Protests Continue As Town And Property Owner Discuss Partial Preservation Of Site Identified As A Burial Ground By Shinnecock Nation

The Shinnecock Nation protest against the construction of a home being built on Montauk Highway in Shinnecock Hills — an area Nation members say is an ancient burial ground — intensified as it entered its second week calling for protections for the property and ancient burial sites as a whole.

Town officials said this week that they have been working with the property owner to preserve at least a portion of the property.

More than 150 Shinnecock tribal members and allies gathered at the property Tuesday morning to speak out against what they said was a desecration of the site.

At the end of December, members of the Shinnecock Nation learned by driving past the site that Southampton Town had issued a building permit to construct a home on a parcel of land in an area referred to as Sugar Loaf — a sacred area for the Nation, as it has been known to be an ancient burial site for many Native Americans.

The Nation was not consulted or notified of the development. Construction on the site began in the last week of December, and the fight to stop it is ongoing.

Shinnecock tribal member Sierra Gumbs attended the protest Tuesday morning. She said she hopes for a response from the town sooner rather than later.

“A response from the town at the very least would be the first thing we need,” she said. “We want our land back — we want the common respect that we deserve. We’ve been here since the beginning of time, and, you know, we need to be included in all land development that pertains to our land. This is our land — we should be a part of it.”

Shinnecock members and allies lined a portion of Montauk Highway, blocking heavy construction equipment from entering the construction site. State and local police also had a presence during the protest, although no arrests were made.

“I was at the site for two hours this morning, and I was carrying a sign I made that read ‘Defend the sacred,’ and that to me summarized the emotional and cultural and psychological impact of what’s happening upon the Shinnecock and those of us who feel sympathy for them,” Noyac resident Thomas Oleszczuk said at a Southampton Town Board meeting on Tuesday afternoon, where members of the community attended to show support for the tribe.

He continued: “I wouldn’t want a cemetery where my grandparents are buried to be destroyed, much less intentionally destroyed. The Shinnecock people, when they drive past it, must have an anguish knowing that that’s being done, especially when sites are under construction that were a part of their traditional burial grounds, and there’s no visible sign of support by their government.”

Tribal Attorney Tela Troge was at the front line of the gathering, holding a sign blocking the entrance to the Sugar Loaf site with other supporters. She acknowledged the police presence and noted that most of those present were Shinnecock members willing and ready to be arrested, if necessary — and although many allies attended, they were told to leave, as a precaution, so that only Shinnecock members would face arrest.

A few other Shinnecock allies spoke at the Town Board meeting that took place about an hour after the protest ended.

Noyac resident Heidi Rain addressed the board first.

“I’m an ally with the Shinnecock, and I was very proud to stand with 150 others on the site where their hills are being desecrated,” she said. “They were never informed that there would be any construction of a building, so they couldn’t send someone to analyze the land. It’s much worse now, because it’s been 25 years that they’ve been trying to have grave site protection in their hills, and instead they have the Shinnecock [Hills] Golf Club, the luxury houses built — they don’t have anybody respecting their ancestors the way you or we want ours respected. We don’t go into our cemeteries and trash them — right now, the Shinnecock people are feeling that their cemeteries are being trashed.”

Ms. Rain suggested to the board that they should create an environmental impact statement on all levels in regard to the land being discussed.

Tina Curran of Hampton Bays also spent her morning at the construction site. She noted two issues that she had and shared them with the board.

“First of all, how did this happen after Hawthorne Road?” she said. In 2018, human remains were found at an ancient burial site on Hawthorne Road, also in Shinnecock Hills, while a foundation was being dug for a new home. Construction was halted, and the town stepped in and purchased the property using Community Preservation Fund revenue.

“How did a property become up for sale and get sold? Now there’s an owner that has invested money in it, and people are tearing up the earth there,” she said. “Every piece of land that’s left that gets developed is like a scar that we have to live with from now on.”

Shane Weeks, co-chairman of the Shinnecock Graves Protection Warriors Society, was a part of the current protest. He said someone from the town would be appearing at the protest — and it was Southampton Town Attorney James Burke.

“We had a very good meeting with the Nation, as well as the owner/builder,” said Mr. Burke. “The town is working on an expedited basis for the possible acquisition of at least some of the property, and we are working with the builder and the Nation on having a Nation representative at the site when and if any further building occurs. The builder and the Nation had some very productive dialogue as well.”