~ Montauk means “uncertain”
~ They occupied the east end of Long Island and controlled all other tribes on Long Island, except for those to the far west of the islandà collectively called the Metoac tribe
~ The Ruttenber family was the ruling family of the Long Island tribes
~ Algonquian speaking tribe
~ Also known as the Montaukett tribe
~ Long Island was a main source of wampum (shells used to trade)à this made the Montauk tribe wealthy
~ Population began to decrease due to stronger New England tribes coming in and stole wampum, which led to spreading of new diseases and warfare
~ The tribe believed they were signing an alliance with the Narragansett tribe of New England, but they actually signed away the deed to their land
~ In the mid-1600s the Montauks made an agreement with the white settlers in Connecticut (Gardiner) , which led to them trusting all white men and other Native American tribes to isolate the Montauk tribe causing them to rely on and trust the white settlers
~ The settlers who began to move to eastern Long Island did not trust the Montauks and blamed a tribe member for the murder of a settler even though it was a member of a New England rival tribe who committed the murder
~ Smallpox wiped out most of the tribe and the remaining members moved to East Hampton to be closer to the white men that they trusted (Gardiner)à they sold the remaining land they owned to settlers, not keeping any land as a reservation and the ceased to exist as a tribe anymore
~ 1879- The Long Island Railroad was extended to Montauk and land began to be bought by Arthur Benson (ended up developing Montauk) causing ancestors of the Montauk tribe to lose their legal rights and compensation of the land being taken away even though they believed they should be entitled to ownership of the land
Culture:
~ Spoke the Mohegan-Pequot language, which has died out but people are trying to revive it
http://www.native-languages.org/mohegan_animals.htm
~ Suffered from malnutrition that was made worse by drinking liquor
~ Children played with corn shuck dolls and bows and arrows
~ Mothers carried their babies in cradleboards (on their backs) that many Americans do today
~ Men were hunters and women were farmers, took care of the children, and cooked
~ Chiefs were only men because they were able to protect their families and tribe
~ Lived in wigwams (small, round, and made of wood)
~ Women wore knee length skirts and men wore loin clothes and leggings
~ Both men and women wore earrings, headbands, and moccasinsà shirts were not necessary but usually worn during cold weather
~ They hollowed out trees to make canoes for water travel and fishing and used sleds pulled by dogs for land travel
~ They ate fish, corn, squash, berries, rabbit stew, beans, and clams
~ The Montauk tribe members were known for their beadwork and basketry
~ The design and pictures on a wampum belt usually told a story and represented a family
~ Storytelling was very important to their culture
Today:
~ Relics and ruins are still on display at the Theodore Roosevelt County Park near the village of Montauk, Long Island
~ Paumanok Hiking trail is said to stones that are tied to the legend of Stephen Talkhouse, a member of the Montauk tribe who had walked between 30 and 50 miles round trip per day from Montauk to East Hampton or Sag Harbor
~ The Montauk tribe is not federally recognized by the United States even though there are still communities of people from the tribe in New York
~ Relics and ruins are still on display at the Theodore Roosevelt County Park near the village of Montauk, Long Island
~ Paumanok Hiking trail is said to stones that are tied to the legend of Stephen Talkhouse, a member of the Montauk tribe who had walked between 30 and 50 miles round trip per day from Montauk to East Hampton or Sag Harbor
~ The Montauk tribe is not federally recognized by the United States even though there are still communities of people from the tribe in New York
Pictures:
No comments:
Post a Comment