Nanticoke Indian PowWow Food Court — Succotash, Indian Tacos, and community gathering

The Nanticoke Indian Tribe

Delaware’s First People — Over 10,000 Years of History

Who Are the Nanticoke?

The Nanticoke (meaning “People of the Tidewater”) are a Native American Algonquian-speaking people whose traditional homelands span the Chesapeake Bay region, including present-day Delaware, Maryland, and parts of New Jersey. They are among the oldest continuous communities in the Mid-Atlantic, with archaeological evidence of their presence dating back thousands of years.

In 1608, Captain John Smith encountered the Nanticoke during his exploration of the Chesapeake Bay. At that time, their population was approximately 1,200. The Nanticoke maintained a complex society with an emperor (Unnacokasimon), diplomatic treaties, and extensive trade networks with both Indigenous neighbors and European settlers.

The ancestral homeland of the Nanticoke people — The Nanticoke homeland — the tidewater region of the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware.

A History of Resilience

The Nanticoke story is one of extraordinary resilience in the face of centuries of displacement:

1668 — Signed a peace treaty with Maryland’s colonial government
1684 — A reservation was defined between Chicacoan Creek and the Nanticoke River
1707 — Facing encroachment, the tribe purchased 3,000 acres on Broad Creek
1744 — Some Nanticoke migrated to Pennsylvania under Iroquois Confederacy protection
1800s — Those who remained in Delaware purchased land, assimilated, and worked to preserve their community
1881 — Reorganized as the Nanticoke Indian Association, recognized by the State of Delaware
1922 — Founded the Nanticoke Indian School (now the Nanticoke Indian Museum)
1978 to present — Annual Nanticoke PowWow, one of the longest-running PowWows on the East Coast

The Nanticoke Today

Today, the Nanticoke Indian Tribe is headquartered in Millsboro, Delaware, where they maintain a tribal center and the Nanticoke Indian Museum — a converted schoolhouse that preserves artifacts dating back to 8,000 B.C.E. The museum features traditional tools, artwork, clothing, and crafts created by tribal citizens.

Students exploring exhibits at the Nanticoke Indian Museum in Millsboro, Delaware — Students exploring the exhibits at the Nanticoke Indian Museum, learning about traditional tools, artwork, and cultural heritage.

Traditional Native American ponchos, blankets and handmade art at the Nanticoke PowWow — Traditional ponchos, blankets, and handmade art — PowWow vendors support Indigenous artisans.

The tribe’s annual PowWow, held each September, draws visitors from across the region and serves as a vital celebration of Nanticoke culture, featuring traditional dancing, drumming, storytelling, and craft demonstrations. It is both a cultural homecoming and a public education event.

Vivian checking in at a Nanticoke tribal community event — A museum guide shares the history and traditions of the Nanticoke people with visiting students.

The Federal Recognition Question

Despite being recognized by the State of Delaware since 1881, the Nanticoke Indian Tribe does not have federal recognition from the U.S. government. Federal recognition would provide access to federal funding for healthcare, education, housing, and cultural preservation — resources that are critically needed.

The path to federal recognition is long, expensive, and bureaucratically complex. It requires extensive documentation of continuous community, political authority, and descent — a process that can take decades. This is one of the issues we aim to raise awareness about through our advocacy work.

The Nanticoke Language

The Nanticoke language belongs to the Algonquian language family and is closely related to the Southern Unami language of the Lenape. Although Nanticoke is no longer actively spoken, many words were recorded in the 1700s by commission of Thomas Jefferson. Today, tribal members are working to reconstruct and preserve the language for future generations.

Nanticoke language vocabulary — words like sky (moosecaquit), food (mettsah), truth (ko-o-lam) — Nanticoke vocabulary: sky — moosecaquit, food — mettsah, truth — ko-o-lam, tree — petuicque

Cindy Wan studying the Nanticoke Indian Tribe 1600s history exhibit — Cindy studying the Nanticoke history exhibit at the PowWow education tent.

Learn More

Nanticoke Indian Tribe Official Website: nanticokeindians.org
Nanticoke Indian Museum: 26673 John J. Williams Hwy, Millsboro, DE 19966 — Open Tue-Sat, 10am-4pm (April-December)
National Park Service — Delaware’s Indigenous Heritage: NPS Guide

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