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Hakamé. Greetings from Shinnecock.

Following the annual Veterans Day services at the flagpole on Wednesday, veterans and their families were treated to a pancake breakfast sponsored by the Shinnecock Senior Nutrition Program. We heard that the event was well attended and that everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

Come out in support of the Miss Shinnecock Teen Pageant and shop early for Christmas, too, at Saturday’s flea market at the Shinnecock Community Center. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., vendors will be offering brand new items as well as old treasures. In addition to a bake sale, the Miss Shinnecock girls will be selling fry bread with an array of sweet toppings that includes honey, jelly, strawberries or apples, whipped cream, ice cream and the classic, powdered sugar.

Also at the flea market, Shinnecock girls can pick up applications for the 2010 Miss Shinnecock Pageant. For an application, more information, or to book a table, $25 each, contact Nishwé Williams at 682-2902, or e-mail MissShinnecockTeen@gmail.com.

Last month, Tribal leaders sat down with the Southampton Town Board to discuss the drafting of a law to protect our ancestral graves from desecration as the remaining lands of what we once called Paumanake are harvested for private development. Neither the state nor the town has a procedure in place when ancient graves are discovered.

While New York State public health law states that no one has the right to disturb a grave, there is currently no law that requires developers to cease and desist all activity until contacting the proper authorities. New York is one of four U.S. states that have neglected to recognize the importance of such laws. In 2003, when a mass burial site was discovered on Shelter Island, the town enacted an ineffectual policy that resulted in further desecration of the graves—a policy that still allows developers to continue such desecrations.

It is our main priority that our ancestors be allowed to remain in their original graves and rest peacefully. In support of our stance on this vital issue, Assistant Southampton Town Attorney Joe Burke presented at the board meeting a draft law entitled “Native American and Colonial Burial Site Protection” that proposes that a Southampton Town Burial Site Review Committee be created to handle these matters.

He further informed us of an “Unmarked Burial Site Protection Act,” to regulate the discovery of human remains, funerary objects and burial grounds, that is currently being reviewed by the State Senate, and according to a correspondent at Senator Ken LaValle’s office, will likely be discussed this coming January when the Senate goes into session. However, a similar bill has been in the hands of the State Senate for several years, yielding no results.

Just last month, Southampton Town officially closed on the purchase of the 9.2 acre Mecox site of the former St. James Hotel where our ancient Shinnecock fishing village and a 1,000-year-old skull were discovered in 2006. The town was forced to purchase this site using Community Preservation Funds after being sued by St. James’ property owners for hindering development of the property because of this discovery.

This is just one of the many issues we have to look forward to as our two communities and timelines continue to collide.