The Montaukett Recognition Bill (A4069/S6889) was delivered to Governor Kathy Hochuls office on December 12, 2022. But I hold that the purchase was a lawful act, and there is no consideration of justice which makes me loath to find that there is no longer a tribe of Montauk Indians. The Shinnecock Indian Nation is a federally recognized tribe of historically Algonquian-speaking Native Americans based at the eastern end of Long Island, New York.This tribe is headquartered in Suffolk County, on the southeastern shore. Want to join our efforts but not sure where to start? Our Montauk Language class will begin on June 24. Chenae Bullock is a citizen of the Shinnecock Nation and descendant of the Montaukett Tribe in Long Island, New York. 1, The Montaukett likely first made contact with the Europeans during this time. it is time now for the state of new york to reverse this injustice, reinstate, and recognize the montaukett indian nation. Get in touch with any questions about how you can Volunteer Your Time today. 1687 East Hampton Proprietors complete the acquisition of the Montauk peninsula with the purchase of the last of three parcels of land from the Montaukett Indians. Provides for state recognition and acknowledgement of the Montaukett Indians; provides that the Montaukett Indians shall have a chief or sachem, three tribal trustees and a tribal secretary; further provides for the qualification of voters; makes related provisions. They organized Powwows at Montauk and on the Stony Brook campus to celebrate the revival of the tribe. The Governor again vetoed the bill, claiming he had not completed his evaluation. Get in touch with us today for more details about how you can help. Colonization spread disease and made the . He was said to have been highly respected by the Mohawk, Narragansett and Pequot. Like other Algonquian tribes of this area, the Montauk proper depended for their subsistence largely on . The Montauk people still had few rights to the land. This gave the Montauks much wealth and led to their tribe being raided by more powerful New England tribes. 17501885) wrote a dissertation about two houses at Indian Fields compared to Freetown. This lack of authority has formed the basis for various control disputes ever since. The act, passed two weeks ago, will restore the Nation's long sought-after State recognition and acknowledgement. These beads were then used for trade or tribute payments with their neighboring tribes. This was a traumatic blow to the remaining Montauk people. Robert Pharaoh and Robert Cooper lead two factions of Montauketts who are working to obtain state and federal recognition. The Montauks, or Montauketts, are an Algonquian tribe from Montauk on eastern Long Island. The men used tradition woodworking skills to make piggins, ladles, and bowls for settler homes. In 1994, the State Supreme Court, in the case of Breakers motel, Inc. v. Sunbeach Montauk Two, Inc., subsequently described the Pharaoh case as being of "questionable propriety". 1658 Montaukett sachem Wyandanch gives settlers rights to pasturage. It was spoken with little difference by all the Indians upon the East end of Long Island and perhaps the whole Island and the adjoining Islands. Contact between Native and non-Native people is often seen as a singular event at a particular point in time. If I may use the expression, the tribe has been dying for many years. White, Indigenous, and African-American seamen encountered sailors from international ports as vessels travelled for sometimes years at a time. The bill would effectively reinstate tribal recognition that was stripped from the Montauketts in a Suffolk County court ruling in which a judge declared the tribe extinct 112 years ago. Courtesy of The Eastville Community Historical Society 2 of 18 Unidentified Native American man.. These beads were then used for trade or tribute payments with their neighboring tribes. The Montaukett Indian Tribe was stripped of their recognition by the State of New York in 1910. The vocabulary list has been published in Gaynell Stones Languages and Lore of the Long Island Indians, Vol IV. Kathy Hochul vetoed it in December 2022. Judge Abel Blackmar dismissed the case, ruling that the tribe, as an organization, had ceased to exist. [8] Disease had greatly reduced their population. The Montaukett ("Metoac"[1]), more commonly known as Montauk are an Algonquian-speaking[2] Native American people from the eastern and central sections of Long Island, New York. It is said that around 24 tribal members were there. 