Cheddar News checked in from Staten Island to learn more about the Lenape people and how they lived before the Dutch settled in. Luke G. Boyd, director of education and public programs of Historic Richmond Town, discussed their story and showed their typical dwellings.

<div class="block">Cheddar News checked in from Staten Island to learn more about the Lenape people and how they lived before the Dutch settled in. Luke G. Boyd, director of education and public programs of Historic Richmond Town, discussed their story and showed their typical dwellings.</div>

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On The Scene: How The Lenni-Lenape People Lived

And as we prepared to send kids back to school in the next month or so, some might already be heading back. We're taking a look at how they studied over 300 years ago with Michelle Castillo on the scene at Historic Richmond Town in Staten Island. That's right, Kristen. So we learned a little bit about the Dutch settlers and now we're going to learn about the native people who lived here before the Lenape tribe. I'm back here with Luke G Boyd. He's the Director of Education and Public Permit programming here at Historic Richmond Town. So tell me a little bit about the Lenape people who were here before the Dutch. Absolutely. So the Lenape people lived in this area of Staten Island for more than 10,000 years as many as 12,000 years ago. And we know that because of the archaeology that was left behind those folks. So this is an attempt to try to narrate their story that's so often missing from museums like this. So this is a wigwam. Is this typically what they would live in? Yes, this is, this is a typical structure for the time period. It's a small wigwam. So it's a dome dwelling. It's made of young trees that are bent and it's covered in a grass like reed called frag MS, which actually grows invasively on Staten Island today. Now, we were earlier at the Leer's house and that was a school house for the Children of Dutch colonies. Would the Children of the Lenape tribe also study there? How did they get their education? It's possible they might have studied with the Voy Laser. So we're talking in the 16 forties right now, the 16 nineties was the Voy Lazer. So what happens in the middle is the colonization of Staten Island? So bands of native folks, rare tans, Hackensack Lenape folks who lived here, they educated themselves. Elders would educate the younger folks, women would do domestic activities at home, gathering berries, working in the garden. Whereas the men would do the hunting and the gathering of game and for animal skins and the like. So all of that was done in the domestic sphere at home. Those were the skills Lenape kids needed to survive. So let's talk a little bit more about what typical life would be for a Lenape tribe member. So right behind you looks like a fire pit. Yes. What would this is where they would cook? Yeah, this is the set that you need this to survive. So most times Lenape folks lived near waterways so they would gather oysters and fish and things like that. And they prepare to move over an open fire. If their long house or wig, one was big enough, they might prepare it inside, but they might prepare it outside as well. They made their own pottery which acted as cooking pots and pans and stuff like that. So this would have been a centerpiece of Lenape Life. Now, this is the newest exhibit here in Historic Richmond Town. Can you tell me a little bit more about what you can see here if you come here on a typical day? Absolutely. I'd love to. So please visit us Wednesday through Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. We have open village where we have trades people and historical interpreters in costume. We are holding mock elections in 18 20 in the tavern. We're making things in the guy like Tyson hearth over the open hearth. Our tin smiths are making trade goods. Our black Smith is here, our carpenter. You can see all these people and unlike most museums, you can touch things, you can smell things, you can experience history. It comes to life at historic. Now, I just really quick before we go, what is this structure right here? I have to ask. Yes. So this is called an Arbor and basically think of it like it's an outdoor shaded room where if you need to do something outside, you know, work on a beaded activity, you know, making moccasins clothing, a lot of that sort of work would be done under this Arbor or this square one behind us as well. So it's drizzling right now. It's not going to give us a little bit of protection. But, you know, there's a lot to explore here at Historic Richmond Town. Thank you so much for joining us and we're going to go back in time and learn a little bit more, but back to you guys in the studio.