Unami Land Acknowledgement and Indigenous Resources 

In January of 2026, Unami Monthly Meeting approved the following statement as part of our ongoing effort to nurture understanding, healing, and peace with the Lenape people, whose ancestral land of Lenapehoking, unceded, we have met upon since our founding. This statement was drafted and developed over multiple years by members of Unami’s Peace and Social Concerns Committee, with input given by members of our meeting and wider community. 

Unami Friends Meeting respectfully acknowledges that the land we are on today is the unceded, ancestral land of the Lenape people. The land upon which we have gathered is part of the original territory of the Lenape called Lenapehoking. The Lenape people lived together upon this land for thousands of years. Unami Friends Meeting has from its inception acknowledged Indigenous presence by adopting its name from the Unami Creek.

As a community, we mourn the historical and ongoing injustices, including loss of life, traditions, and land, that Indigenous groups have and continue to endure. 

This acknowledgment is part of Unami Meeting’s commitment to study and reckon with the realities of Quaker history with Indigenous Peoples, to acknowledge the lasting injuries borne by those affected, and to pursue practices that foster justice and honor the dignity of every person involved.

We also know that our responsibilities do not end with this land acknowledgement, and as a way to spark thoughtful discussion and discernment on this issue, the Peace and Social Concerns Committee has provided the following resources to Friends and the community to review.

Resources


 

Suggestions supporting strengthening and supporting right relations with Native peoples: 


1. Support the Establishment of a Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding Schools 
  • Write to Congress and view the link here
2. Join Toward Right Relationship with Native Peoples by signing up for online events and workshops  
3. Publish a Letter to the Editor (FCNL) (Advocacy Resource) 
  • Publishing letters to the editor and op-eds is a great way to get the attention of your members of Congress. But first, you need to write a piece that tells your story, not just the facts.
  • Link can be found here
4.  Watch any of the following documentaries or listen to these podcasts:


Documentaries:


Reel Injun

https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/documentaries/reel-injun/

"Cree filmmaker Neil Diamond takes a look at the Hollywood Indian, exploring the portrayal of North American Natives through a century of cinema. Traveling through the heartland of America, and into the Canadian North, Diamond looks at how the myth of ‘the Injun’ has influenced the world’s understanding — and misunderstanding — of Natives. Reel Injun traces the evolution of cinema’s depiction of Native people from the silent film era to today, with clips from hundreds of classic and recent Hollywood movies, and candid interviews with celebrated Native and non-Native film celebrities, activists, film critics, and historians..."


PBS Utah: Unspoken: America's Native American Boarding Schools

https://youtu.be/-OtfBPE4u1U?si=XwfEv3voPCI6JSZO


Mankiller

https://www.mankillerdoc.com/

“This is the story of an American hero. One who stands tall amongst the likes of Robert Kennedy, Harriet Tubman and Martin Luther King, Jr. Someone who humbly defied the odds and overcame insurmountable obstacles to fight injustice and gave a voice to the voiceless.  And yet few people know her name. This is the story of an American legend, Wilma Mankiller, who overcame rampant sexism and personal challenges to emerge as the Cherokee Nation’s first woman Principal Chief in 1985.”



Podcasts:


All My Relations

https://www.allmyrelationspodcast.com/

“All My Relations is a podcast that explores what it means to be a Native person in the 21st century. The hosts write: ‘To be an Indigenous person is to be engaged in relationships—relationships to land and place, to a people, to non-human relatives, and to one another. All My Relations is a place to explore those relationships, and to think through Indigeneity in all its complexities. On each episode hosts Matika Wilbur (Tulalip and Swinomish) and Adrienne Keene (Cherokee Nation), delve into a different topic facing Native peoples today, bringing in guests from all over Indian Country to offer perspectives and stories… We want this space to be for everyone—for Native folks to laugh, to hear ourselves reflected, and give us a chance to think deeper about some of the biggest issues facing our communities, and for non-Native folks to listen and learn.”


Native Opinion

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/native-opinion-an-american-indian-perspective/id1066441811

”Native Opinion is a unique Indigenous culture education radio show and podcast from an American Indian perspective on current affairs. The hosts of this show are Michael Kickingbear, an enrolled member of the Mashantucket Pequot tribal nation of Connecticut and David GreyOwl of the Echoda Eastern Band of Cherokee nation of Alabama. Together they present Indigenous views on American history, politics, the environment, and culture. This show is open to all people, and its main focus is to provide education and insight…”


The Red Nation Podcast

https://directory.libsyn.com/shows/view/id/therednation

“The Red Nation Podcast features discussions on Indigenous history, politics, and culture... Hosted by Nick Estes and Jen Marley...The Red Nation is dedicated to the liberation of Native peoples from capitalism and colonialism. We center Native political agendas and struggles through direct action, advocacy, mobilization, and education.”



Additional Links

 

Delaware Tribe of Indians Official Website

https://delawaretribe.org/

Friend's Journal Indigenous Resources 

https://www.friendsjournal.org/issue-category/2026/indigenous-peoples-and-friends/

Hello
Hello and welcome to our meeting. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Planning your Visit

 

Visiting Unami for the First Time?

If you've never attended a Meeting for Worship, we hope you will come worship with us -- give it a try.   

Many have found help in viewing the "introductory" videos (below) to answer questions that might arise in expectation of a Quaker Meeting for Worship.   


Here's what to expect

What do we do in silent worship?

We come together in silence:
To listen to the Spirit
To grow in our faith
To support each other
To help one another follow the Light within.


Our time together looks like:

Sitting quietly together, adults and children
Speaking as moved by the Spirit
Listening
Shaking hands when worship ends and greeting those around us

 

 

Quaker worship is based on silent waiting, where we expect to come into the presence of the Divine. In this living silence, we listen for the still, small voice that comes from the Divine through the Inward Light.

The essential experience of Friends is that of a direct, unmediated relationship with the Divine. Friends have used many terms or phrases to refer to the inner certainty of our faith: the Light Within, the Inner Light, and that of God in every person.

On Speaking in Friends Meeting for Worship:

  • Allow yourself time to settle into silence.
  • Refrain from preparing messages in advance. A message should come from the Spirit.
  • If a message comes to you, consider whether it is for you alone or to be shared with others.
  • Before you offer vocal ministry, allow time to elapse for a previous message to speak to the Light in others.
  • Speak briefly and from your personal spiritual experience.
  • Speak only once.
  • When you speak, speak so that all can hear you.
  • Be careful about speaking in reply to another's message. Forums and discussions can happen elsewhere. However, themes sometimes do emerge in Meeting for Worship.

Most Quaker meetings, at least in this part of country, are so-called "unprogrammed" meetings.
This means that our meetings for worship are not led by a minister, but are largely conducted in silence.  Typically, a Clerk or other Member of the Meeting will close worship with a simple "Good morning friends" but otherwise the meeting may be completely silent. 




Videos for Newcomers


 

My First Time at a Quaker Meeting
Quaker Silence QuakerSilence-Thumb-TITLE-862x
What Attracts Newcomers to a Quaker Meeting what-attracts-newcomers-quaker
What Do Quakers Believe
 
Glossary of Common Quaker Terms quaker-glossary-terms-FB3
How Quaker Meeting Changed My Life how-quaker-meeting-changed-my-


 

Insight Support, 10/15/2019