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By Susan Bachor, Delaware Tribe Historic Preservation, Pennsylvania Office

On October 23rd the remains of a minimum of 2 people were returned and laid to rest in a cemetery protected and maintained by the Stockbridge Munsee. These individuals were held in collections for many years, which is typical, as the remains being held privately are not under the jurisdiction of NAGPRA. Luckily, the Delaware Tribe’s ongoing presence in the east prompted the collectors to contact and ultimately work with the Tribe to return these ancestors.

The Kuna Collection was acquired over years by Dr. Samuel Kuna (deceased). Kuna both bought and actively hunted for Native American artifacts. Dr. Kuna’s son, Dr. Robert Kuna, contacted the Tribe regarding repatriation about a year ago after trying to donate the collection to the New Jersey State Museum. The NJ State Museum could not house the collection due to space, next he contacted Dr. Rich Veit of Monmouth University. Dr. Veit was willing to take the collection but refused to accept the human remains. The Historic Preservation Office arranged for the pick-up and re-burial of this individual.

Additional remains were given to the Delaware Tribe about a year ago by Mr. Robert O’Malia. We had helped the O’Malia’s save a portion of their original farm lands. This family had contacted us about a developer who was going to dig up a parcel of land that held not only the remnants of a fortified village but also at least two burial locations. Working with the family we were able to stop the development and restore the O’Malia family farm to its original size. Bob, a second-generation farmer of this land, had a small collection that he gathered while plowing his fields. John Thomas, Neal Cavallo, and I went to re-visit the site after saving the parcel. During our visit Bob O’Malia invited us into his home to look at his collection. One of his carefully packaged boxes held three human molars. Bob willing gave the remains to us for reburial.

The day of the burial, October 23rd, was a windy Fall day. Bonney Hartley, my son, and I met just outside the burial location which is very close to the Hudson River. We gathered the remains and the materials needed for re-burial and proceeded to find a location that would be appropriate. Bonney lovingly prepared the remains while my son and I dug careful to not disturb anyone else. Prayers and offerings were presented to the deceased and the remains were carefully reburied. Bonney noted that during the burial we were being watched by a hawk that later circled the area after the burial was completed. We took this as a good sign. After the burial we all sat, talked, and shared a light meal.

This reinternment was a success not just due to the physical act of returning ancestors to the earth but also because it is proof that an active presence by the Delaware Tribe on the East Coast is affecting change. Individual collectors or the heirs of these collections now have reliable contacts in which they can trust.

We are excited to announce that the online gift shop for the Delaware Tribe of Indians is now up and running! The same outstanding collection of Delaware merchandise available at the Tribal Headquarters in Bartlesville is now available for those of us who want to show off our Lenape heritage, but are unable to make it out to Oklahoma. We have everything from pocket Lenape dictionaries, to apparel featuring the official tribal seal, to beadwork, to books about Delaware history, and much, much more! We offer shipping throughout the United States as well as free in-person pickup in Bartlesville. We are also offering the option to pick up orders for free at the annual Pow-Wow each year in the Bartlesville area on Memorial Day weekend. All proceeds go towards expanding and improving the Cultural Resources Department of the Delaware Tribe of Indians as we work towards our ultimate goal of creating a museum for Delaware culture and history.

You can find the online gift shop at https://www.delawaretribe.org/shop or by clicking on the Gift Shop button at the bottom of the Delaware Tribe of Indians home page at https://www.delawaretribe.org. Check back often as we will be adding some exciting new products over the next few months.

All online payments are processed through PayPal. PayPal registration is free and available at http://www.paypal.com, or you can use a credit or debit card.

Everything available online is also available at the Gift Shop located in the Social Services building at the Tribal Headquarters at 170 NE Barbara, Bartlesville, OK 74006. Visitors to the Gift Shop will be able to explore the Tribal Archives, as well as have first access to new products as they are added to the online store. The Gift Shop in Bartlesville accepts cash, checks, and most major credit/debit cards. The Gift Shop hours are 9:00 AM–5:00 PM Monday–Thursday and 10:00 AM–2:00 PM on Friday.

Questions, comments, and suggestions are welcome! You can reach us at shop@delawaretribe.org. If you are a Delaware artisan, who wishes to have your products sold through the Delaware Gift Shop, contact Anita Mathis at amathis@delawaretribe.org.