The Shinnecock Indians
The Shinnecock were at one time a whaling people, working from dugout canoes. The People of the Shore achieved with modest means what Europeans could only do with massive whaling ships and major harpoon operations. The Shinnecock lived off the sea, with a diet of “scaly fish” and shellfish. Since then the tribe has lived through many changes, both to the region and to the tribe itself. The hunters and gathering people of long ago are the ancestors to men and women with advanced degrees in medicine, law, and science. Today’s Shinnecock Nation includes bankers, counselors, teachers and others both within and outside the tribal community.
Today, the fifteen hundred member tribe is still active and working to create a more stable future for the tribe. A controversial Long Island issue involves a proposed Shinnecock casino in Southampton. According to the Southampton Press, the town board has allocated approximately one million dollars to fight the casino. The controversy has reached the office of New York Senator Charles Schumer, who vows to fight the casino. In a statement on Schumer’s website at http://schumer.senate.gov/SchumerWebsite/pressroom/press_releases/PR01443.html, the Senator said, "The natural beauty of Southampton should not be marred by a casino. The residents and local government have made it clear that there is not a lot of local support for this project." The debate continues at the time of this writing, and a recent press statement issued by the Shinnecock Nation stated, “we believe it’s time for the State of New York and the Town of Southampton to stop fighting the Nation and work with us to reach a comprehensive, and just solution to our claims. It is time for justice.” The struggle to develop the Nation’s resources goes on, but with the federal ruling on the Nation’s tribal status, the quest for official recognition of this centuries-old tribe has finally gotten results. Regardless of the outcome of the debate over the proposed casino, the Shinnecock Nation has been an important part of Long Island and American history. The tribe, and its presence on LI continue to add to the diversity of the local culture. Joe Wallace
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The Long Island Shinnecock Indian nation is said to be one of the longest continuing self-governing tribes in America. According to Shinnecock legend, the nation was born on the shores of eastern Long Island, descended from the goddess from the sky. It was the goddess, who according to the history page of 
The nation has been a New York State-recognized tribe for more than two centuries, but the Nation’s struggle for federal status has been a long and difficult journey. In the late seventies the Shinnecock Nation applied for federal recognition. Decades later, the nation was placed on the “Ready For Active” list by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. A true milestone for the tribe was reached in mid-December of 2005, with U.S. District Court Judge Thomas C. Platt’s decision that recognizes the Shinnecock Nation as an Indian Tribe. The landmark ruling included Platt’s statement that “"a great deal of evidence corroborates this court’s conclusion that the Shinnecock Indians are in fact an Indian tribe." Platt cited an earlier ruling as a precedent for his own decision, and declared the Shinnecock Nation as a distinct Indian community with a legitimate government. 