1524 - Giovanni Verrazano explores and maps the area - It is unclear whether these specific expeditions had any contact with the Montauk tribe. The Native women used the spinning wheel to spin yarn, a necessity for all knitwear and weaving of essential cloth. Thomas James (minister) was in Sag Harbor on an anti-slavery ministry for the free black former slaves in the whaling industry, he was engaged to preach to the Montauketts too. The Montaukett Tribe is also planning to pursue federal recognition next year. From the very moment European settlers landed on Long Island, the Montaukett people were compromised forever. Ninigret was an eastern Niantic Sachem allied with the Narragansetts against the Pequots during the Pequot war, 1637. The decision was heavily influenced by racial and cultural prejudices of the times. News Long Island Towns - News Long Island New York towns | News Suffolk | Montauk | Named for the Algonquian-speaking Montaukett tribe, the hamlet of Montauk is located in the Town of East Hampton . They cared for the mothers and children of colonial families, and were encouraged by the society to be the sex objects of the men; hence the Montaukett descendants of some of the early settlers. There was indisputable evidence of their false promises to the Montauk Tribe. The two parks were to be connected via the Montauk Point State Parkway. Pictures. What are tribal membership requirements? On March 25, 1798, John Lyon Gardiner recorded Montaukett vocabulary from Sachem George Pharoah in a personal manuscript; March 25, 1798. The Montauketts A documentary record captured visually in the sketches of the deathbeds of Stephen and David Pharaoh by Tile Club artists which appeared in several national illustrated newspapers of the 1870s. [8], In 1924, Robert Moses began condemning the Benson land to establish state parks on either end of Montauk Hither Hills State Park in the west and Montauk Point State Park in the east. In 1994, the State Supreme Court . secretariat membership procedure. 1648 Families from New England settle East Hampton. There is now no tribe of Montauk Indians. Later he was ordained a Presbyterian minister by East Hampton's Rev. They were gin (fence) keepers of the livestock pastured at Montauk and laborers for the Gardiners and others. 5, Rev. Whites expected that the Indians would gradually vanish into the cultural mainstream. He is a Native American artist and cultural consultant of Matinecock Turkey clan, Wampanoag, Montaukett, and Blackfoot descent. They moved from Long Island to escape colonial encroachment. 2, Legendary Sachem Mongotucksee (Long Knife) is the leader of the Montauketts and has 300 warriors and 50 canoes at his disposal. . Rev. Kathleen is an Elder in the Montaukett Tribal Nation, her ancestry predates the seventh century on Long Island. It was believed that they had diluted their Indian blood and were now considered a mixed race. This evening event is scheduled as follows: ECA Membership Meeting Wednesday, September 14, 2022 Union League Club 65 W. Jackson Chicago, IL (312) 427-7800 Registration / Networking: 5:30 pm Dinner: 6:00 pm Many Montauk descendants today live in Wisconsin (Brotherton Tribe), while others live on the Shinnecock Reservation. She now has 10 business days (until December 23) to sign or veto the bill. Azarlah Horton, originally of Southold, to minister to them from 1740 to about 1750. The Reverend James gave the Montauketts shelter near the village during their problems with the Narragansett, and allegedly got them to sell from Napeague to Montauk Point to himself and a few other men (maybe Hedges / Benson / et. Today they are part of the Brothertown Indians movement.[16]. IV, Readings, 1980, SCAA, p. 168. This is an easy and efficient way of contributing to the great work we do asMontauk Tribe of Indians. In August 1954, Hurricane Carol became the most powerful storm to hit New England since 1938's Great New England Hurricane. Montauk, both a single tribe and a confederacy of Algonquian-speaking North American Indian tribes who lived on the eastern and central parts of what is now Long Island, N.Y.; the confederacy included the Shinnecock, Manhasset, Massapequa, Montauk proper, Patchogue, and Rockaway tribes. The most devastating event happened in 1910 when Judge Blackmar of the New York Supreme Court declared the Montauk tribe as extinct. The Montauk Tribe of Indians Fund, Inc. was created to raise funds for the necessary legal fees to overturn illegal decision in 1910. Due to the colonization of North America and a 1910 unjust ruling by Judge Blackmar, the Montauk Nation was wrongfully disenfranchised from their ancestral lands and told that they no longer existed as a tribe. The list was compiled of active tribal members living at the time of the lawsuits filed against the state of New York to prove the amount of living tribe members to regain tribal reinstatement. [8] The attempts at assimilation continued for some time afterwards for those who stayed behind when the Brothertown group left. After the Europeans arrived the Montauk suffered a similar fate to many of the other tribes in the New World. On March 25, 1798, John