Members of the Shinnecock Nation Native American tribe and their supporters congregated on August 5 outside Southampton Town Hall, calling on local officials to utilize town funds to protect the tribe’s ancestral burial grounds from developers.
The Shinnecock Graves Protection Warrior Society (GPWS), a group dedicated to preventing real estate developers from acquiring sacred lands, is urging Southampton politicians to use money in its Community Preservation Fund (CFP) to protect honored grounds in the Shinnecock Hills.
Protesters offered loud displays that included drum banging, chanting, and picketing with signs that read “Save What’s Left,” “Defend the Sacred,” and “Rest in Greed: Southampton.”
The History
In 2021, the town spent over $5 million in CPF-allocated money to obtain Sugar Loaf Hill. This 4.5-acre plot of land is where the ancestors of Shinnecock tribe members are buried and is considered sacred. The GPWS respects these efforts but believes far more can be done. Tribe representatives argue that more territory should be saved from development.
The GPWS suggests that Southampton officials must not succumb to the pressure developers put on them to sell these grounds, which have recently become highly desirable real estate.
“Purchase, preserve, and protect these hills for the right reasons,” said the GPWS co-chair Rebecca Genia. “It will stop desecration, overdevelopment, and animal killing, and improve water quality.”
Members of the Climate Defenders joined the GPWS, who believe that overdevelopment has precipitated problematic occurrences like water pollution.
The CPF is a quarter-century old. The initiative established a two percent local real estate transfer tax on property sales on Long Island’s East End.
Fred Thiele, a soon-to-be former Democratic New York State Assemblyman representing Sag Harbor, stands in solidarity with the Shinnecock tribe. Thiele has supported the CFP since its 1998 inception. Since then, the fund has accrued more than $2 billion.
Additionally, Thiele said that the Assembly recently passed an amendment to the CPF law enabling the fund’s dollars to be used for lands containing significant cultural resources, such as those of native peoples, used for settlements, burial grounds, or ceremonial purposes.
The amendment is currently in the hands of New York Governor Kathy Hochul, who has until year’s end to either pass the bill into law or veto it.
Town Board Response
Protesters were heard and acknowledged by town officials.
Town Councilman Michael Iassilli believes the Board has worked to preserve Shinnecock lands. He serves as the Board’s liaison to Shinnecock Nation. Recently, he enacted legislation dedicating October 10 as Shinnecock Heritage Day. Additionally, he supported youth and senior programs and leveraged CPF dollars to repair homes on tribal grounds.
“The CPF is dictated by state law but can be used to benefit the Nation’s interest,” he said. “Southampton is less populated thanks to the CPF’s service as a bulwark against overdevelopment.”
What Protesters Argue
That said, protesters maintain that a great deal more should be done to reverse the long-standing injustices that have been done to the Shinnecock tribe and other marginalized Indigenous communities.
CPWS representatives note that in 1703, the town offered its ancestors a 1,000-year lease on more than 3,000 acres of land in Shinnecock Hills. However, in 1859, they reneged on this agreement by falsifying records. The tribe has taken this claim to court. Some of the disputed lands comprise the famed Shinnecock Hills Golf Course and Stony Brook University.
In total, Shinnecock Nation territory today extends roughly 800 acres, which is equivalent to 1.3 square miles.
Reuven Genia, Rebecca’s brother, claimed that the land was taken from his people using forged signatures of tribe leaders.
“The Claflin estate, which turned into Southampton College, was an acreage sold through the abdication of our contract in 1859,” Genia said. “Mr. Claflin bought 600 acres of newly acquired Indian land, according to their own records. We take all of our information from town documentation.”
The Issues Rage On
Protesters question if the town is listening or will simply sell out to influential and wealthy developers.
“Why should they listen to a bunch of poor Indians when they have the wealthy to listen to,” Reuben Genia asked.
