Upcoming Events

In conjunction with the closing of our fall exhibition, The First Water is the Body, VACNJ presents a lunchtime scholarly virtual talk with Karelle Hall titled People of the Tidewater: Nanticoke and Lenape Resilience and Revitalization.

“Water is essential to the lives of the Nanticoke and Lenape communities of Delaware and New Jersey. Our ancestors lived along the many waterways in the mid-Atlantic region and drew much of their subsistence from the rivers, bays, and ocean. Today, many of our communities continue to live beside these waters, anchoring us as tidewater peoples. These waters not only give life but are alive, their animacy reflected in our languages and world views. We will continue to fight to protect the waters for the next seven generations.”

Karelle Hall is a Ph.D. candidate in anthropology at Rutgers University. She received her bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College in Anthropology with a minor in Native American Studies. Her dissertation research explores embodied and distributed Lenape diasporic sovereignty in public and performative spaces. She has taught classes in both cultural and linguistic anthropology at Rutgers University and has presented her preliminary research at conferences and colloquiums. As a member of the Nanticoke Indian Tribe, she has represented her nation at numerous events as both a speaker and dancer. She is actively working on Nanticoke language revitalization, including a writing children’s book and developing lessons for community classes. Using her experience and connections in the legal field, she assisted the Nanticoke Tribe with ratifying their recognition in the state of Delaware. She continues to work as an activist and representative for her community, promoting visibility, decolonization, and education.

This free, virtual event will take place on January 25, from 12–1 PM. Click here to register.