By Danielle Schwab
The proud culture and legacy of Shinnecock Nation will be full display soon, representing the region’s cherished heritage. Everyone is invited to celebrate the arrival of a newly crafted dugout canoe at the museum, on June 30.
The Arrival Ceremony — 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. — is an opportunity for connection with our Indigenous community. Traditional songs, music and remarks from community leaders and culture bearers provide gratitude, context and a spiritual welcome as the canoe is greeted at its new home. Families can also participate in hands-on activities and sample traditional Native foods.
The 10-foot 500-pound white pine mishoon, commissioned by Long Island Children’s Museum, was created through the collaboration of Shinnecock Cultural Steward Chenae Bullock, her mentor Darius Coombs of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe and apprentice Shane Weeks of the Shinnecock Nation.
Named “Pewea Koowa,” or “Little Pine,” the vessel reflects the enduring relationship between Long Island’s waterways and the Indigenous communities who have lived in balance with the region’s waterways for generations.
“One of the most important things is for us to understand that the indigenous population is still here, as an active, living part of our community. We’re often taught ‘that’s the old times’ or ‘that was hundreds of years ago,’ when actually, no, they’re here. They’re part of us,” Museum President Erika Floreska says.
Carving the mishoon involves deep care — rooted in ancestral knowledge. It was crafted by hollowing out a 1,700-pound white pine tree using fire, controlled burning and hand tools — a method passed down through the generations.
“The best way to learn is to be an apprentice, because you have to know how to identify the right tree for the vessel,” says Bullock, who guided the project (her seventh mishoon) as lead artisan.
“You strip the bark off. You get the log right where you want it to be. Then, you roll it over and begin to start the fire on top of the log,” Bullock explains. “Once you light that fire, your eyes do not leave that mishoon at all. You are on that mishoon until it is complete.
“Paddling a mishoon in Shinnecock waters was a profoundly special experience for me. Throughout my life, I have crafted numerous mishoons, participated in a handful of maiden voyages, and paddled in many of them. However, this particular journey was unparalleled, as it took place in my home waters. Water holds memory, and I believe that in this moment, we unlocked memories for our community, as well as for the land and water that we cherish.”
Symbols carved into the vessel offer further cultural meaning. Bullock added a whale tail to honor the importance of whales in Indigenous life here.
“It begins to teach the kids what these mishoons were used for. It’s kind of hard for people to think about how our ancestors took these mishoons and actually hunted whales. Whales are a big part of our culture,” Bullock adds.
The mishoon will be placed in the museum’s upcoming permanent exhibit, “Saltwater Stories: We Need the Sea and the Sea Needs Me”, opening In October.
“It’s important to celebrate what makes Long Island unique and this connection to the ocean, but also our responsibility for taking care of it. The mishoon is a really good representation of the history, the ecology and the climate,” Floreska says.
In the spirit of reciprocity, resources for a second mishoon will be gifted to the Shinnecock community in September.
“The tradition of gifting and showing reciprocity in relationships is very important to represent the balance between each other. The idea of them gifting [the mishoon] to us, us gifting to them, is very symbolic,” she adds.
Everyone can also contribute to the making of a wampum belt from quahog clam shells, led by artist and educator Tecumseh Caesar during the event.
This ongoing collaboration between Indigenous communities and the museum offers meaningful ways for families to explore deep connections — not only to the land and water, but to histories that continue to shape the present.
“There’s a whole culture that we’ve inherited and that we have a responsibility to include and think about as we all work together to shape the future,” Floreska reminds us all.
