The lenape food

1. The Lenape Food By, Juliet Nowak, Katie Mayer, Peter Sourbis, Muhammad Qutawna, and Anthony Vallellanes

2. Preparation Many of the Lenape Boys hunted and fished for food. Gathered fruit and nuts. Added maple sugar to make the cornmeal. Smoked meat and fish. Then dried in the sun, so they wouldn’t spoil. Prepared animal fat for cooking. Bear grease was like bug spray, was used to protect skin in cold weather, and used to make hair shiny. Prepared soup, bread, puddings, and sarsaparilla soda. They prepared corn on the cob boiled, baked, or fried in bear grease.

3. Harvest Ceremony Annual Religious ceremony 12 nights in October Men built “big houses,” 40 feet long 25 feet wide Sacred fired at the entrance of the big house each night House was decorated with 12 painted masks which represented their gods. Cooked deer meat on a fire The tribe prayed for the hunters and were very thankful They worshiped the sun and rain gods, because if there wasn’t sun or rain the crops would not grow

4. Fish and Meat Fish Fish that they caught was: Herring Shad Salmon Sturgeon Harpoons made of deer antler were sometimes used to spear large fish. Fish eggs and roe were hard to find so it was special when they found them once in a while. They used traps or long nets to catch other fish Fresh fish was usually cooked over a fire The women also wrapped the fish in clay and baked them in hot ashes When there was plenty of fish in the tribes, they would smoke the fish or try to dry them in the sun. Meat Animals were hunted for meat, skins, sinew, and bones The bones were used as utensils. The meat was eaten. The skins were used for the bags to hold food. To prevent spoilage some meat were smoked and dried in the sun Mammals that they caught were: Deer elk black bear raccoon beaver rabbit Deer was a blessing to the Lenape- it was used a lot for many other things

5. Birds and Vegetables Birds Were hunted and trapped Used bows, arrows, traps, and nets They ate the bird’s eggs They caught, geese, ducks, turkey, and passenger pigeons They used the feathers to make clothing and jewelry Hunters killed so many passenger pigeons they are now extinct. Vegetables Grew corn, beans, squash, blueberries, tomatoes, cattail roots and peppers When the vegetables were ripe they ate them right away, the rest they stored away for the winter. Pumpkin and squash were cut into rings and put on sticks to be dried in the sun. Corn kernels and beans were kept in skin bags to keep them from rotting. When the female was ready to prepare the dried food, she boiled it in water and it was soft enough to eat.

6. Utensils Utensils were very useful for the Lenape. They used things in their area as bark plates, wooden bowls, spoons, and forks, to help them eat. Clay pots were used to store food and keep them fresh from spoiling, it would keep them cool. They used animal skins as pouches to hold and keep food. These are some of the utensils used by the Lenape to help make their lives easier.

7. Weapons Used Weapons were very important to the part of the Lenape civilization. They made tools from wood stones, bones, metals, minerals, and even their household items. These were very great for hunting and keeping defense. The lenape people used weapons as tools and they used them for hunting and war with other Indian tribes. Strategies- The Lenape used strategies to help them survive in the area they lived in and they became more and more intelligent with their own tactics. Lenape always used most of their strategies by learning their area and knowing the land they live in and all the characteristics. They kept camouflage with the grassy and tree land they lived in to hide from the animals and attack them while not knowing. The lenape people were very agile. Traps- These were very helpful to the Lenape people because they would always make life easier for the people in catching their food and or enemies. They used vines, rocks, wood, leaves, and even they would wait for an animal to approach them so they can strike it and get it. These are some of the weapons, strategies, and traps the Lenape used to help them survive.

8. Shell Fish and Lenape Shellfish were one of the Lenape’s best food sources. They would go to shores and try to gather them along the beach line as much as they could. This was one of their main food sources because, they would not have to hunt them like deer. They would use nets, hooks, and even spears to catch this food. They pronounced shellfish “chitkëwale”. The Lenape would go by the ocean and find the shellfish on the shore. There are still some places in New Jersey where people collect shellfish to eat. They would bring them home for their families to eat just like the Lenape did.

9. Bibliography http:// culture.delawaretribe.org/foods.htm http:// www.lenapelifeways.org/lenape2.htm http:// www.lenapelifeways.org/lenape1.htm http:// www.bigorrin.org/lenape_kids.htm