Shinnecock Museum: A New Immersive Experience

David Bunn Martine and his coworkers at the Shinnecock Nation Cultural Center and Museum are tasked with important jobs: preserving the way of life of their ancestors while keeping the memories of those times alive and relevant today. Promoting awareness, understanding and appreciation of the Shinnecock history and culture are the tenets of their mission, which Mr. Martine said he hopes to further accomplish during a free spring open house showing off the new and improved gallery spaces and exhibits on Saturday, March 2.

During a tour of the renovated facilities last week, Mr. Martine, who is the director and curator of the cultural center and museum, talked about the importance of keeping the history of his people alive, as well bringing light to bear on the lifestyle of the Shinnecocks who live here today.

“We have a mission to build awareness,” he said. “We are vitally interested in education and preservation, in maintaining the accuracy of our history, in changing the stereotypes and revitalizing the culture.”

The museum, which opened in June 2001, now boasts newly designed gallery spaces, an extensively restored photographic collection and a lighting system renovation, among other updates. Current exhibits include “A Walk With the People,” a 10,000 year overview of Native American culture on Long Island with recently added storytelling alcoves; “My Spirit Dances Forever,” a vast collection of bronze sculptures from the Frederick DeMatteis Collection; and the new Wikun Living History Village, which will officially open on Memorial Day weekend.

Items on display include Shinnecock artifacts, archival photographs, items from personal family collections, clothing, artwork and more. But the aim of the revamped museum is about much more than just passively showing these items, it’s now all about action and immersion: storytelling, depicting how people lived before modern times, even hands-on demonstrations of traditional Shinnecock skills such as tool making, basket weaving and cooking will be offered.

Andrea Godoy, who manages public relations for the Shinnecock Nation Cultural Center and Museum, said that keeping visitors actively engaged and immersed in the Shinnecock lifestyles of yesterday and today will be the key to keeping the “reminder that this is a living, breathing culture.”

The new offerings at the museum and cultural center, such as the storytelling alcoves and the Wikun Living History Village, will enhance the experience, she said.

“This is one of only a handful of living history villages in the U.S. It’s an immersive, hands-on environment here,” she continued. “You’ll feel it as soon as you walk through the deer-sculpted door. You will be immersed.”

Mr. Martine, who is also a renowned painter and chronicler of Shinnecock life, said that he can’t wait to unveil the renovations at the museum and the opening of the Wikun village—which will include wigwams and longhouses, plus other traditional dwellings made of bark, cattails, reeds, bullrush and other thatch materials—as it has been a dream of his for many years.

Ms. Godoy added that the Wikun village will also include tribal members dressed in period-correct clothing and demonstrations on everything from how to make a canoe to how to cook traditional Shinnecock dishes.

It’s the hands-on demonstrations and activities that Matuqus Tarrant, the site manager and assistant curator, is most looking forward to, he said, adding that he plans on leading several demonstrations himself during the open house.

“It’s been all about reenergizing the space. Breathing a new breath of life into it,” he said. “It’s about remembering the things our ancestors did, with limited tools and time, for their livelihoods. I have reverence for that.”

The Shinnecock Nation Cultural Center and Museum will reopen its doors during an open house on Saturday, March 2, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will include exhibit viewing, traditional skills demonstrations and a guided tour of the Wikun Living History Village. Admission is free, donations will be welcome. For additional information, call 287-4923 or visit shinnecockmuseum.com.