Two American Indian tribes in Delaware get help in buying back their ancestral homelands
“The lands will be held under conservation easements with the state so they can’t be developed into housing, according to officials with the Conservation Fund.
‘There’s more to it than just buying a piece of property,’ said Blaine Phillips, a senior vice president for the Conservation Fund who helped put together the deals. ‘It’s about restoring culture. It’s about honoring their ancestral rights.’
For the tribes, the deals are significant because the land was once part of their ancestral homelands and the plots sit near properties that have historical significance. Each of the tribes once had small schoolhouses for tribal members on lands near the newly acquired properties. Leaders of both the Nanticokes and Lenapes said they had tried for years to buy the parcels, but they either couldn’t make the deal come together or they didn’t have enough money. Tribal leaders said they’re grateful to be able to secure the properties, which have long been privately held.”