Lyon Gardiner wrote: March 25, 1798. [10] It is one of the largest privately owned islands in the United States. In a purchase that was finalized in 1687 in which the East Hampton town purchased the remaining Native lands east of Fort Pond for 100 pounds, and granted the Montauketts residency rights in perpetuity (but no governance). In 1773 - Samson Occum and his brother-in-law, David Fowler (c. 1735-1807, Montaukett native) form the "Brothertown Plan" with members of the neighboring Shinnecock and Christian Algonquins, including contingents of the Mohegan, Pequot, and Narragansett, to move them to the Oneida Territory. NATIVE AMERICAN FALL FESTIVAL & SHOP SMALL SATURDAY . Allison Manfra McGovern who studied the archeology of the Montauketts over time (ca. In 1906 New York State passed legislation to enable the Montaukett to establish land claims through colonial deeds from 1660 through 1702. -- David L. Pharaoh assumes his duties. Montaukett men sailed from ships out of Sag Harbor until 1871, a year that marked the final deep-sea departure from the port. The Dongan Patent allowed the Montauk Proprietors to purchase the remaining unpurchased lands between the ponds and east of Lake Wyandanee (Lake Montauk). On August 31, 1954, the Montauk Highway, which . In 1926, Carl G. Fisher bought all of the remaining (non-state park) Montaukett Lands in Long Island (10,000 acres (40km2)) for only $2.5 million. Through the 19th century, whaling ships often included tri-racial and multi-national crews. Chicago, IL 60604 Please join us for the ECA Regular Membership Meeting. Massacre Valley The most famous raid by Ninigrets (Narragansett Sachem) against Wyandanchs village at Montauk. As the Indians are wards of the state, and as this action was authorized by an enabling act, I do not think that costs should be imposed on the plaintiff 1. Today, Robert Pharaoh is the chief of the Montaukett Nation. Outside of his roles in City government, Beaudet serves as the Legal Counsel and on the Council of Elders for the Montaukett Tribe of Indians in Long Island, New York, providing pro bono counsel to his Tribe on legal and governance matters since 2001. The criterion varies from tribe to tribe, so uniform membership requirements do not exist. Wyandanch was the well-known and widely respected sachem of the Montaukett Tribe in New York. It was the tribe's third attempt at state recognition; similar bills had been vetoed twice. State Legislature attempted to right the wrong that wasdone in 1910 by passing legislation to give the Montauketts a path to restore state recognition. Even both Rev. Contact Montauk Tribe of Indians Council of Elders 51 Jefferson Street, Amityville, New York 11701 inquiries@onemontauknation.org 516-407-0222 Email Message Thanks for submitting! MEMBERSHIP NORTH SHORE AUDUBON SOCIETY NASSAU MINERAL CLUB VOLUNTEER/COMMUNITY SERVICE. After 1871, Montaukett men sailed out of New Bedford. Over the next few hundred years, land would be traded, sold, and stolen from the Montauks. European colonists tended to mistakenly assume that the different bands they encountered were different tribes, even in cases where the bands clearly shared the same culture and language. Despite this, The Montauk Tribe of Indians are still here, thriving and positively impacting our society and many communities throughout the United States via cultural and educational exchange and professional contributions. In 1910, this disenfranchisement gave New York States Judge Blackmar the fuel he needed to unjustly rule that the Montauk Tribe of Indians no longer existed. Copyright 2023 The History Junkie | Bamboo on Trellis Framework by Mediavine, The History Junkies List of Native American Tribes, The History Junkies Guide to Colonial America, The History Junkies Guide to Famous Explorers, The History Junkies Guide to European Colonization. Photos and Memories (7) +2 View All Do you know Mongotucksee Longknife? Through the 1650s as the white settlement was expanding, the Montaukett population was in decline. The ceremony washistoric and reflectedthe importance the Montauk Nation placeson thevoices of itspeople. The Montauk Indian Tribe was located across the Long Island Sound which was part of Connecticut and Rhode Island Colony. They delivered ice (no record except a photograph), provided livery service for the newly developing tourist industry (only a Edward Lamson Henry pastel and a lithograph document this), and produced wood and textile crafts still in early east end homes. They are part of the Algonquian-language group. & 3pm: Storytelling & History with Chief Redfeather, Montaukett Tribe 10am-4pm, ongoing: Hands-on History activities: Use the fire-bow, corn-grinding, stone-drilling, dugout canoe making . Research genealogy for Mongotucksee Long Knife Montaukett Tribe of Montauk Village, Long Island City, Queens, New York, as well as other members of the Montaukett Tribe family, on Ancestry. By the 1740s, the population was around 160 people.