Like their forefathers, the participants in the pow wow at Mauch Chunk Lake Park demonstrated pride in their beliefs, transparency in their customs and patience in sharing their philosophy.

The pow wow was conducted by the Lenape Nation and attracted about 40 members from various Native American tribes.

Throughout the day, hundreds of spectators watched as the participants, in showy attire including complicated headdresses and colorful outfits, danced and prayed in Native American tradition.

They not only went through the motions of their ancestors, they used tribal names in addressing each other and introducing themselves to the public.

Dave Simon of Bethlehem went by the name “Eagle Heart.” Sharon Westover of Shickshinny was “Sparrow,” a fitting name since sparrows are songbirds and Westover demonstrated she has a great singing voice. There was Bob Red Feather, Chris Mourning Dove and Matt White Eagle.

Most of the participants professed ancestral connections to regional Native American tribes. They wore traditional attire including feathered headdresses and mukluks.

The pow wow was part of a two-day gathering.

On Saturday, the participants traveled the length of the Walking Purchase — from Wrightstown, Bucks County to the Bond Farm along Route 903 on Kattner’s Mountain in Penn Forest Township — and made stops along the journey to do land healing ceremonies. They nicknamed it the “Walking Purchase Hoax” of 1737 because of how the son of William Penn was able to swindle a significant amount of land from the indigenous people, members of the Lenape tribe, who had lived here for thousands of years.

The pow wow was held Sunday.

Part of the pow wow included a prayer dance, deemed so sacred that no one was permitted to shoot photos or videos during it.

In an amazing coincidence, during the full duration of the prayer dance, a hawk circled high over the pow wow site.

Besides tribe members taking part, two members of The Bachman House Players in Easton played the roles of Benjamin Franklin and Conrad Weiser for a conversation with a Lenape member on the Walking Purchase. The Lenape member was Shelly DePaul of Gilbert, who speaks the Lenape language and serves as chief of education and language for the Lenape Nation.

DePaul was attired in a full-length buckskin dress with fringes as she played the role of the Lenape negotiator.

She is the instructor of Lenape language courses at Swarthmore College. She said growing up in Pennsylvania, there were only “whisperings” about the Lenape language that left her wanting to learn more. Trained as a historian and teacher, not a linguist, she began studying the texts and grammar available in the various dialects of Lenape (an Algonquian language, also called Delaware, Munsee and Unami), which use numerous spelling systems and a range of vocabulary variants.

Trail of Tears revisited

The first part of the two-day event was a car caravan and was titled the “Walking Purchase Healing Journey.”

The participants met at Wrightstown Friends Meeting House in Newton, Bucks County, which is the start of the Walking Purchase. They continued to the Buckingham Friends Meeting House in Lahaska, Governor Wolf Historical Society in Bath, and eventually to the Bond Farm, which is the end of the Walking Purchase.

At the Bond Farm, a round or friendship dance occurred.

Sunday, the pow wow was kicked off with David White Elk Elmore presenting Native flute playing and Woodlands social dance songs.

DePaul along with Christopher Dock playing Ben Franklin and Mike Collingsworth playing Conrad Weiser gave an animated lesson on the Walking Purchase.

Dock told the audience, “Far ahead of his time seeking justice, fair treatment for all and religious tolerance, William Penn founded a colony that lived at peace with the native people for almost 70 years, even while violent conflict with indigenous people was the norm for many of the other colonies at the time.”

He explained how Penn’s son, Thomas, orchestrated the Walking Purchase after William Penn’s death in 1718.

The pow wow had four segments of dances: the opening ceremony, prayer dances, veterans’ dance and intertribal dance. In the latter, the public was invited to join the Native American dancers.

The veterans dance was led by Richard Quiet Hawk, a military veteran.

The emcee for the pow wow was the chief of the Lenape Nation, Chuck “Gentle Man” DeMund. DeMund said he has been asked by people: “Because of what the government did to you over the years, why would you fight for it?”

He explained, “Because this is still our homeland. We respect and honor, for whatever reason, you who went into the service and we’re proud to serve.”

Vendors sold Native American components such as dream catchers, turquoise jewelry, ceremonial feathers, garments and knives.

There also was a large assortment of books for sale. Although many were regular titles, visitors could also books written by Native Americans given their aspect of historical struggles, books that had titles such as “An American Betrayal.”

Those who attended felt the pow wow was a great success.

Bob Red Feather of Long Island, a member of the Montaukett Tribe, said of the setting at Mauch Chunk Lake, “It’s a good atmosphere. These mountains are the crown with the spirit of Our people.”

Westover, of the Black Feet Tribe, said, “This is the first (pow wow) our people put together here. For a first event, this is a great turnout. We’re very excited about it. We definitely look forward to another.”

He said, “I think it’s a very nice. The people are very hospitable. There’s a good atmosphere.”