This little slice of NJ has become a haven for Native Americans fighting for native rights

Members of more than a dozen Native American tribes from across the country rode horses and held tribal flags as they descended on the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC, earlier this month.

The demonstration was the culmination of a 70-day trek known as the “Trail of truth”, which started in California and ended in the nation’s capital. The activists’ goal was to secure federal recognition and rights for all Native tribes.

After riding and marching through the National Mall area, several members of the group showed up were arrested by local police, who said the tribes did not have a permit to demonstrate.

Before arriving in Washington, the activists stopped in New Jersey. They rested at a newly established 63-acre sanctuary in Salem County, dedicated to indigenous people, spiritual practices and Native American traditions.

Located in the wooded area of ​​Quinton Township, east of the Delaware River, is the Cohanzick Nature Reserve was the homeland of the ancient Cohanzick Lenape people for thousands of years, leaders say.

The land was acquired last year by the Native American Advancement Corporation, a nonprofit conservation group, and has become a sanctuary for indigenous people, according to Tyrese Gould Jacinto, the group’s president.

“The Cohanzick Nature Preserve is more than just a piece of land,” said Jacinto, a member of the Nanticoke Lenape Nation tribe. “It is a living testament to the enduring connection between indigenous people and the earth.”

After acquiring exclusive ownership of the land last year, the Native American Advancement Corporation had to get permission from the city’s planning board to use the property for worship. After a contentious public meeting in May, the board unanimously granted approval.

A long dirt path on Gravely Hill Road leads to a pavilion where the organization hosts cultural, educational and spiritual events. The area is surrounded by forests and has a small pond where some fish live.

One of the site’s goals is to maintain environmental stewardship through sacred, ancient indigenous practices, according to Jacinto, who says her ancestors were born on the land.

On the morning of October 11, the shelter was more active than usual, with several “Trail of Truth” activists and approximately 15 horses using the site to rest before continuing their journey to Washington, DC.

Local indigenous people learned about the Trail of Truth movement and tried to offer the shrine as a refuge during their travels, Jacinto said.

The group arrived in Salem County around 2 a.m. after more than two months on the road. They made stops in several states and had just wrapped up their most recent demonstration in Times Square in New York City.

Jacinto was busy hosting, making sure there was food to cook and laundry and shower facilities available for the group before they left for DC. This was the first time since the beginning of their journey that the demonstrators were able to sleep in a covered shelter. Until they arrived on Salem County property, they had slept in cars and camped on Indigenous lands across the country.

The horses were also resting, fed and cared for at the front of the building.

At each stop along the three-month trail, individuals of all ages from different tribes came together to join the movement. Among them was a mother traveling with her young baby who had been part of the group since August. Reuben Washburn, a father of three and a member of the Lakota tribe of South Dakota, also traveled with them.

For Washburn, participating in the Trail of Truth was about tribal unity and fighting to be heard, just like his ancestors.

“We all come from different tribes, but we all pray the same,” Washburn said. “We have always felt the urgency to be heard because that is what our ancestors fought for. We only live because of them.”

A major goal of the campaign is to fight for federal recognition of the Muwekma Ohlone, who have lived in the California Bay Area for more than 10,000 years, said Charlene Nijmeh, chairwoman of the Muwekma Ohlone tribe and leader of the movement.

Federal recognition of Native tribes means that the U.S. government recognizes them as “domestic dependent nations” and grants them federal benefits and protections. The Muwekma tribe has been fighting for recognition for 45 years and has encountered opposition from politicians and institutions, Nijmeh said.

“This movement is truly a struggle for our existence,” Nijmeh said as he rested at the Cohanzick Longhouse Sanctuary. “We are determined to stay in our homeland. We’re not going anywhere.”

While on their native New Jersey soil, the group held a prayer circle, rested, and prepared for their drive to Washington, DC. They were determined to make their voices heard and create an impact on October 14, when Indigenous Peoples’ Day is celebrated. during this election year, the group’s leader said.

“I do this because our ancestors did everything for us to be here today,” Nijmeh said. “And I have to do everything I can for the next generation so that they can stay in their homeland… and keep their identity.”

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