I'm Probably not Delaware

 Family legend has it that we have a Delaware (Lin-Lenape) in my ancestory.  I have done quite a bit of genealogy and did not find a single American Indian anywhere.  That doesn't mean there isn't one, I just didn't find it.  Since it was a relation to Sacajawea, I would sincerely doubt it.  Usually once the word "princess" is involved, you can guarantee it is horse manure.  I'm not even sure Sacajawea is Delaware. (She wasn't.)

Anyway, since February is culture month, I thought the Lenape culture was as good as any to learn about.    To start with I read "The Turtle's Beating Heart" by Denise Low.  It is about the Lenape culture in the 20th century as it relates to her family.  I watched YouTube videos on Lenape dance and Pow Wows.  I listened to podcasts about Lenape land use, the Nanticoke Chief, and different leaders.  

So here's what I learned.  I learned that the being "Indian" and being "an Indian" are different.  One can be racially Indian but unable to join a tribe.  The ability to join a tribe is all rather confusing and I would need more that a week to sort that out.  I learned what the different styles of dancing look like and where they come from.  I learned that in order to save the humans they had to discard the Indian.  But to save the Indian they had to suffer as a human.  If you get my drift.  I learned that a turtle's heart continues to beat long after it has been removed from the body.  Which I found fascinating.  It was an interesting culture to look at.  

Now I move on to Djibouti.  My son was stationed there and I knew little about it.  This week I will dabble.