The Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribal Nation is fighting to retain its official recognition as an American Indian tribe with the state — leading to a civil rights lawsuit the group filed Monday against acting Attorney General John Hoffman.
The Nanticoke has 3,000 members, is headquartered in Bridgeton and is fighting to keep its official identity, according to the tribe.
“So many of the benefits and protections that we receive rely on some level or recognition and, psychologically, it is a tremendous impact on us -and our students in school – to have people question your identity based on if a government agency acknowledges it,” said the Rev. John Norwood, councilman and judge of the tribe.
The Office of the Attorney General declined to comment on the lawsuit, citing the fact that it is pending litigation.
The Nanticoke has a history in the region dating back more than 12,000 years and 500 generations, the lawsuit states, and was officially recognized in 1982 by the state legislature. The recognition continued until recently.
“During the past 33 years, the Nation and its members have expended time, money, and energy in reliance on the state’s recognition; the Nation has also, to a significant degree, associated its tribal identify with that recognition,” the lawsuit states.
The Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribal Nation is fighting to retain its official recognition as an American Indian tribe with the state — leading to a civil rights lawsuit the group filed Monday against acting Attorney General John Hoffman.
The Nanticoke has 3,000 members, is headquartered in Bridgeton and is fighting to keep its official identity, according to the tribe.
“So many of the benefits and protections that we receive rely on some level or recognition and, psychologically, it is a tremendous impact on us -and our students in school – to have people question your identity based on if a government agency acknowledges it,” said the Rev. John Norwood, councilman and judge of the tribe.
The Office of the Attorney General declined to comment on the lawsuit, citing the fact that it is pending litigation.
The Nanticoke has a history in the region dating back more than 12,000 years and 500 generations, the lawsuit states, and was officially recognized in 1982 by the state legislature. The recognition continued until recently.
“During the past 33 years, the Nation and its members have expended time, money, and energy in reliance on the state’s recognition; the Nation has also, to a significant degree, associated its tribal identify with that recognition,” the lawsuit states.
The Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribal Nation is fighting to retain its official recognition as an American Indian tribe with the state — leading to a civil rights lawsuit the group filed Monday against acting Attorney General John Hoffman.
The Nanticoke has 3,000 members, is headquartered in Bridgeton and is fighting to keep its official identity, according to the tribe.
“So many of the benefits and protections that we receive rely on some level or recognition and, psychologically, it is a tremendous impact on us -and our students in school – to have people question your identity based on if a government agency acknowledges it,” said the Rev. John Norwood, councilman and judge of the tribe.
The Office of the Attorney General declined to comment on the lawsuit, citing the fact that it is pending litigation.
The Nanticoke has a history in the region dating back more than 12,000 years and 500 generations, the lawsuit states, and was officially recognized in 1982 by the state legislature. The recognition continued until recently.
“During the past 33 years, the Nation and its members have expended time, money, and energy in reliance on the state’s recognition; the Nation has also, to a significant degree, associated its tribal identify with that recognition,” the lawsuit states.
This recognition continued until late 2012, according to attorney Greg Werkheiser, when the state decided to no longer recognize the Nanticoke or the two other New Jersey tribes — the Ramapough Mountain Indians and Powhatan-Renape Nation.
Read the entire article at nj.com.
Image: Jesse U. Bair | For NJ Advance Media.