[15]. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Running Strong Dreamstarter Jeremy Dennis Featured In Penn States Movers, Shakers, The Native Landscape: Artist Talk and Workshop with Jeremy Dennis, Fire Island Artist Residency Collaboration, Land Markings - Exhibit at The Old Stone House, Brooklyn NY, The Sag Harbor Express Magazine March 2021, An Island Divided: Generations in the Hamptons' Shadow, the Shinnecock's Struggle for Sovereignty Sees Light, Shinnecock Youth Clubhouse Presentation via Zoom, Mapping Indigenous Long Island - Brown University, Exhibit on Long Islands first whalers opens in Cold Spring Harbor, Shinnecock Artists at Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum, Indigenous Peoples Art & Heritage @ Bryant Library, Shinnecock: America's First Whalers @ Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum, Flushing Town Hall con artistas nativos este mircoles, Dreamstarter GOLD Announcement | October 27, 2020, Billy Mills Dreamstarter Gold recipients each awarded $50K - Indian Country Today, Virtual Program: Indigenous Long Island - The Art and History of Jeremy Dennis - HMTC, Materializing Race: An Unconference on Objects and Identity in #VastEarlyAmerica, Stolen lands and living stories: A photographer reimagines reality, On This Site - The Shinnecock Work, Middle Country Public Library, June 2019, Wertheim Wildlife Refuge - June 2019 Exhibition, Slag Mag - Vol 3 Issue 4 On This Site Feature, On This Site - Fine Art Photo Book - Blurb. As skilled shore whalers, Montaukett men were fought over by entrepreneurial East Hamptoners to be their crewmen. One of the Club members, Winslow Homer, made a sketch of David Pharaoh in 1874, and another, W.O. Among them was Olivia Ward Bush-Banks, a teacher, journalist, author, and poet whose collected works have been published by Oxford University Press; she was of Montaukett descent, attended powwows, and used her heritage in her work. Death: 1595. George repeated these words several times and I write them as near as he pronounced as I can with the English alphabet. [6], The Native Americans of the east end of the Island shared a common culture with each other and with Lenape groups along most of the northern shore of what is now called Long Island Sound. Soon after the American Revolution, several Montaukett families followed Samson Occom, the Mohegan missionary, to join his Christian Indian community at Brothertown in central New York State. Brewster-Walker described various locations in present-day Islip, Brookhaven and beyond that were home to various tribal families. Birth: xxxx. tony thompson son tevin. Nutpatamuyumun (We give thanks)for the wisdom and advice that was shared with Sunksq Wamsutin the sacred circle by Scumsandtribalchairpersons,council members and Elders from across the United States. He was said to have been highly respected by the Mohawk, Narragansett and Pequot. Staying and preaching in their wigwams, the reverend traveled a circuit from Jamaica to Montauk, but spending most of his time at Montauk. The Montaukett, ("Metoac"[1]) or Montauk native american people are an Algonquian-speaking Native American culture from the eastern end of Long Island, New York. 135, Gaynell Stone, Transcript of Lecture on The Material History of the Montaukett, 1998, pp. George repeated these words several times and I write them as near as he pronounced as I can with the English alphabet., The vocabulary list has been published in Gaynell Stones Languages and Lore of the Long Island Indians, Vol IV, The Native people of the Island and the Montaukett, who inhabited the eastern end of the south fork, appear to have done so at least 9,000 to 12,000 years ago. Dissatisfied with their treatment by the town, the Montauketts negotiated a more lucrative sale of the same lands east of Fort Pond to two wealthy men from New York. The patent did not extend beyond Napeague to Montauk. In 1639 during the aftermath of the war, a settler-colonist Lion Gardiner purchased an island from the Montaukett chief Wyandanch and named it Gardner's Island. His projects included blasting a hole through the freshwater Lake Montauk to access Block Island Sound to replace the shallow Fort Pond Bay as the hamlet's port; establishing the Montauk Yacht Club and the Montauk Downs Golf Course; and building Montauk Manor, a luxury resort hotel; the Montauk Tennis Auditorium, which became a movie theater (and is now the Montauk Playhouse); and the six-story Carl Fisher Office Building (later the Montauk Improvement Building and now The Tower at Montauk, (commonly called the "white elephant") now a residential condominium). The Montauks, or Montauketts, are an Algonquian tribe from Montauk on eastern Long Island. The