The first part of the program will introduce the plants through a “virtual plant walk” that formed the basis for Lenape healing traditions, with a focus on plant diversity, the part of the plant that was used, how it was prepared, and for what conditions it was used.

The second part of the program will include an experiential learning component during which contemporary medicinal plant preparations will be presented and experienced.

A major take away from this presentation will be that while the health and healing traditions of the Lenape people go back millennia, they also exist today, and the contributions of the Lenape people have been well integrated into our mainstream approach to holistic health and wellness.

Chief Dennis Coker has been involved with Tribal Leadership of the Lenape Indian Tribe of Delaware since 1996. His collaboration with the Delaware State Historic Preservation Office and the Federal Census Bureau awarded the Lenape Indian Tribe of Delaware ‘State Designated Tribal Area’ status. His efforts to educate diverse leadership and the public resulted in legislation that officially recognized the long and continued history of the Lenape Community in the state of Delaware and a proclamation to celebrate November as Native American Heritage Month. As a respected public speaker and storyteller, Chief Coker continues to push for recognition of the Native Human Rights of all tribes within the region through his work on several boards focusing on the Humanities and the Environment.

Roger W. Mustalish, Ph.D., is Professor Emeritus at West Chester University where he taught Botanical Medicine for over 20 years. He is also Chair of the Board of the ACEER Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to the conservation of the Amazon rainforest. In this capacity, Dr. Mustalish has studied for over 25 years with shamans and indigenous healers regarding medicinal plants and preparations. During the last three years, Dr. Mustalish has collaborated with the Lenape Indian Tribe of Delaware to capture and share the traditional knowledge of medicinal plants used by the Lenape for generations. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota.