Our Quinnipiac Heritage Legacy
Coastal & Estuarine Revitalization Project:
Report of the Gechannawitank (Land Steward)
by Iron Thunderhorse
Introduction
The Quiripey/Quiripi/Quinnipiac have been and remain the 'Long Water Land People' who, according to tradition and historical records have existed in the Connecticut Valley for 12,000 years. The ancestral subsistence patterns of the Quiripey included aboriginal horticulture where 'parklike plantations' with integrated crops of corn beans, squash/pumpkins, fruits, nuts berries were fertilized with natural decaying matter from the horseshoe crab and alewives (menhadden). Seventy-five to eighty percent of the aboriginal diet consisted of shell-fish and scale-fish in the spring and summer and in the autumn and winter small and big game was hunted or trapped (e.g. deer, caribou [the red roebuck deer now extinct in the region], bear, moose, rabbit) and of waterfowl and birds of the region (e.g. pigeons, ducks, geese and wild turkeys).
Our ancestors originated indigenous planting, harvesting, soil conservation, crop rotation, natural fertilization, environmental protection patterns and conservation techniques that have yet to be fully appreciated outside of ACQTC. This ethno-environmentalism is part of the Long Water Land Ethos Lifestyle. It was the Long Water Land People who first taught the English newcomers to shuffle for clams and oysters in the sandbars, to gather mussels, to make long baskets to catch lobsters, and our ancient system of weirs (rock and wooden pole dams) used to harvest scale-fish and eels by the hundreds. They also taught. them how to smoke fish and meat on racks which is a tradition that evolved into what is known as barbecue cooking today. The ancient Algonquian cooking system known as Appanaug has evolved into what is known today as the 'clam bake'. Dozens of round water rounded rocks were thrown into a raging fire and heated until white hot. As this took place a large pit was dug on the shore in the soft sand. Baskets full of rockweed (a type of seaweed) was placed on top of the white hot rocks. Clams, oysters, lobster, corn-on-the-cob, sweet potatoes and Indian potatoes, onions, etc. were wrapped in corn shucks/husks and placed on top of the weed. This produced a briney steam that slow cooked the food for about 6 hours. as all was covered up with woven mats and sand and left to bake.
Our ancestors have been fishermen, clammers, oystermen, lobstermen, for thousands of years developing and refining these ancient techniques. My grandfather and his taught me/us from generation to generation. Our elders who are among the leadership of ACQTC were raised in the same manner. We have been raised as canoe and boat-builders, as carpenters and joiners, and masons and as mechanics. We are intimately familiar with every sandbar, natural habitat, species, tides and techniques for existing and subsisting in our region. Many of us still honor the ancient farmer's almanac also learned from ancient Long-Water-Land patterns of fishing, hunting, planting and harvesting according to ethno-botanical and ethno-meteorological traditions. This is based on our system of using many calendars of the moon, and constellations in the sky that appear at certain landmarks at different times of the year and marks the frost-free cycle in the Long Water Land.
Few of us alive today remember these ancient ways, but ACQTC is working hard to document them, preserve and revitalize them so they can be handed down to the younger generations and in sharing them with our "Friends of the Long Water Land" who recognize that our ecosystems are in dire need of our help.
Coastal & Estuarine Habitats
Environmental Elements
The Quinnipiac River, Mill river and West River are major influences upon the coastal environment of the New Haven Harbor and Long Island Sound between Milford and Old Saybrook, CT. Along these rivers major parks such as West River Memorial Park, Long Wharf Park, Quinnipiac River Park, East Rock Park, Sleeping Giant Park and College Woods Park provide recreation and public access. East Rock West Rock (near West River) and Sleeping Giant are the three most sacred landmarks of Quinnipiac tradition and along with the Quinnipiac River itself are central to Long Water Land existence.
This entire area is also a vast salt marsh region (called 'meadows' by the English). Quinnipiac Meadows Salt Marsh is central to this environmental zone and is an integral part of the Quinnipiac River's 38 mile watershed zone which runs from Deadwood Swamp in Farmington to the New Haven Harbor. The key elements of this coastal-estuarine habitat includes:
- sand pits & beaches
- intertidal mud & sand flats
- tidal salt marshes
- sand plains & sand bars
- anadromous fish streams & rivers
- undeveloped coastal islands
- near coastal waters
These environmental elements are important for migrating and wintering waterfowl, spawning schools of fish, turtles, birds of prey, as well as many species of plants and trees.
The Quinnipiac river Watershed Salt Marsh Meadows contains a diversity of habitat types in this estuarine/coastal region, which includes:
- salt marsh meadows dominated by cord grasses (Spartina alterniflora and Spartina patens), dense stands of cattail (Typha angustifolia) and the common reed (Phragmites australis).
- freshwater tidal marshes have sweet flag (Acorus calamus), broad-leaved cattail (Typha latifolia), reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea) and the Long Water Land's indigenous wild rice (Zizania aquatica) [Note: this indigenous wild rice was a main staple most outsiders fail to consider. grasses and plants once considered food or used as dye and for making mats etc. are considered weeds and useless today].
- flood plain forest habitats include green ash (Flaxinus pennsylvanica), red maple (Acer rubrum), and silver maple (Acer saccharium).