last paragraph of Blackmars ruling stated: Prior to the purchase of the Indian rights by Mr. Benson, there were a number of Montauk Indians in the enjoyment of tribal rights in Indian Field and a sufficient tribal organization to preserve to them those rights. Men of all backgrounds left whaling for employment in factories. In 1830 while the Rev. [3] Montauk is derived from a place-name in the Mohegan-Montauk-Narragansett language. They are related to the Pequot and Narragansett peoples. The Montauk are specifically related in language and ethnicity to the Pequot and Narragansett peoples who live across Long Island Sound in what is now Connecticut and Rhode Island. Since the mid-19th century, the tribe's landbase is the Shinnecock Reservation within the geographic boundaries of the Town of Southampton. The Montaukett noted in 1702 that the fees had never been paid. Montaukett chief Robert Pharaoh, who for 35 years has pursued efforts to reinstate the tribe's federal and state recognition, expressed hope Hochul would see the tribe's quest differently.. Historically, some of the Montaukett remained in the area in and around Montauk, chiefly because the land was often considered inaccessible. As an adult, Boldeagle works to combat some of that stigma. Samuel Buell. Matinecock Chief Reggie Medicine Herb Dancer Ceaser, "TheMontaukpeople'snativetongueisanAlgonquian dialect. Yet (in the beginning), they couldnt sue because they were classified as Indians. 2, In the deed of East Hampton Township, Pogatacut (also known as Youghco) is named Sachem of the Munansett (Manhanset); Wyandanch, Sachem of the Meuntacut (Montaukett); Momoweta, Sachem of Corchake (Corchaug); and Nowedonah, Sachem of the Shinecok (Shinnecock). 5, Wyandanchs daughter Quashawam is named Sunksquaw over the Montauk and Shinnecock by the towns of Southampton and Easthampton. When Johnson and the tribe sued against Arthur Benson and the LIRR (Long Island Rail Road), the Montauks were declared extinct by State Judge Blackmar; this was in direct violation of the non-intercourse act of 1790, which states the only entity that has jurisdiction over Native Americans is the United States Federal Government. Aaron Cuffee, a member of the Montaukett tribe, was born in Sag Harbor, N.Y., in 1836. Eventually, the in-shore whaling operations over-fished the local seas, and Indigenous labor from the Montauketts and other Native American groups was vital to deep-sea whaling throughout the late eighteenth century. The mood of the times was clearly against any move to regain a tribal homeland. [1], A 1703 agreement included a limit on Montaukett livestock to 250 swine and 50 head of cattle or horses. Robert Cooper, a former East Hampton Town Board member and a self-proclaimed member of the Montaukett tribe, attempted what basically amounted to a coup d'tat against the Pharaoh branch of the Montauketts. Miller Cemetery today, overgrown and in need of restoration. 1. The Montauk became a wealthy Indian tribe due to their ability to use the wampum found on Long Island to make disk-shaped beads. They sued Arthur Benson and the Long Island Railroad in a series of court battles from 1896 to 1918. Number one because its a new governor, Thiele said. Less than one month later, on April 2, 1852, a NY state law was passed that incorporated the Proprietors Montauks, establishing the corporation of the trustees of Montauk and affirming its right to govern.[17]. The East Hampton Historical Society has a collection of this material culture the baskets, mortars, pestles, piggins, ladles, bowls, and scrubs which underpinned 18th and 19th century life. The entirety of Montauk was sold in 1890 to Arthur W. Benson subject to the rights of the Montauk Tribe of Indians, noting that a few members and their families survived. 1660-1925 Major period of Montauk's pasturage. He . The Montauketts are closely related to other Algonquian tribes, including Mohegans, Pequots, and Shinnecocks, and the Mohegan and Montaukett languages are very similar. She is the author of 50 Medicines: Indigenous Oral History and Perspective, on which the Ohkehteau (Plants of the Earth): A Shinnecock Oral History exhibit in the Native Flora Garden is based. 4, Montaukett Sachem Wyandanch dies Lion Gardener says he was poisoned. Montauk Tribe of Indians Membership Request Please Fill Out This Form To Receive A Membership Application Name First Name Middle Name Last Name Birth Date Month Day Year Gender Address Street Address Street Address Line 2 City State / Province Postal / Zip Code Email example@example.com Mobile Number Phone Number Work Number They attended school, were star athletes (John Henry Fowler was considered the Knute Rockne of Long Island), rode bicycles, dressed as dandies, held powows or gatherings, and wore their regalia as a way of maintaining traditions. "[19] The last 201920 bill, sponsored by Sen. Kenneth LaValle died after being referred to state senate investigations and government operations.