Many years ago, before the white man came, the Lenni Lenape, or Delaware, lived on land now known as Camp Kikthawenund, a Boy Scout camp. The Lenni Lenape was a peaceful tribe.
One of the Lenni Lenape was known as Tomalapus. When Tomalapus was born, he had a peculiar birthmark on his forehead. It was in the shape of a five-pointed star. Many were amazed by it and pondered its meaning.
Tomalapus gre up to become the best in his tribe. He was the best hunter, the best fisherman, the best trapper, and even the best tomahawk thrower. He was so great that the Lenni Lenape were ready to name him their next chief. However, before this could happen, the white man had come. Tomalapus met a young white girl, and they fell in love. Then, a neighboring tribe, furious of this, came to Tomalapus' village and kidnapped the girl. This angered Tomalapus, and he gathered up the best men in the village to go to battle. This was the first time the Lenni Lenape were war like.
Before the battle, Tomalapus' men wanted to all look alike. So, they heated a brand in the shape of a five-pointed star and burned it into their foreheads. Now they were ready.
The enemy tribe was extremely fierce, but the Lenni Lenape severely weakened them. Tomalapus, standing strong, looked around to see that most of his men were dead. He continued to fight, for the loss of his fiancé saddened him. Then, Tomalapus was the last man standing against twenty enemy warriors. He made haste in his actions and defeated his opponents. As he did so, he carved a five-pointed star into the chests of each of those men. He was victorious, but would never see his love again. She was nowhere to be found.
Tomalapus returned to his village. The people were horrified that so many men were lost, but joyous of the defeat of the enemy. After this, the Lenni Lenape became peaceful once again, and Tomalapus became their chief.
Some years later, the enemy tribe returned for revenge, but Tomalapus knew they were coming. He hid his best men behind trees, rocks, bushes, anywhere where they would not be seen. They attacked the enemy and did not lose a single man. This proved Tomalapus' wisdom.
When Tomalapus was older, he began to leave the village for many days at a time. He would take supplies and vanish into the woods without telling anyone where he was going. So, one day, a curious scout followed Tomalapus. The young scout followed him to a clearing in the woods. Tomalapus would first scratch a five-pointed star into the ground with a stick. Then he would sit in the middle of the star and meditate. He would meditate for days in this spot.
Many years later, when Tomalapus died, the scout who followed Tomalapus told of the clearing in the woods. His people decided to bury Tomalpus in this clearing. Shortly after this, a great cottonwood tree began to grow from the spot he was buried.
When broken just right, a twig from this tree will produce a five-pointed star in the center of it. This tree is in the woods just west of the archery range at Camp Kikthawenund.
This page was last updated on 13, January 1999.
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