SBU Students: Check Out “Enduring Heart: Native American Long Island” This Weekend

If you're looking for something interesting and meaningful to do this weekend, I highly recommend checking out Enduring Heart: Native American Long Island at the Long Island Museum in Stony Brook. The exhibit celebrates, honors, and acknowledges the cultures, art, history, traditions, and continuing presence of Native peoples on Long Island, highlighting the Matinecock, Montaukett, Setalcott, Shinnecock, and Unkechaug. It explores everything from language, fashion, music, and community life to traditions and festivals, while featuring artwork, historical materials, and contemporary Native voices. It's also a great exhibit for students in virtually any major: history students can learn about Indigenous Long Island history; anthropology students can explore culture and traditions; art students can study Native artwork and visual traditions; music students can learn about Indigenous music; environmental science and marine science students can think about Indigenous relationships with Long Island's land and waterways; sociology students can explore community and identity; political science students can learn about sovereignty, activism, and contemporary Indigenous issues; psychology students can consider identity and community; English and journalism students can engage with Native writers and storytelling; communications students can examine how Indigenous stories and perspectives are represented; education majors can learn about teaching Native history and culture; and business students can learn about Native-owned businesses and economic communities.

I also think it's especially worth visiting if you have ancestors connected to Native American tribes, are studying Indigenous culture, or are simply interested in learning more about the history of the land where we live and attend SBU. As students, we spend so much time on Long Island without necessarily learning about the Native communities and histories that existed here long before the university. The exhibit also makes an important point that Native culture isn't simply part of the past, it continues to evolve and thrive today, with contemporary Indigenous artists, historians, activists, musicians, writers, and cultural speakers such as Jeremy Dennis, David Bunn Martine, Tecumseh Ceaser, Kip Carmen, John A. Strong, and Chenae Bullock. Whether you're Native/Indigenous, have Native ancestry, are studying Indigenous culture, or are simply curious about the land you live on, it's definitely worth checking out this weekend!