In 2009, New York observed the 400-year anniversary of Henry Hudson's September 1609 discovery of Manhattan Island. This book chronicles the event from the perspective of the people who met Hudson’s boat—which they at first thought was surely a great waterfowl—floating. Using all available sources, including oral history passed down to today's Algonquins, Evan Pritchard tells the story from various perspectives: that of Hudson's body guard, scribe, and personal Judas, Robert Juet; that of Hudson himself; and that of the Eastern Algonquins who greeted Hudson as the fulfillment of ancient prophecies.
To be stewards of the earth, not owners: this was the way of the Lenape. Considering themselves sacred land keepers, they walked gently; they preserved the world they inhabited. Drawing on a wide range of historical sources, interviews with living Algonquin elders, and first-hand explorations of the ancient trails, burial grounds, and sacred sites, Native New Yorkers offers a rare glimpse into the civilization that served as the blueprint for modern New York. A fascinating history, supplemented with maps, timelines, and a glossary of Algonquin words, this book is an important and timely celebration of a forgotten people.
