The Silenced Native Religious Rights

Fatimah Alhomeidany

Originally written for Study in Religious Text with Dr. Clatterbuck at Montclair University

The Ramapough Lenape Nation is a tribe located These concerns for the safety of their land and their near the Ramapo Mountains in New Jersey that have identities prompted them to band together as a comfaced several obstacles in an attempt to righteously munity and protest against these oil pipelines. Luckpractice their freedom of religion. A plot of land, lo- ily, their efforts did not go in vain. It was announced cated in Mahwah, N.J. between the Ramapo Hunt in July 2020 that the Dakota Access Pipeline would and Polo Club Association, has been heavily argued be shut down for environmental review, and would about in regards to who owns it and what it should be completely emptied from oil by August 5. Needbe used for. The Ramapough primarily use it to less to say, this was a success for the Ramapough practice their culture and religion, while the gated Nation. community that it is located in, known as the Polo Club, have expressed their disinterest in letting the Going back to the fight for maintaining the SRS Ramapough people express their religious customs Prayer Camp, the Ramapough people have received as they find them to be very loud and disruptive. multiple fines and have been involved in lawsuits The Polo Club say this land is legally a residentially claiming the land is not theirs to use. Neighbors zoned plot and should not be used for religious cere- have been reporting the Ramapough to the police monies. Meanwhile, the Ramapough state that they because they saw signs posted on what is believed to should be able to express freedom of religion with- be private property and vans parked in prohibited out fear of receiving race-based discrimination. areas. Tensions between the township of Mahwah and the Ramapough people have increased since,

The space that is being debated, known as Split with allegations stating the Ramapough do not have Rock Sweetwater Prayer Camp, has seen many bat- the necessary permits to move soil and build teetles in regards to rights and religious freedom. pees, and the township possibly removing their teeAround April 2016, #nodapl was trending on Twit- pees by force. This proves that the neighbors were ter to protest the possible oil pipeline, known as the abusing their privilege to eradicate the Ramapough Dakota Access Pipeline, that would cross the camp and dismiss their rights as human beings. and ruin their water supply. On top of that, the threat that President Trump and his campaign posed These zoning laws make it especially hard for on the tribal community could affect their living Native Americans to practice their beliefs. Needless conditions since Trump is seen as an opponent to the to say, both sides went to court and the jury was in Ramapough. This is the second time a proposed favor of the Ramapough nation. However, this is not pipeline intersected with the SRS Prayer Camp. Back the only example of the lack of freedom of religious in 2014, Pilgrim Pipeline Holdings planned to create expression amongst the Native American communia pipeline that ran from Albany, N.Y. to Linden, ty. Ask yourself this: if we as a society have collecN.J. to supply more petroleum to places that do not tively claimed that today’s world is more advanced have direct access to it. This was a huge risk for the and accepting of people from different cultural backRamapough because of the potential safety hazards grounds compared to colonial times, why are Native that could come as a result, along with tainted drink- Americans still unable to fully engage in their reliing water. Beyond environmental impacts, the gious ceremonies without having to fear repercusRamapough have spiritual concerns as well. Their sions? What can the general public do to raise spiritual connection to the Earth provides them with (Con nued on page 21) an obligation to keep their lands and waters safe.