The Nanticoke

Nanticoke Territory

The Nanticoke (pronounced Nan-TEH-coke), called the “tidewater people,” lived in the central Delmarva Peninsula primarily along the eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Our Nanticoke ancestors were known for their shell beads (called “roenoke,” similar to wampum), for constructing bridges across creeks, and for their knowledge of herbal medicines. The Nanticoke were called master traders by the British. In ancient times, the Nanticoke had emerged from the Lenape, with the territories of each tribe coming together in Delaware.