Shinnecock Indian Nation

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History

Like the other tribes of Long Island, the Shinnecock were producers of the main native currency, wampompeag (wampum), shell beads strung onto threads that were used as decoration and items of trade. These shell beads were found as far west as the Rocky Mountains, showing their value. Despite the fact that other New England tribes produced wampompeag, the Indians of Long Island were reputed to have made the best, which led the Pequot and other New England tribes to raid them to control this valuable trade commodity. Even the Europeans quickly learned the value of the Shinnecock wampompeag in trade with other tribes. The Shinnecock, and other Long Island tribes, were exploited and expected to pay tribute to stronger tribes and were subject to raids for their valuable currency. This greed lead to their downfall, as numbers were lost and time and resources wasted in making wampum. This was also combined with losses to disease and land encroachment by Dutch, and then later, English colonists. Many joined the Brothertown Indians in New York and lost their official tribe status while others intermarried into the local colonist population and also lost their identiy. The tribe, is famous in local lore for their heroic efforts. In December 1876, twenty-eight Shinnecock men died while attempting to save a ship stranded off East Hampton (town), New York

The tribe, which is recognized by the State of New York, in 2005 filed a lawsuit seeking return of 3,500 acres (14 km²) and billions of dollars in reparations in Southampton, New York around the tribe’s reservation. The disputed property includes the Shinnecock Hills Golf Club which they say contains tribe burial grounds.

The core of the lawsuit is over a 1703 deal between the Southampton and the tribe for a 1,000-year lease. The suit charges that a group of powerful investors conspired to break the lease in 1859, sending the state Legislature a fraudulent petition from a number of Shinnecock tribesmen. Although other tribal members immediately protested that the petition was a forgery, the Legislature approved the sale of 3,500 acres (14 km²).

Currently, the Shinnecock Indian Reservation is a self-governing reservation recognised by the State of New York (but not the Federal Government) with a Presbyterian church and a Community Center. It has a pow wow each year on Labor Day weekend. About 150 Shinnecock still remain on the Shinnecock Reservation of 750 acres (3 km²), three miles (5 km) west of Southampton (village), New York.

Casino proposals

The Shinnecocks for several years have proposed opening a casino near the Shinnecock Canal.

In October 2007 they made a $2 billion proposal to open a casino at the Aqueduct Race Track in Queens, New York.

The proposal was in conjunction with Marian Ilitch, a co-owner of the Detroit Red Wings via the Ilitch Gateway Casino Resorts company.

According to the East Hampton Star Ilitch had also funded the court efforts for the casino in Hampton Bays.

The proposal according to most sources was dead on arrival since even if the Shinnecocks received official Bureau of Indian Affairs recognition as a tribe, the Aqueduct Casino would still have to be approved by the New York State Legislature, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Aqueduct would have to first be taken into trust by the Department of Interior since the Shinnecocks historically had not owned property in Queens. [ [http://blog.mlive.com/snapshots/2007/10/ilitches_new_york_city_casino.html East Hampton Star, October 20, 2007, via mlive.com] ]

References

2. http://longislandgenealogy.com/indians.html 3. http://www.dickshovel.com/meto.html 4. Swanton, John R. The Indian Tribes of North America. Smithsonian Institution Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin 145. Washington DC.: Government Printing Office, 1952. 5. Hodge, Frederick W. Handbook of North American Indians. Washington, DC.: Government Printing Press, 1910.

External links

* [http://www.shinnecocknation.com/ Official web site]
* [http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/tribes/shinnecockhist.htm Accessgenealogy history of tribe]
* [http://thehamptons.com/indians/ TheHamptons.com :: Local Native Americans - Shinnecock Indians]