From Penn State Berks
Pictured above: Chief Gentlemoon (center) served as the drum keeper for the Itchy Dog Singers. During the celebration, he and his group led a healing drum circle while Chief Bluejay, a storyteller, looked on. Photo courtesy of Samantha Bower
Penn State Berks honored the indigenous tribes who inhabited the land where the campus is currently located in Spring Township by holding a land acknowledgement ceremony. The event, held on Friday, April 4, introduced the college’s land acknowledgement statement, developed in partnership with the Widoktadwen Center for Native Knowledge. It also included presentations by two representatives of the Lenape nation, Chief Bluejay Barbara Michalski and Chief Gentlemoon Chuck DeMund, and a tree dedication ceremony.
Todd Migliaccio, vice chancellor and chief academic officer, opened the event by sharing the importance of this acknowledgement as a “recognition of the history, culture, and contributions of the Lenape people as a steward of the land and the first step toward respect, understanding, and reconciliation.”
The event continued with an overview of the process of developing the statement, provided by co-chairs of the college’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee, Aubrey Edwards and Alexa Hodge. They stated, “This afternoon, we are honored to share with you the land acknowledgement statement developed for our campus community—a statement we hope reflects both deep respect and intentional effort.”
The first step was to examine the land acknowledgement statement developed by Penn State Educational Equity for University Park campus. Then, they reviewed those from fellow Big Ten institutions and explored statements crafted by institutions in our region. After several drafts, they reached out to Amanda Funk, founding executive director of the Widoktadwen Center, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote the visibility of Native Americans in Berks County and beyond through community education, leadership, and activism.
Funk spoke at the celebration, providing her insights and experiences. She stated, “This land acknowledgement for Penn State Berks is a crucial step in promoting visibility of Native Americans in Berks County.”
The land acknowledgment statement was then presented. It reads:
“The Pennsylvania State University Berks Campus resides on Lenapehoking, also known as the Land of the Lenape. We honor with gratitude the land itself and the Indigenous people who stewarded it throughout the generations. As a land grant institution, we acknowledge, honor, and respect the past, present, and future of the diverse Indigenous peoples connected to this land. We also acknowledge the longer history of these lands and our place in that history.”
Two representatives of the Lenape nation also presented during the celebration: Chief Bluejay Barbara Michalski and Chief Gentlemoon Chuck DeMund.
Chief Bluejay is a member of the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania and, in 2022, was appointed chief. She serves on the tribal council as vice president, and she is also one of the storytellers. Bluejay teaches children the history of the Lenape Nation through crafts, storytelling, and artifacts and has also been involved in environmental issues. During the celebration, Bluejay shared “The Legend of the Four Crows,” a prophetic Lenape story that symbolizes the history of the Lenape people, including their pre-colonial life, the destruction and exile caused by European colonization, their period of hiding, and their eventual return to thriving as caretakers of the land.
Chief Gentlemoon serves as the keeper of ceremony and intertribal liaison for the Lenape Nation, as well as a member of the tribal council. Gentlemoon is also the drum keeper for the Itchy Dog Singers. During the celebration, he and his group led a healing drum circle. Gentlemoon shared that the drum represents the heartbeat of the Earth, and he educated attendees on the songs they shared, how drums are made, and how drums differ by tribe.
The ceremony culminated in the dedication of an American persimmon tree—a symbol of resilience, nourishment, and deep-rooted connection to the land. The American persimmon is a native, deciduous tree found throughout the central and eastern United States. It can grow up to 80 feet tall and 35 feet wide, offering both beauty and bounty. The name “persimmon” comes from the Powhatan word ‘pichamin,’ reflecting the tree’s long-standing significance to Indigenous communities.
Funding for this event was provided by Student Initiated Fee Funds and the Mrs. Harold McI. Grout and Mrs. C. Glenn Kauffman Endowment for the Arts.
For additional information, contact Edwards at ARE12@psu.edu or Hodge at AEH221@psu.edu.
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