Honest, humble and peaceful are all qualities which were embodied by Lenni-Lenape Indian Chief, Tamanend. His name means affable, or easygoing and friendly. As chief of one of the Lenni-Lenape clans along the Delaware Valley, it was Tamanend’s job to serve as a leader for his people and a peacemaker when encountering foreigners.
Tamanend resided in the forests along the Neshaminy. He is most remembered for his involvement in William Penn’s Treaty of Amity and Friendship. Along the banks of the Delaware River in a place called Shackamaxon, William Penn, accompanied by several Quakers, met with Tamanend and Lenni-Lenape Indians to make a pact of peaceful coexistence. The Lenni-Lenape Indians made a deed allowing Quakers to settle on their land.
Tamanend, true to his peaceful and amicable nature, gave William Penn a wampum belt as a symbol of friendship. For years the Quakers and the Indians lived together as friends, if not brothers. For Tamanend said both cultures shall live in peace and harmony “as long as the creeks and rivers run and while the sun, moon, and stars endure.”
To this day, Tamanend is considered a legend in the memory of both Indians and whites. In folklore, he is known as King Tammany or Saint Tammany, titles given to him by the people of Philadelphia. May 1st was celebrated as St. Tammany Day. Today there are numerous statues and parks in honor of him.
One such park is Penn Treaty Park, the very location where Penn’s Treaty took place. This park is located in the neighborhood of Fishtown in Philadelphia, Pennslyvania along the banks of the Delaware River.
