Journeyman Walks His Way into History

By Emily Droege
Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise, Monday, August 22, 2011
(All rights reserved, copyright Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise)

Peter Prusinowski has walked his way into history.

For more than three months, Prusinowski endured wind, rain and triple-digit temperatures to make a 2,000-mile journey on foot in order to connect with the Lenape Indians, also known as Delaware Indians, and their migration from the Delaware Valley in the northeast to their final stopping point in the Midwest. His solo trek began at his hometown of Fishtown, Penn., and ended recently in Bartlesville.

With a deep interest in the Lenape Indian heritage and history, Prusinowski explained that his rigorous journey was a way to connect with the past, as well as an effort to “inspire a more hopeful future.”

“This is something that came to me about three years ago,” said Prusinowski, adding that part of his inspiration stemmed from the Treaty of Amity and Friendship between William Penn and the Lenape Indians in 1682.

He said he believes that the events from the past 400 years are connected to the “occurrences of today and the social issues we encounter.”

Prusinowski’s “Trail of Hope” journey — which began on March 23 — took him through Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri and Kansas to Oklahoma. During the last leg of his trek, he spent the night at the Delaware Indian powwow grounds, located around 17 miles northeast of Bartlesville.

He finished out the adventure by walking to the Delaware Tribal Offices in Bartlesville, accompanied by one of his supporters, as well as Assistant Delaware Chief Chet Brooks. There, he was warmly greeted with a ceremony by area residents.

“Everyone in Bartlesville has been very welcoming an friendly,” said Prusinowski. “I’m grateful that I completed the journey and that I had the opportunity to share my experiences with others.”

He added that he felt honored to be among his “Delaware Indian friends and share the Trail of Hope with them.”

A skilled photographer by trade, Prusinowski snapped numerous photographs of his monumental expedition and plans to organize them into a journal format in hopes of inspiring others. He traveled light, carrying only a 25-pound backpack filled with such essentials as water, two pair of socks, a couple spare pair of pants and an iPad to use when blogging.

“I walked mostly on back roads and county roads, but some of the time was spent walking along the highways, he said, adding that he’d walk up to 20-25 miles a day. “I would usually spend the night in a motel and start walking by 7 a.m. the next morning. Sometimes I would stay with people and friends I knew along the way.”

Among some of the toughest of Prusinowski’s challenges was confronting summertime temperatures. Although he dedicated two years of preparing for his journey by power walking, jogging and swimming, he said walking in the hot and humid weather was nearly impossible to prepare for.

“That was really difficult, especially when it got into the 90s and 100-degree temperatures,” he said. “I had to make more frequent stops along the way due to the heat so some days were very long. I would start early and end late.”

While walking through Missouri, Prusinowski went off the trail route in order to help tornado victims in Joplin.

“I really enjoyed helping out in Joplin. It was very rewarding and a great experience to spread hope,” he said.

Prusinowski, who holds a deep interest in history, moved to the U.S. from Poland in 1976 with a friend. He explained that the pair was looking for adventure and an opportunity to explore what life in America was like.

“I’m extremely happy with my journey,” he said. “I experienced a lot and was able to see things that I otherwis wouldn’t have been able to see. I never felt alone. I always knew someone was with me and keeping me safe.”

Prusinowski set up a blog documenting his nearly five-month trek at http://trailofhopeblog.com.

Assistant Chief Chet Brooks joined Peter Prusinowski, right, for part of his 2,000-mile Trail of Hope journey. Photo, Jim Rementer.