Paddlers interested in exploring the waterways traversed by the East End’s indigenous cultures are invited to join the Southampton Historical Museum in a “Long Island Indigenous Perspective Paddle Tour at Conscience Point” on Saturday, August 15. The paddling event will be held from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and begins at 1640 Conscience Point Road in North Sea. Conscience Point is known for being the landing place where the Shinnecock people made contact with the first English colonists who arrived in Southampton in June, 1640.
The guided tour will explore the ancient waterways of the indigenous people of Long Island. It will cover oral indigenous history, plant identification, lifeways and songs. The tour will be led by Chenae Bullock, also known to many by her traditional name Sagkompanau Mishoon Netooeusqua, which translates in English to “I lead Canoe I am Butterfly Woman.”
She is a lineal descendant of the Shinnecock and Montauk communities of the East End. Raised in her traditional Native American culture, she has become a community leader as a water protector, cultural preservationist, and humanitarian. The foundation of her work has been based on the resurgence of the traditional canoe culture of the northeast coastal Algonquin communities.
Participants should bring their own canoe or kayak, paddles, life vests, dry bag, sunscreen, bug spray, hat and sunglasses. Paddlers are asked to arrive between 8:15 and 8:25 a.m. to be prepared to unload vessels and gather as a group before launch. Visit southamptonhistory.org for more information.