Celebrating Native Heritage Month

To recognize Native American Heritage Month, the newly approved Institute for Indigenous Studies (IIS) in the College of Health at Lehigh University hosted a number of virtual events to celebrate and introduce the team to the Lehigh community. These included hosting two film screenings one of Taylor Sheridan's 2017 film Wind River and another of Judd Ehlrich's 2016 film Keepers of the Game. The Wind River screening was followed by a brief question and answer session about the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Before our screening of Keepers of the Game, IIS team member and Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians member, Luke Swimmer gave a brief discussion about the history and continued significance of Cherokee stickball in his community.

On November 12, in partnership with the Office of Multicultural Affairs at Lehigh, IIS team members participated in a talk discussing the impacts of pipeline and other natural resource infrastructure on Native health. The panel included the Institute's co-directors, Drs. Sean and Chris Daley along with team members Ryan Goeckner, Jordyn Gunville, River Gunville, Jason Hale, Charley Lewis, and Joe Pacheco. You can listen to the full recording on the Office of Multicultural Affairs page here.

Because of our recent move to the Lehigh Valley, we would also like to take this month to recognize all of the incredible Indigenous folks with whom we work, have shared meals, and became lifelong friends.

Since moving to Pennsylvania, we have been reflecting on the communities who traditionally inhabited the lands of the Lehigh Valley including the Lenni Lenape who traditionally called the Delaware River watershed “home.” This month, IIS members offered their feedback on the newly developed land acknowledgement from the Office of Multicultural Affairs. It is listed below, in full. 

​"We humbly make a land acknowledgment. I would like to recognize and acknowledge the Indigenous people of this land: the Lenni Lenape, known today as Delaware, who are in Oklahoma now.

Every community owes its existence and vitality to generations from around the world who contributed their hopes, dreams, and energy to making the history that led to this moment. Some were brought here against their will, some were drawn to leave their distant homes in hope of a better life, and some have lived on this land for more generations than can be counted. Truth and acknowledgment are critical to building mutual respect and connection across all barriers of heritage
and difference. We begin this effort to acknowledge what has been buried by honoring the truth. We are standing on the ancestral lands of the Lenape People. 

The Lenape people are the original inhabitants of Delaware, New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania, and Southern New York. Since time immemorial they have been the caretakers of these lands and of The River of Human Beings, more commonly known as the Delaware River. The Lenape were the first tribe to sign a treaty with the United Stat.es and the first tribe to have land set aside for them in New Jersey.

Over a period of 250 years, many Lenape people were removed and dispersed throughout the country. Some took refuge with other tribes. A large number of Lenape families remained in the homelands and continue the traditions of their ancestors up to our present day. Today the Lenape people from all over Turtle Island (North America) are revitalizing their communities.
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Many place names in Pennsylvania are derived from the Lenape Language, such as Manayunk, Conshohocken, and Neshaminy...to mention only a few. In the city of Philadelphia stands a statue of Chief Tamanend, a revered leader among the Lenape, who signed many treaties with William Penn. The history of the Lenape is truly the history of Pennsylvania. 
We pay respects to their elders past and present. Please take a moment to consider the many legacies of violence, displacement, migration, and settlement that bring us together here today."

To learn more about the Lenape, visit the Museum of Indian Culture and the Delaware Nation's websites.

American Public Health Association Presentations

Last month members of the Institute for Indigenous Studies presented at this year's (virtual) American Public Health Association conference. There conference citations can be found below:

Hale, J; Pacheco, J; Lewis, CS; Daley, SM; Nazir, N; Daley, CM; Choi, WS (2020) Assessing the Impact of Discrimination on Health among American Indian Tribal College Students. American Public Health Association Annual Meeting.

Lewis, CS; Hale, JW; Haswood, C; and Daley, CM. (2020) American Indian college students’ knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors surrounding alternative tobacco products. American Public Health Association Annual Meeting,

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