What is Community?

Whether New Yorkers realize it or not, we are living on Indigenous lands, and in the midst of ever-present Indigenous communities. Over 70% of Native Americans in the United States live in urban areas. Lenapehoking, also known as New York City, is home to the largest population of urban Native Americans in the country. Sewanhaky can be thought of as a network of Indigenous communities flourishing today.

Matinecock people today are currently un-recognized by the federal government or New York State. Regardless, the Matinecock community continues to grow, and be an active part of an Indigenous network of communities on Sewanhaky and across New York and New England.

Jeremy Dennis. "Nothing Happened Here #2," 2016. Collection of the New York State Museum.

Tecumseh Ceaser. Three-strand wampum necklace, 2019. Courtesy, Tecumseh Ceaser.

Tecumseh Cesaer. "Honoring the People of Sewanhaky," 2019. Courtesy, Tecumseh Ceaser.

David Bunn Martine. "Late Afternoon Rest." Courtesy, David Bunn Martine.

Lydia Wallace-Chavez and Christopher Chavez. "Contemporaneousness Belt or 'Two Worlds Living or Existing During the Same Period of Time'." Collection of the New York State Museum.

Durrell Hunter. "Shinnecock Eastern War," 2018. Courtesy, Durrell Hunter.

Deed for property in the area of exisiting Bethpage, 1695. Collection of Preservation Long Island.

Unknown maker, probably Indigenous. Pot Scrubber, 1890–1930. Collection of Preservation Long Island.