The focal point of this part of our web guide on American Indians considers the Shinnecock people, who are today represented by the Shinnecock Indian Nation, whose land base is the Shinnecock Reservation at the eastern end of Long Island, New York.
Formally recognized by the federal government in 2010, the Shinnecock Indian Nation is one of the oldest self-governing tribes in New York. The Nation exercises jurisdiction over two areas: the Shinnecock Neck, which is a 900-acre peninsula located on Shinnecock Bay, and an additional 100-acre tract situated by the Peconic Bay in the Westwoods area of Hampton Bays. Its reservation is within the geographic boundaries of the Town of Southampton, and the Nation has sought the return of 3,500 tribal lands within this area.
The Shinnecock Indian Reservation is self-governing. The main part of the reservation is three miles west of Southampton. It includes a museum, a shellfish hatchery, an education center, a community center, a playground, and a Presbyterian church.
The Shinnecock Presbyterian Church is the oldest continuously operated reformed Indian congregation in the United States and has served the Shinnecock people since the late 17th century. Presbyterian in structure and tradition, its Native cultural identity is entwined into its services and function.
Historically, the Shinnecock were one of thirteen Indian bands on Long Island, named for their geographic locations. Their name translates into "people of the stony shore."
Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the Shinnecock people lived in autonomous villages linked by kinship to their neighbors. They were closely related to the Pequot and Narragansett, who were more powerful Algonquian tribes on Long Island Sound.
The traditional language of the Shinnecock people was a dialect of Mohegan-Pequot-Montauk, similar to the Montaukett on Long Island. After European colonization of the area, their children were not allowed to speak the traditional languages in schools, and its use was discouraged off of the reservation. The tribe is currently engaged in language renewal programs in an attempt to preserve the legacy of the language.
Along with other Indian people on Long Island, the Shinnecock made wampum (wampumpeag), which were shell beads strung on threads that were used as currency among many of the tribes, as well as for record-keeping and ornamental purposes. Manufactured on Long Island, wampum found its way as far west as the Rocky Mountains, illustrating its value as an item of trade. Although other New England tribes produced wampum, the best was believed to have come from Long Island.
Native populations on Long Island declined dramatically after European colonization due to their vulnerability to infectious European diseases, conflicts with colonists, and enslavement by Europeans.
In 1641, English colonists coerced the Shinnecock to lease land to them, and this was ratified to include additional land in 1703. In 1792, the State of New York reorganized the Shinnecock Indian Tribe as a trusteeship, establishing annual elections of three tribal trustees, which has continued to the present day.
Shortly after the American Revolution, several Shinnecock individuals left to join the Brothertown Indians in western New York, where the Oneida people gave them some land on their reservation. Pushed out of New York, the Shinnecock and Brothertown migrated to Wisconsin, while some Shinnecock on Long Island intermarried with local colonists and enslaved Africans, working on farms or as craftsmen. Some were assimilated, while others raised their children as Shinnecock, maintaining their identity and culture.
After a thirty-year effort, including a lawsuit against the Department of the Interior, the United States government recognized the Shinnecock Nation in October of 2010.
The Nation filed a land claim against New York in 2005, seeking the return of 3,500 acres in Southampton, located near the tribe's reservation, and for reparations for damages suffered by colonial land grabs. The disputed property included the Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, which the Nation has identified as its traditional burial grounds. The lawsuit challenged the state's approval of an 1859 sale of 3,500 acres of tribal land to European-American individuals, thus breaking the terms of a 1,000-year lease signed by Southampton officials in 1703. In 2006, the court ruled against the Nation, finding that the suit was not filed in a timely manner.
Topics related to the Shinnecock Nation and any of its offices, departments, programs, events, or facilities are appropriate for this category, as well as any other organizations or entities claiming Shinnecock ancestry. Websites representing businesses owned by Shinnecock individuals may also be listed here.
Recommended Resources
Born in 1990, Jeremy is a contemporary fine art photographer, lead artist, and founder of the non-profit Ma's House & BIPOC Art Studio on the Shinnecock Reservation and an enrolled member of the Shinnecock Indian Nation. Biographical data is set forth, along with a telephone number, email address, and online contact form. Upcoming exhibits and a calendar of events are published on the site, and books, clothing, metal prints, and prints based on his works are available for purchase online.
https://www.jeremynative.com/
Ma's House & BIPOC Art Studio, Inc.
Jeremy Dennis founded Ma's House as a communal art space on the Shinnecock Indian Reservation in Southampton, New York. Built in the 1960s, the family house now offers a residency program for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color artists, a shared art studio, and a communal library. It also hosts art and history-based programs for tribal members and the broader local community. Exhibitions, events, and information about residency opportunities are featured.
https://www.mashouse.studio/
Founded in 2021 by members of the Shinnecock Nation Graves Protection Warrior Society, comprised solely of enrolled members of the Shinnecock Nation, the NLT works to protect, preserve, and purchase burial sites and other culturally significant sites sacred to the Shinnecock Nation and their neighboring indigenous communities. Its history, organization, projects, and educational resources are featured, and online contact and donation forms are available.
https://niamucklandtrust.org/
The Shinnecock Nation, which was officially recognized by the United States government as a self-governing tribe in New York in 2010, is based on the Shinnecock Reservation at the eastern end of Long Island. Its general council, council of trustees, administrative departments, and meeting schedules are set forth, along with an overview of its history, culture, and tradition. Member services and programs, public safety issues, announcements, news, and contacts are posted.
https://www.shinnecock-nsn.gov/
A multi-generation collective of six women who are enrolled members of the Shinnecock Indian Nation, the Shinnecock Kelp Farmers is incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation in the State of New York. Headquartered in Southampton, the corporation uses seaweed to capture carbon and nitrogen that has poisoned the waters of Shinnecock Bay and beyond. Media articles and videos featuring the organization, as well as its address, telephone number, email address, and online contact form.
https://www.shinnecockkelpfarmers.com/
Shinnecock Nation Cultural Center & Museum
Established in 2001 as a Native American-owned, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization on Long Island, the museum highlights the ancestors and living history of the Shinnecock people, who are Algonquian descendants. The seasonal facility, built of white pine, features 5,000 square feet of exhibition space. Its location, dates and hours of operation, calendar of events, K-12 educational resources, and photographs of its gardens are posted. Volunteer opportunities and contacts are included.
http://www.shinnecockmuseum.com/
Jeremy Dennis, a contemporary fine art photographer and enrolled member of the Shinnecock Indian Nation, explores indigenous identity, assimilation, and tradition in Long Island using photography and an online interactive map to showcase culturally significant Native American sites. A brochure is available for download in PDF format, several photographs may be viewed on the site, and Shinnecock Nation members may make appointments for a portrait or to volunteer to assist with the project.
https://shinnecockportraits.com/
