Joshua Kuhns’ Lenape ancestry is a way of life that actually saved his life, and he chose to share the incredible story of his people and culture with the community at Penn-Kidder Library last week.

Kuhns brought his wealth of Native American knowledge and artifacts to the powwow, providing an enlightening view on local tribes and practices and attempting to reconnect people with the natural world.

“I’m trying to teach people how to come back to nature, to honor themselves and honor nature, to detoxify themselves and be set free,” Kuhns said.

Volunteer Elizabeth Giles invited Kuhns to speak as part of her ongoing series related to the lives and struggles that Native Americans face.

“Every year, and especially now with Standing Rock going on, I try to make people aware of what’s going on politically, and to give them another glimpse of Native American life,” she said. “I definitely have a character here today. How he has worked through all the adversity in his life and come to this, I think it’s amazing.”

For Kuhns, the Lenape culture is not just an interesting part of his family history, but the core of his mission to both teach and learn. He has spent plenty of time conducting research on the history of Native American culture, and consulting with tribal elders to expand his knowledge.

But before he even knew of his ancestry, he felt a connection to the wildlife of the area.

“I found out I have Lenape blood, and I’m trying to dig more into that. But, these things I’ve been doing, I’ve been doing them for a long time, naturally. I would find things and make these things,” he said. “I find animals that were hit by cars, and I honor them by bringing their medicine back to the people, to heal them. Everything out here has a secret to teach us, if we still our minds and listen.”

Native American tribes believe that nothing should go to waste, and they often utilize the remains of animals not just for food, but traditional medicine, clothing and ceremonial objects. Kuhns’ collection of pelts, bones, feathers and the tools that he shaped them into drew the attention of the crowd during and after his presentation.

“I thought he was absolutely outstanding and knowledgeable,” Lori Cooper said. “The stuff that he brought in was just amazing, fantastic. Seeing all of these dead animals, and knowing the significance that he found them unfortunately already deceased, but found a use and spiritual meaning for them, it’s just beautiful.”

It was through embracing his cultural heritage that Kuhns was able to change the direction of his life, for the betterment of himself and others. Suffering from addiction issues for years, Kuhns was able to break ties with substance abuse through therapeutic Native practices.

“It has helped me walk away from drugs, alcohol and violence, and it has taught me to love and pass love on again.”

Kuhns’ inspiration to educate connects strongly with the red-tailed hawk, often viewed as a messenger for the spirits, which is part of his personal totem.

“The red-tail is a main thing of mine, because the red-tail, which I constantly find, is a messenger of the heavens,” he said. “So, I’m trying to bring messages back to the people. I’m trying to bring people back to nature, because everybody’s being disconnected by technology. They’re looking for drugs and alcohol to soothe the parts of them that would be soothed if they were back to nature.”

Giles, who is part Mohawk Iroquois, prepared several traditional Native American dishes for the event, including a buffalo chili, cornbread, and Three Sisters Soup, consisting of squash, beans, and corn.

Though this was the first presentation Kuhns has given on the subject of Native American culture, he plans to continue spreading the word on the value of connecting with nature, and all the good that it yields.

“This is mom, right out there,” he said, gesturing toward the trees in the distance. “She gives us basically what we need to survive, to live, to heal ourselves, to detoxify ourselves, to mend ourselves. It’s all right there, but everyone forgot. It’s the way of nature, and I’m trying to help give it a voice.”