Mahwah Rampaoughs 'Highly Disappointed' In Judge's Ruling

MAHWAH, NJ — The Ramapough Lenape Native Americans are "highly disappointed" that a Superior Court judge ruled they violated local zoning laws when they erected tepees on what they said is sacred land.

Judge Keith Bachmann, of the Bergen County Super Court Appeals Division, decided to uphold a 2017 ruling that Mahwah officials were correct in issuing more than 100 summonses for building the tepees and other structures without permission, NorthJersey.com.

Ramapough Lenape Chief Dwain Perry said the tribe's right of sovereignty to pray on their own land is "being ignored, disparaged, and abrogated for political purposes here in the land founded on the right to religious freedom."

The tribe argued that has a First Amendment right to assemble at the property and hold religious ceremonies on the Halifax Road property.

Bachmann also cut the fines the town issued against the Ramapoughs in half — to about $5,000. The fines were related to a tent they erected on the land for 102 days and then removed.

"We welcome the Superior Court’s refusal to uphold fines against the Ramapough for placing a sacred prayer circle, constructed from natural materials, on their own land," the Center for Constitutional Rights said in a statement. "The Ramapough have a fundamental right to gather to worship on their land, as they have for centuries, and we look forward to defending this right in federal court."

The center is representing the tribe in a federal lawsuit that alleges the town illegally fined them and took the tribe's constitutional rights. (See related: Ramapough Indians File Federal Lawsuit Against Town, Polo Club)

The Ramapoughs claimed in a 12-count complaint that their First and 14th Amendment rights were violated. The nation wants $1 million in compensatory and punitive damages.

The land, which the tribe calls the Sweet Water Prayer Site, is at the mouth of the Ramapo and Mahwah rivers. It is a sacred site of immense importance to the Ramapoughs, who have held prayer and community cultural assemblies there for centuries, including religious ceremonies, pipe ceremonies, and sweat-lodge sessions are held on the land, the complaint states. The tribe's sacred prayer circle and a stone altar are on the site. Other structures were erected in protest of the proposed Pilgrim Pipeline in New Jersey and the Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota.

A Superior Court judge denied an injunction in December 2017 filed by the Ramapo Hunt & Polo Club Association against the Ramapoughs. (See related: Judge Denies Ramapo Polo Club's Injunction Against Ramapoughs)

The land is located near the club. The club wanted to prevent "any religious" activity on the site and block people from staying there overnight. The club also wanted large gatherings and "activities that cause loud noises, smoke and air and water pollution" banned.

The Ramapoughs have been fighting to be recognized by the federal government as an officially recognized Native American tribe.

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com

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