Talk On The Montauketts

The Suffolk County Historical Society will dedicate a Book & Bottle series to a discussion of the Montaukett Indians in honor of Native American Heritage month. Dr. Allison Manfra McGovern, an anthropologist and professor at Farmingdale State College, will present “Indian Fields: An Archaeological Study of Montaukett Indian Lives” on Thursday, November 17.

Indian Field is one of the only professionally excavated indigenous village sites from the coastal area of New York during the historic period. It is the last place the Montaukett Indian Nation lived as a group until they were evicted when their land was sold in public auction. The site provides much information about the indigenous responses to the conditions of colonial settlement during that time.

“There is little attention to Native Americans and the sites they lived at during the 1700s and 1800s,” said Dr. McGovern. “It’s important for people to know about the local Native American tribes, that they are still here and how much of an impact they contribute to the story of Long Island.”

Dr. McGovern has been working on Long Island for 15 years. Much of her time was spent in intense research of the Montaukett Indians and Indian Field. Her passion to research Native Americans during the historic period was driven by the common misconception that Native Americans disappeared from American history during that time.

“This research is important to continue the narrative of the Montaukett Indians. Their stories continue today in many different ways,” she said.

On October 28, Dr. McGovern and her colleague Dr. Anjana Mebane-Cruz hosted their second annual Native American Symposium: “Construction of Native American History on Long Island and Abroad.” A panel discussion featured Chief Robert Pharaoh of the Montaukett Indian Nation, who discussed the tribe’s current efforts to create an educational museum in East Hampton. A museum, he said, would emphasize the fact that the Montaukett people are still alive and thriving on the East End.

Dr. McGovern’s Book & Bottle talk will be held in the Suffolk County Historical Society’s Noel J. Gish Gallery on Thursday, November 17, at 6 p.m. Book & Bottle series are social events that provide an avenue to learn and discuss topics over light refreshments and wine. The events are free for members of the Suffolk County Historical Society and $5 for non-members.