need to live in harmony and balance with nature.” said Lewis Pugh, UNEP Patron of the Oceans.
“The Turtle Clan has endured inequities from colonial to modern assimilation and too many environmental injustices on so many levels, from land confiscation to contamination of their communities. Yet their spirit remains strong and it prevails,” said Laurie Howard, Executive Director of the Passaic River Coalition. “We respect their fortitude in the nurturing of our environment in spite of our desecration of their sacred traditions that always nurture and embrace our environment. Passaic River Coalition shares the values of the Ramapough, truly stewards of our natural world. All must learn and appreciate our region’s native history and culture, as put forth in The Way of the Ramapough and in the powerful words of Chief Mann of the Turtle Clan.”
Sponsors:
Friends of Liberty State Park; New Jersey League of Conservation Voters; New Jersey Highlands Coalition; Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC); New York/New Jersey Baykeeper; Sierra Club, New Jersey Chapter; Hackensack Riverkeeper; Passaic River Coalition; The Clement Price Institute; The Public History Project.
Photography: Taylor McFarland Photography | @taylormcfarland_photography
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