Ramapough Mountain Indians
Ramapough Lunaape Nation Inc. | |
Tribal flag for the Turtle clan of the Ramapough Lenape Nation | |
| Named after | Ramapo Mountains, Lenape people |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1980, incorporated |
| Type | nonprofit, state-recognized tribe |
| EIN 22-2226221 | |
| Purpose | Ethnic/Immigrant Services (P84) |
| Location |
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| Membership | 5,000 (1992) |
Official language | English |
Executive Director | Vince Morgan |
Key people | President |
| Revenue | $300,350 (2022) |
| Expenses | $110,633 (2022) |
| Staff | 0 |
| Website | ramapomunsee |
The Ramapough Mountain Indians (also spelled Ramapo), also known as the Ramapough Lenape Nation, Ramapough Lunaape Munsee Delaware Nation, or Ramapo Mountain people, are a New Jersey state-recognized tribe based in Mahwah. They have approximately 5,000 members living in and around the Ramapo Mountains of Bergen and Passaic counties in northern New Jersey and Rockland County in southern New York, about 25 miles (40 km) from New York City.
They were recognized in 1980 by the state of New Jersey as the Ramapough Lenape Nation but are not recognized federally or by the state of New York.
The Ramapough Lenape Indian Nation claims a line of descent from the Lenape, whose regional bands included the Hackensack, Tappan, Rumachenanck/Haverstroo, Munsee/Minisink, and Ramapo people. They have also absorbed people with varying degrees of Tuscarora, African, and Dutch or other European ancestry. The Lenape language in this area was Munsee, an Algonquian dialect. The Tuscarora spoke an Iroquoian language. After relations with European colonists began, ancestors of the Ramapough Lenape Indian Nation also spoke Jersey Dutch and English. Presently, they speak English. The Ramapough are working to restore the Munsee language among their members.