- sand plains on the Quinnipiac River are home to lichens, little blue-stem (Schizachyrium scoparium), black oak (Quercus velutina), and pitch-pine (Pinus rigida).
- Kuttomquosh (Thimble Islands), and others such as Massacommuck (Falcon Island) as well as smaller uninhabited islands between Branford's Oiocommock(Stony Creek) and the Guilford/Madison Neck are formations of glacial and bedrock. Here beach grass (Ammophila breviligulata), thickets of poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) and oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) appear throughout these coastal woodland habitats.
- shorebird species supportive habitats are home to the sandpiper, dunlin, plovers, turnstones, sanderling; coastal habitats are wintering grounds for the black duck, piping, plover and terns.
- tidal flats of New Haven Harbor, Guilford, Branford and East Haven (all major areas where Quinnipiac sub-tribal summer fishing camps were situated at Quinnipyooyg, Mioonkhtuck, Totoket and Menunkatuck) are the wintering and migratory grounds for the American Black Duck, canvasback, American wigeon, greater and lesser scaup, common goldeneye and three species of scoter.
- wading bird habitats in this region support the Snowy egret, great egret, black-crowned night heron.
- shellfish bed habitat supports the American oyster, hard shell clams, soft shell crabs, lobster, blue crabs, mussels and sea snails.
- anadromous fish run spawning habitats are conducive to the American shad, sea-run brown trout, alewives, blueback herring, striped bass and white perch.
- New Haven Harbor is the spawning and nursery region for winter flounder, blackfish, bluefish, weakfish, summer flounder and striped bass.
- The Quinnipiac River Watershed is the summer nesting ground for the fishhawk, osprey and eagles. It is also the habitat and crossing grounds for turtles, and brook trout. Oyster beds are also abundant here.
- Lighthouse Point in Mioonkhtuck (East Haven) is the most popular spot (one of many throughout the Quinnipiac Sachemdom) for sighting and counting migrating hawks, eagles and other birds of prey. Falcon Island is another good site as is Kuttomquosh (Thimble Islands) for sighting birds of prey. The ancestral fishhawk (manamaquas) once nested at Falcon Island and around Hammonassett but now they are nesting along the Quinnipiac River again. Thanks to the QRWA (Quinnipiac River Watershed Association) eagles now nest here too (see related article from the New Haven Register).
- minerals of this area include trapprock (basalt)(rich in iron deposits), granite (pink granite is prized around the world from East haven pits), quartz and quartzite (sacred minerals to the Quinnipiac and used in most of the projectile points around Oiocommock), copper (mined by our ancestors at West Rock), mica (sacred and used in spiritual ornaments) from the Durham mica ledges, are abundant and were used in many ways.
- shells of the quahog, oyster, and whelks of snails were a major commodity. (See related article on The Wampum-Makers).
Water, Soil & Air Quality of The Long Water Land
Water quality in the Long Water Land is contaminated with point and non-point sources yet progress has been made albeit slowly. Heavy metal and PCB contaminants are in the waters and the soil is is a major concern. Storm water discharge wastewater and sewage disposal, contaminated sediments are being slowly addressed by the new haven City but much more needs to be done and ACQTC has been making plans, developing projects, and networking.
Although much more needs to be done, New Haven Harbor is ahead of Providence, Rhode Island. Peter Davis, New Haven's River keeper is optimistic whereas he believes "New Haven is serious about cleaning up the sewage problems…"
Quinnipiac Sachemdom Coastal & Estuarine revitalization Project
Elders of our Bands and Clans as well as experts on environmental issues all recommend a number of ways to protect these delicate species and their habitats of the Long Water Land Sachemdom. Our gechannawitank and friends of the Long Water Land networks agree. Consequently, ACQTC recommends we get involved and make plans for the following initiatives.
- Peter Davis, New Haven River Keeper has an active program where he conducts regular clean ups at the Quinnipiac River Park. He also leads canoe tours into the area to educate people. We must organize and meet with him and add to his weekly workforce schedule by volunteering.
- Set up ACQTC quarterly meetings at a different landmark each quarter along the rivers where East Rock Park, Sleeping Giant Park, Bayview Park etc. are located to strategize, organize and familiarize everyone to the issues.
- Increase our ACQTC Information Booth setups at local festivals, the Hammonnassett Indian festival with flyers, posters, volunteer sign-up sheets, so we can interact with the public and inform them of our efforts and to include them in these activities.
- ACQTC applications for assistance by grants to fund our projects are a primary consideration. The more funds we have in the Quinnipiac Bank & Trust account the more we can accomplish in our overall plans to develop prototype watercrafts etc.
- ACQTC will submit proposals to the Connecticut Indian Affairs Commission to join our efforts (see related feature about CIAC).
- Long-Water Land Patrols through foot patrols, student 10-speed bicyclists, Quinnipiac Trail Hiking Club patrols, and river patrols in our prototype watercraft will serve and strive to accomplish multiple purposes:
- to regulate animal and stray humans away from habitats;
- to ensure maximum protection of habitats during critical nesting, spawning, migratory and crossing periods/seasons,
- to organize walks/hikes/boat tours etc. to call attention to our landmarks and sacred sites and the need to clean up graffiti etc.
- to establish an electronic monitoring system using mini-cams that are fed into data-bases to monitor the habitats from a variety of locations by our volunteers.
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