Munsee-Delaware Nation
Munsee-Delaware Nation (Munsee: Nalahii Lunaapewaak, "meaning: Lenapes from the Upstream", in contrast with The Lenape at Moraviantown, referred to as "Downstrean Lenapes") is a Lenape First Nations band government located west of St. Thomas, in southwest Ontario, Canada. Known previously as the Munsee of the Thames, their land base is the Munsee-Delaware Nation 1 reserve, with the unincorporated community of Muncey (west from the Oneida Nation of the Thames) as their main community. The reserve is splintered into several non-contiguous areas, made up of individual lots within the Chippewas of the Thames reserve. As  of January 2014, their registered population was 612 people, though only 148 lived on their own reserve. History. Members of the Munsee branch of the Lenape (Delaware) nation arrived in the area in the eighteenth century. The Lieutenant-Governor, John Graves Simcoe, encouraged the Munsee to settle there although Chippewa were already established there. In 1819 the Chippewa of the Thames reserve was established, and in 1840 the Munsee and the Chippewa finally reached an agreement to share the land. In 1967 the Munsee portion became part of the current reserve, which was established by Order in Council. Demographics. The  Munsee-Delaware First Nation had a registered population of 524 in April 2004, of whom 163 lived on the reserve. By January 2011, the nation had a total registered population of 555, of whom 145 lived on the reserve. Governance. Munsee-Delaware Nation's Chief and Council are elected officials who serve a two (2) year term of office. Elections are governed by their own Band Custom Election Code. Chief and Council are directly accountable to the band membership for the success of the Nation and the conduct of its affairs and for carrying out the community's mission and  vision. The history of Munsee-Delaware Nation elected Chief and Council are: