MEET THE ROCKS……..WE ARE THE MUNSEE PEOPLE
There are 7 layers of Lenape culture underneath New York City,
usually referred to as……
1. ORIENT PHASE
2. SEBONAC PHASE
3. FOX CREEK PHASE
4. MINISINK PHASE
5. BOWMAN PHASE
6.CLASON POINT PHASE
7. COLONIAL PHASE
The Mohican developed out of the Orient Phase, the Shinnecock from the Sebonac Phase, the Munsee from the Minisink, the Unami from the ensuing Bowman’s Brook Phase, and the Unalatchtigo thereafter. The last 3 became members of the Lenape Confederacy. At time of contact the Lenape were a loosely organized but wide ranging entity. However the predominate Nation of Lenape to occupy New York City during the last century were the MUNSEE. A people written out of history books not because of their insignificance but precisely because of their significant contributions to the United States and Canada.
THE TERM DELAWARE DEVELOPED OUT OF THE COLONIAL PHASE TO INCLUDE MUNSEE, UNAMI AND UNALATCHTIGO PEOPLES. IT IS SOMEWHAT SYNONYMOUS WITH “LENAPE” BUT IT COMMONLY REFERS TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE AN MIXTURE OF THE THREE PLUS ALL OF THEIR RELATIVES WHO INTERMARRIED FOR SURVIVAL SAKE AS THEY WERE DRIVEN OUT WEST. THE DELAWARE ARE AT LEAST TO SOME EXTENT DESCENDANTS OF THE MUNSEE OF NEW YORK. MANY OF WHOM STILL RESIDE IN THE NYC AREA.
From the book
NATIVES OF NEW YORK by EVAN T. PRITCHARD