[20]. The Montauk Indians (Long Island Items). In 1954, Montauk was an island for a short period of time. The Montauk land started being bought and sold from underneath them in shady and forced sales that the Montauketts did not benefit from these transactions. You've probably heard his namehe was a strategic leader, he formed alliances like nobody's business, and he got a sweet little Long Island town named . Montauk Indian Fact Sheet (Montaukett) Native American Facts For Kids was written for young people learning about the Montauks for school or home-schooling reports. She is a member of the National Association of Social Workers and School Social Work Association of America; in 2019 Cindy was awarded "Social . The Montaukett's primary headquarters sat abreast of tracks of land that Arthur Benson, a member of one of the oldest and wealthiest families in Brooklyn, and Austin Corbin, owner of the Long Island Railroad, were aiming to use as a deep-water port. Various clusters existed throughout Suffolk County, with Brewster stating that many of the tribal names we are familiar with today were geographic locations that, through the years, became considered tribes. The Town of Babylon death records indicate that Daniel's son Charles died the same year as Charlotte. A vocabulary of the Indian language spoken by the Montauk tribe. The Supreme Court of New York agreed that he in fact did have the right to sue for the alleged Indians that he could maintain this action in his own name suing for his benefit and for the benefit of the Indians and the tribe. It means being seen. Later he wanted to expel the English and tried to force Wyandanch to join him. The ruling led to the loss of the tribe's land base on Long Island. In 1686 - Governor of New York Thomas Dongan issued a patent creating the governing system for East Hampton. One prisoner is burned in response to Wyandanchs previous treatment of Ninigrets agent. Then-Governor Andrew Cuomo vetoed the legislation each time, claiming the tribe lacked enough documentation and cooperation from the U.S. Department of State to look into the case. The Montauketts skilled at whaling were eagerly sought after by those engaged in the trade. Members from East Hampton, Sag Harbor, Amityville and other communities came together to hold meetings and ceremonies. 10, Montauk translates to the fort country.. [12] (Further purchase agreements were entered into in 1660, 1661, 1672 and 1686 which, among other things, allowed Easthampton townsmen to graze cattle on the Montaukett lands. State Assemblymember Fred Thiele, I-Sag Harbor, who co-sponsored the bill, said he feels confident this bill has all the information needed to be passed this time around. Most of the Montaukett worked for the East Hamptoners and helped make colonial life as comfortable as it was. Copyright 2022 - Messenger Papers, Inc. This is one of the simplest ways to help out our cause. Winds gusted at 120-mph and waves reached heights of 14 ft., while as much as 5 inches of rain fell in the area. In 1749, Samson Occom a Mohegan Native American of Connecticut, came to Montauk to minister and to educate them (from 1749-1761 [11]), and began to take over Azariah Hortons mission, while Rev. Instead of trying to defend their inappropriate treatment of the Montauketts, Bensons lawyers argued that the Montauketts had intermarried with negroes and thus diluted their Indian blood and were no longer indigenous. [2] Montauk roughly translates to "the fort country". The Montaukett Tribe is an Algonquian-speaking Native American culture with a long, culturally rich history on the East End of Long Island. Read more 7-8, David Martine, Shinnecock Timeline pp. The Montauketts were permitted to move east of Great Pond if they did not interfere with the colonists's right to graze. They took the position that since the Montauketts were really "negroes", they were not protected by state or federal Indian laws and the 1703 treaty did not apply to them. The documents shown above are original handwritten documents from Eugene A. Johnson. This further separated the Montauketts from governing their tribal lands. On September 14, 2019, Montauk Tribe of Indians'Leila Loving Spirit ONeal was introduced to the citizens of Indian Country asSunkSq Wamsut. They became expert makers of butter and cheese, which were major cash crops for their masters. Floodwaters from the hurricane inundated the main downtown, which was then located in fort pond bay, and it was moved 3 miles (5km) to the south, immediately next to the Atlantic Ocean, with State Route 27 as the main drag. Cooper was involved with a group hoping to use the tribe's land ownership claims in Calverton to open a gambling operation there some day.