FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
There are about 550 Nanticoke indians in Sussex County and about 500 in other parts of Delaware. We have members living in many other states and countries including New york, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma and Canada.
The Nanticoke indians were fisherman, hunters, farmers, and carvers.
Nanticoke clothing was made from various animal skins including deer skin used to make blankets, and bear skin to make rugs. Bones of animals were also used to make decorative jewelry and tools.
The last person to fluently speak the Nanticoke Language was Lydia Clark who died in 1856. Our museum library contains a book with Nanticoke words and phrases and their meanings. in recent years we have started to reintroduce the language through classes at our Nanticoke Center.
The Nanticoke indian Museum opened in 1984 for the purpose of collecting and displaying Nanticoke heritage and culture which included our ancestors’ tools and clothing; points and spears, tomahawks, axe hammers, drills and clay poittery. The building was previously a school that went up to the eighth grade and in 1979 it was placed on the National historic register.
About 30,000 to 40,000 people attend the annual event during the two-day period in September. it is held every year on the weekend after Labor Day
Families and individuals own their own land on which they live or lease other properties they may own. The Tribe owns three properties: The Nanticoke indian Museum, the Nanticoke indian Center, and the 17 acres of land on Mt. Joy road in Millsboro that was donated to the Tribe in August of 2005.
This Tribe is part of the Algonquin or Algonquian Language group as are the Malecite, Passomoquoddy and Penobscot in Maine, the Pequot in CT and ri, to name a few.