Hoboken Museum Event: Tribe Members Discuss Split Rock Sweetwater Prayer Camp

HOBOKEN, NJ — The Hoboken Historical Museum will welcome two representatives from the Ramapough-Lenape Indian Nation, Owl and Two Clouds, to speak about their history and the significance of their Split Rock Sweetwater Prayer Camp in Mahwah during an event at the museum on Sunday, June 25.

According to a news release, the free, public talk will take place at 4 p.m. at the museum, 1301 Hudson Street.

The Hoboken Historical Museum stated:

“The Ramapough are descendants of the once-vast nation of indigenous Lenape people whose ancestral lands included the western banks of the Hudson River where Hoboken now sits, and whose language gave rise to the city’s name, a Dutch interpretation of ‘Hopoghan Hackingh,’ or ‘Land of the Tobacco Pipe,’ for the abundant green-colored serpentine rock used to carve pipes for smoking tobacco.

“Recognized as an official indigenous nation by the state of New Jersey, the tribe has struggled to secure federal recognition, due to opposition from the casino industry. Today, the tribe estimates, there are between 1,000 and 3,000 Ramapoughs in the area and as many as 4,000 nationally. The group owns land in Mahwah that was deeded to them by a developer about 30 years ago, which it uses for ceremonial and educational activities.

“In October 2016, they formed the Split Rock Sweetwater Prayer Camp in Mahway, named after the sacred Split Rock site that lies nearby within the mountains of northeastern New Jersey. ‘Sweet water’ is the Lenape meaning for ‘Ramapoo’ (currently spelled as Ramapough). For generations, members of the Ramapough Lenape Nation have regarded Split Rock as a sacred site of worship and reflection, a tradition that is kept alive today. The Prayer Camp in Mahwah was formed in solidarity with the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, to educate the public on the impending crises of the oil and natural gas pipelines that threaten the local water supply in the region.”

• See related article: Mahwah Suing Ramapough Mountain Indians Over Teepees

Send local news tips, photos and press releases to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Photo courtesy of Hoboken Historical Museum

Don’t forget to visit the Patch Hoboken Facebook page here.