The Rising Nation River Journey
and
Treaty of Renewed Friendship
The 2026 Rising Nation River Journey
August 1st - August 15th. All are Welcome!
Click here for Flyer 1 Click here for Flyer 2
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The 2026 Rising Nation River Journey
On August 24, 2002 an historic event took place at the Pennsbury Manor, the former estate of William Penn in Morrisville, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, that marked a new beginning of friendship between the Lenape People of Pennsylvania and the people that neighbor the Delaware River. The Treaty of Renewed Friendship was signed by the Lenape and a number of organizations and committed individuals who wish to actively support Lenape culture and to act as good stewards of their sacred Delaware River and homelands.
In order to commemorate and promulgate the treaty, the signing was coupled with an equally historic and monumental three-week canoe journey, which began at the top of the Delaware River in Hancock, N.Y. and culminated in Cape May, NJ. Members of the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania welcomed any committed individuals to paddle along with them, and they stopped all along the river to hold signings of the Treaty and offer programs about Lenape culture and presence. Treaty-signers were welcomed to offer presentations on their initiatives in stewarding the environment and promoting awareness of Lenape culture.
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It was agreed that the re-signing of the Treaty, as well as the River Journey, would take place every four years, and did so again in the years of 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022.
As of the 2022 Rising Nation River Journey--which marked the 20 year anniversary of the Journey and Treaty--over 130 organizations--including environmental groups, colleges and universities, mayors, faith-based organizations, historical societies, and others--and over 300 committed individuals have signed the Treaty of Renewed Friendship. These wonderful relationships have resulted in continuous collaborations to help combat the erasure of the Lenape People in their homelands and protect the lands, wildlife, and waterways of the Lenapehokink.
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It is now time for the 2026 Journey! All are welcome to join us on the river, and all committed individuals and organizations are invited to sign the Treaty of Renewed Friendship. ​
The LNPA is dedicated to increasing awareness of Lenape history and presence, revitalizing and educating about Lenape culture, and stewarding our indigenous homelands of eastern PA, southern NY, NJ, and northern DE, with special attention to the Lenape Sipu (Delaware River) and watershed. We encourage partnerships among people and organizations to foster cultural, historical, and environmental education and preservation. The RNRJ is particularly dedicated to fostering and preserving these relationships.
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​Stewardship of the Delaware River and Watershed has been central to Lenape culture since time immemorial. For decades, the LNPA has partnered with environmental organizations who support this endeavor. The RNRJ provides education, publicity, networking, and cultural programs that support cultural awareness and environmental stewardship from the confluence of the Delaware River branches in Hancock, NY to Cape May, NJ.
All along the RNRJ, we stop to conduct signings of The Treaty of Renewed Friendship, a non-legally-binding agreement to support the Lenape people and steward the Delaware River. At each Treaty Signing event, we offer cultural programs and invite our local partners to offer programs to educate the public about their environmental initiatives. The partnerships formed through the RNRJ have resulted in many important environmental initiatives over the last two decades, including activism and advocacy to resist dams, warehouses, fracking, “rockfall mitigation projects,” data center dangers, and legislature that would unjustifiably harm the cultural, recreational, and ecological significance of the Delaware River and Watershed.
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​The journey down the Lenape Sipu (Delaware River) is a joint effort to raise awareness, awaken the spirit, and bestow the past, environmentally, culturally and historically, to the future. It is meant to promote the awareness that the Lenape people living in Pennsylvania and elsewhere are carrying on their ancestral traditions, culture, and spiritual beliefs, and are engaged in numerous projects to provide practical ways for all citizens to respect and protect the health, welfare, and future of the next seven generations of our children.
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Finally, we desire to put the fear, pain, and humility of the past behind us, and to walk together into the future in the spirit of the Fourth Crow.
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Goals of the Journey
In Books
Articles
"Supporters Canoe for Survival: A peace treaty will be signed between the Lenape and the Delaware River Greenway Partnership, a consortium of more than 100 government agencies and nonprofit groups." Associated Press, Aug 2002.
River Journey Donations
If you would like to donate to the River Journey fund, you may do so here--these donations are specifically earmarked for River Journey expenses. You may also donate to the LNPA in general on our Donate page. Wanishi!!
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Click Here for Photos of prior Sojourns
The Treaty of Renewed Friendship
The Treaty states that those who sign acknowledge the Lenape as the indigenous caretakers of these lands and agree to support the Lenape Tribe in their own unique way. Although this is not a legal, binding document, it is an agreement of heart, mind and spirit. Its words carry the integrity of our ancestors and the hope of our children. Those organizations and individuals who sign this treaty will forever be a part of our mutual history and the stories that we tell our children. They must make the commitment to "stand up well" as a living testament to the fact that environmental, cultural, and historical awareness is the key to our future.
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Treaty of Renewed Friendship
In the spirit of Chief Tamanend and in the spirit of William Penn, we, the undersigned, do openly recognize the Lenape Indian Tribe as the original inhabitants of Pennsylvania. We acknowledge the Lenape people as the indigenous stewards of their homelands and also as the spiritual keepers of the Lenape Sipu, or Delaware River.
And we do hereby commit actively to support our Lenape sisters and brothers in whatever way we are able to, for a term of four years, helping to maintain the cultural identity of Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey and Southern New York.
We will support the Lena’pe people in one or more of the following ways: Hosting Cultural / Educational programs, partnering as caretakers of the Lenape homeland and Delaware River, assisting in Lenape Language revival projects, assisting in displays/exhibits of Lena’pe culture,
helping the Lenape people to obtain and/or protect sacred land sites, encouraging updated curriculum in public schools, attending Lenape functions, volunteer service and support, distributing information, financial assistance.
We also recognize that this treaty is good for a term of four years, August 17 th , 2014 until August 17 th 2018, at which time a new treaty may be entered into.
May these partnerships serve to heal the past, give direction for today, and brighten the future as we move forward, learning from the mistakes of some of our forefathers, and may we, together, bring to light the cultural and geographical significance of Pennsylvania, preserving this natural history for all of our children.
May the Creator of all things embrace us as we move ahead.
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Nanalakesh
Our 2026 Sponsors
The Rising Nation River Journey is all about collaborating with conscientious community organizations and individuals to work toward common goals. The Journey is funded largely by the kindness and support of those who donate.
We are currently welcoming donations from organizations in the form of monetary donations or gift cards for food, accommodations, boat rentals, etc. Please feel free to contact us to make a donation for the River Journey.
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​-We especially want to thank:
The Lower Delaware Wild & Scenic Management Council (www.lowerdelawarewildandscenic.org) for supporting the 2026 Rising Nation River Journey with funding from the National Park Service (CFDA: 15.962 - National Wild and Scenic River System).
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The Mountain Watershed Association, for supporting the 2022 Rising Nation River Journey with funding from the Direct Support Fund, which is made possible by The Heinz Endowments, The 11th Hour Project, and The Plastic Solutions Fund and is a project of the Mountain Watershed Association. For more information or to apply please visit www.mtwatershed.com.
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