The Bergen County Historical Society celebrates the Lenape New Year, Chwame gischuch, with a History Café from 2 to 5 pm on in the Campbell-Christie House, at Historic New Bridge Landing, 1201 Main Street, River Edge 07661 Join us for refreshments and a lively historical discussion as Bob Wills, of the Sunrise Trading Post, shares his knowledge of Lenape foods, herbs and customs, showing and selling traditional trade items representative of the Contact Period. Reproduction items for sale include real quahog shell wampum, hair pipes (originally ornamental bone tubes manufactured from bird bones, but which the Dutch traders made from cattle bones), medicine bags, clay pipes, tomahawks, thimbles, mirrors, cloth, deerskin, knives, gorgets, and books. Suggested donation: $5 adult, $3 children, BCHS members free.
The Dark Moon on March 18, 2007, marks the arrival of Chwame gischuch, the Shad Moon, and the New Year of the ancient Sanhicans and Minisinks, locally known as the Hackensacks and Tappans. Native peoples returned from their winter villages, gathering at the narrows of the great streams, in places such as Acquackanonck (Garfield) and Aschatking (New Bridge), to set their fykes and weirs and catch smelt and later shad as these fish ran up the rivers in great numbers.
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