America nowadays is known, sometimes notoriously, for its excess. From the flashy homes to the overabundance of goods in the market, it is a wonder that many years ago, people were forced to lead modest lifestyles simply because they did not have the means to survive otherwise. A clear case in American history of a people creatively stretching the little they had was the hunting and gathering of the Lenape Indians. Through this lifestyle, the Lenape tribe was entirely dependent on nature, exploiting, yet without an ounce of prodigality, all of the resources available in the great outdoors.

Despite what the title connotes, “hunting” is a term that is broad in scope; for the Lenapes, this process described catching various animals that provide protein and sustenance.  A major component of hunting involved game, but it is important to note that the Lenape also fished and hunted fowl; thus, they did not exclusively use one resource, which could have quickly led to extinction of many large, meaty species. In order to hunt game, the Lenape did not run after them with spears, as cartoons often inaccurately depict. Rather, they would first set fire to a portion of the forest, which would cause the animals to flee into traps. This method was efficient in capturing the game because it did not require too much energy to catch them. ‘Fire surround’ could have easily had a detrimental effect to the natural environment. However, the Lenape spread the ashes of the trees on the ground to ensure that the soil was rejuvenated and would remain fertile. In doing so, they consequently found a way to utilize the ashes that resulted from the fire and protected one of the most precious resources they had which would be vital for growing agriculture in the future: earth.

The ground is where the gatherers found the food that supplemented the protein. Done by women, gathering involved collecting various agricultural items that were found in the wilderness, ranging from fruits, vegetables, berries, and nuts. Proper gathering, however, took a great deal of getting in touch with nature. To ensure that you lived another day after eating a day’s gatherings entailed a keen knowledge as to what was nutritious and what was poisonous.  Over time, women became adept at knowing the difference. In fact, when picking, they would pluck out bothersome weeds so as to clear the way for other things that were growing. In that way, the Lenapes promoted the growth of plants that were beneficial to humans.

While hunting and gathering required a close interaction with nature because of food, this lifestyle also extended to other aspects of life. For example, the Lenape moved seasonally. They changed their setting depending on the season, which, in turn, caused them to eat different food. By switching locations, local game population had a chance to replenish itself; otherwise, there would have been overhunted. Additionally, the temperature inevitably affected the Lenapes’ comfort level, for they chose to live in wigwams during the summer. Wigwams, furnished by portable, impermanent things, were therefore a tangible reminder of Lenapes’ semi-nomadic way of life. Even many tools, often made from shells, were considered “disposable”. The origin of other instruments, on the other hand, traced back to roots in hunting or gathering: needles were created from bones of game, while paint and decorations on various items was from the dye of berries.

The hunter-gatherer lifestyle had a profound impact on the Lenape tribe as a whole. They were not dependent on other nations for food, but rather on nature itself. Finding out just how much nature had to offer, the Lenape took advantage of all the resources they had, in a way that did not harm nature. Hunting and gathering proved itself to be a means of enabling the Lenapes to become a more progressive tribe because it fostered creativity which consequently lead to major advances, such as growing agriculture.