Stephen Talkhouse (Stephen Taukus “Talkhouse” Pharaoh) was a Montaukett Native American of the late 19th century who is famous for his 25-50 mile daily round trip walks from Montauk to East Hampton and Sag Harbor. There are a lot of landmarks along his route have been named after him. Today, there is a lot of talk about a new bill that could help to give legal ownership of Montauk to descendents of the original Montaukett tribe. Before you run out and get a DNA test, there are still a number of hurdles to pass.
The new bill regards whether or not the Montauketts should be considered a valid US Native American Indian Nation. It’s been claimed that the tribe has been long since dispersed. But the bill has passed the Senate and, if it is signed by the governor, this would remove one of the main objections regarding re-assigning legal ownership of Montauk land back to Native American Indians. Laura Euler of Curbed Hamptons outlined the news.
A similar quest for Native American land reclamation has been taking place in Southampton, NY. Most notably, back in 2005, attorney John Peebles filed a lawsuit in U-S District Court in Central Islip against the state seeking the return of 3,500 acres (14 km²) to the The Shinnecock Indian Nation, a federally recognized tribe, in addition to monetary awards.
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The property in question includes the Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, which Native American representatives claim is the location of tribe burial grounds. The suit also sought billions of dollars in estimated back rental value. This has been one of the biggest Native American land disputes in U.S. history – at least in terms of dollar value.
The core of the 2005 Southampton Shinnecock lawsuit regards a 1703 deal between Southampton and the tribe for a 1,000-year lease. The suit alleged that fraud occurred in 1859 order to break the lease. A group of investors and the state legislature were apparently involved in the fraud involving a spurious petition supposedly signed by Shinnecock tribesmen. Although other tribal members apparently protested that the petition was a forgery, the Legislature approved the sale of 3,500 acres (14 km²) of former tribal land.
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Another trend is the use of casino profits in order to buy back ancestral lands. The Star Tribune in Minnesota reported how this is approach has been gaining traction throughout the US: “It’s a question emerging from New York to California as tribes riding high on casino profits have begun spending that wealth to reassert control over that ancestral land.” Will a new casino eventually grace the skyline of Montauk or Southampton? Perhaps.
Also, tribes have been effectively removing land from tax roles by placing it into a federal trust. The 1934 Indian Reorganization Act, passed to re-establish Native American parcels lost through legislation in 1887, offers a powerful legal incentive for these land purchases.
In Minnesota, the legal reclamation of the land has been just the first step. The University of Minnesota describes how Victoria Ranua has been working to restore lands back to natural and wild conditions:
“Most of our prairie restorations are where Sugar Maple forest used to be,” says Ranua. “It’s easier to put a prairie back than it is to put a forest back.”
Victoria Ranua, who works for the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, is involved in studying both native plants and invasive plants, promoting sustainable fuels, beekeeping, making natural, local products and organic farming. Stephanie Xenos outlined the status of Minnesota land reclamation:
“So far, 100 acres of native prairie have been reestablished along with 200 acres of buffalo hay, which will be used as a sustainable source of biofuel. By next year, the tribe hopes to have 500 of its 2,000 acres planted in prairie grasses.”
What would Stephen Talkhouse have to say about land disputes, casinos and rewilding? We can only imagine. But there are a number of Native American quotes on land ownership and stewardship available, such as the following:
“We do not own the freshness of the air or the sparkle of the water. How can you buy them from us?” – Chief Seattle “Sealth”
Tags: East End landscape, native plants, invasive plants, sustainability, Native American Indians, land stewardship and land ownership
