'Lenape Language of the Delaware Indians' is a CD-ROM with a basic introducion to the Delaware or "Lenape" Indian Language. It is designed to be used on a computer and it's purpose is to teach the basics of the "Lenape" language.

On the Lenape Language CD, each word is pronounced by a native Lenape speaker and is illustrated by a photograph. There are three different language modules with which to work. Each module has words in seven categories: Animals, Birds, Counting, Foods, Kinship Terms, Objects, and Phrase. The words are on two levels, with level One being the easier words. The CD also contains information about Lenape history; information about the native speakers whose voices will be heard pronouncing the words; and a guide to the spelling and pronunciation of Lenape. The three modules are as follows:

• SLIDE SHOW: This module presents words and images one after the other, in random sequence. This is the best place to begin to view the photos and to learn the words.

• FIND IT: This module presents words and images in sets of three or four and the user hears and sees a single word. The user must find the correct image to go with the word. Images are presented randomly. If the wrong image is picked, the word will repeat later in the sequence. Once the user has looked at the SLIDE SHOW, the is a good program to find out if the words have really been learned.

• MATCHING GAME: This final module selects ten images at random and then randomly scatters them on the screen. The user must find both of the two matching images. When the second of the matching images is clicked on, both will stay on the screen. Continue until all ten images are displayed. As each image is clicked, the word is spoken and displayed, so as the game is played, learning the word is reinforced. Not only are the words learned, but the user will have fun doing it.

Who are the Lenape or Delaware Indians?

The original homeland of the Lenape or Delaware Indians was all of New Jersey, northern Delaware, southeastern New York, and eastern Pennsylvania. The people who called themselves Lenape spoke two somewhat different dialects: Unami was spoken in the southern part of the homeland, and Munsi (also spelled as Monsi or Munsee) was spoken in the northern part. It was the Unami speakers who through forced immigration came to Oklahoma. Many of the Munsi speakers moved to Canada.

Unlike some tribes which had a forced removal from the homelands to Indian Territory (Oklahoma), the Lenape made gradual moves. Each new area in which they settled as they moved westwards was promised to them as their home from that day on, but as it turned out, it was really from that day on until the next removal. At the present time, the population of Delaware Tribe which has it's headquarters in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, is approximately 10,500.