Matouwac Research Center

Welcome to our website. The Matouwac Research Center (UN-registered Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), 501(c)3 not-for-Profit organization) is a historical research and native advocacy center formed to gather information, exchange ideas and gain new perspectives pertaining to the Indigenous history of Long Island. It is our belief that native history cannot be examined solely through a colonist’s lens. Therefore, we will strive to incorporate Indigenous practices and methods as we conduct our historical and archaeological research.

The Matouwac Research Mission

The Matouwac Research Center’s mission is to research Long Island Indigenous history from an alternate perspective, paying particular attention to its influence on the lives of current indigenous residents. The Matouwac Research Center will explore areas such as indigenous rights, sovereignty, territory and self-determination through a concentrated effort to investigate, document, collaborate and disseminate information with a focus on Long Island indigenous interests. We will implement an Indigenous Empowerment program (IEP) that presents to Long Island Native Americans new perspectives on Long Island Indigenous history, discusses the current status and the personal lifestyles of the region’s indigenous population – paying particular attention to how these factors influence the behavior and aspirations of local indigenous residents. As a primarily on-line interactive resource, the IEP will benefit LI indigenous participants by recommending specific actions, identifying available resources and offering feedback that is timely, thoughtful, and appropriate to their specific needs.

What is Matouwac?

According to Tooker, Indian Place Names – Long Island, 1911- Matouwac, variously given as Meitowax, Matouwacks, Matouacks, Metoac, Matowcas, Mattanwake, and Matowa, originates from the synthetical resolution of the Algonquian words: Meht-anaw-ack, “the land of periwinkle,” or “country of the ear-shell,” – Massachusetts, meht, “an ear”; anaw, “a shell”; -ack, “land,” or “country.” It is the earliest recorded name for Long Island. Matouwac (or derivatives) appear on all the Dutch maps from Lucini’s in 1631 to Evans’ in 1775.

Matouwac or Metoac has also been used historically to represent the indigenous nation that inhabited Long Island east of the Queens County line. Some historians refer to a Matouwac or Metoac Confederacy (changed in later books to Montauk Confederacy). In our opinion, the concept of a confederacy of “tribes” on Long Island formed to defend themselves against the “fierce” mainland tribes is of colonial origin. From a native perspective, we believe that a single nation occupied the Long Island territory – and they had nothing to fear from other nations until the European conquerors arrived and destroyed the balance of power that served the Algonquians of the North-east for thousands of years. For research purposes we will call this Long Island native nation, Matouwac.

The Montaukett Situation

Over 130 years ago, through deception and manipulation, The Montauk Tribe of Indians (as they were called at the time) lost their remaining tribal domain on Montauk Point at the tip of Long Island’s south fork. In 1910, after 30 years of legal appeals, Montaukett tribal and legal rights were erased by a blatantly racist and unconstitutional ruling that would clearly not stand under today’s legal standards. The year 2010 will mark 100 years of struggle to restore the rights of the Montauk Nation. We believe that 100 years is more than enough time for the Federal and State governments to do the right thing. Therefore, the Matouwac Research Center will partake in a concentrated effort to locate and display documentation that supports the restoration of the Montaukett Nation and its territory.