The stories are endless of land being taken from Native peoples but you rarely hear of it being given back. Peter Galantino, 78, gave 11.5 acres to the Delaware Tribe of Western Oklahoma. The land is located about 40 miles west of Philadelphia and used to belong to the tribe until the 1800’s when they were forced to leave the area. One of the reasons the land was donated back was the discovery of arrowheads on the property leading Galantino to say “This is their land. We just gave back what was already theirs.” The arrowheads were also given to the Delaware tribe.
Tribal secretary Linda Poolaw said the farmland was the first donation they had ever received from an Eastern landowner. Poolaw said the tribe would call the land “the Galantino gift” and use it as a burial ground. Poolaw said she and other tribe members were moved by the gift.
