Mahwah Museum
“We gained information on technical aspects of the work we seek to develop, such as recording equipment, microphones, file types, software and methods to use for recording and maintaining the material in digital form.”
The Mahwah Museum Community History project is developing a 21st century presentation of the Ramapough community – its Legacy and Heritage. Highlights include featured oral history segments from respected Ramapough elders; audio recorded tribal legend stories accessible through QR codes on free bookmarks; quotes from community surveys of local community members who grew up in Ramapough; the history and struggle of State and Federal Recognition for the Ramapough Indian Nation; and a look at tribal customs and Pow Wow regalia. During the Community History program, the team recorded recitations of a Lenape prayer in Munsee language by a Ramapough elder and three narrations of Tribal Legacy stories: “How Two Bears Lost Their Tails;” “The Most Beautiful Bird;” and “How the Evil Manitoo Broke his Apron Strings.” The story images and reading of these stories were made into QR codes available on bookmarks available at the Mahwah Public Library and the Ringwood Public Library.
