From the far reaches of the Sargasso Sea, in the heart of the Atlantic Ocean, billions of glass eels, the transparent juvenile stage of the American eel begin their long journey inland.
For the Indigenous peoples of the Mahicantuck Valley — including the Muhheconneok (Mohican), Munsee-Lenape, and their neighboring kin — this migration has long signified the cyclical vitality of the waters and the interdependence between all beings who call this valley home. The American eel is considered a relative, not merely a species. Its journey embodies teachings of endurance, transformation, and ecological reciprocity.
Today, as the impacts of habitat degradation, pollution, and climate disruption threaten the eel’s life cycle, communities along the Hudson River, into Canada are working together to restore balance through science, ceremony, and shared stewardship.
Over the course of three immersive days, participants — including local Indigenous peoples, civil society, students, and researchers — will join together along the Mahicantuck to monitor and record the arrival of glass eels.
This collaborative effort reflects both a scientific inquiry into the health of the watershed and a cultural commitment to the continuity of life within it. Guided by Indigenous knowledge-holders and biologists they will engage in hands-on data collection, gently capturing, counting, and recording the tiny, translucent eels as they navigate upstream.