Facepainting and other surprises are in store. Photos courtesy of the Shinnecock Nation Cultural Center and Museum

Southampton - The Shinnecock Nation Cultural Center and Museum Winter Festival, which boasts a marketplace, traditional food, children's activities, and a new exhibit "People on the Shore: The Maritime History of the Place of Shells" will be held this weekend, Dec. 13 and 14.

"It's a wonderful, free family event, and people have the opportunity to come and do some creative gift shopping," said Andrea Godoy, the museum's program development coordinator. "They're all handcrafted items." Clothing, jewelry, and art can all be found in the market, all made by residents of the Shinnecock Nation.

"Shinnecock members always anticipate coming and sharing their arts and crafts with the community and look forward to [the festival]," Shinnecock Cultural Center and Museum Board President Winonah Warren said.

Through artifacts and photographs, the new exhibit "People of the Shore" investigates the Native Americans of Eastern Long Island and their connection to the sea. The show highlights life-long Shinnecock bayman and self-taught photographer, Herman Quinn. It also includes demonstrations of contemporary Shinnecock maritime traditions, such as wampum and shell jewelry making and net making.

"We have for a long time always been connected to the sea," Warren explained. "This is the first time that we've had a major exhibit about it. It will depict the historical and cultural relationship between the Shinnecock and the sea. It will tell about how the Shinnecock people taught the settlers to whale in order to survive. It tells about a personal tragedy of a ship that went down with some of the men on it. It also talks about our on-going business in shellfish, we have some of the best oysters around." Like Warren, all board members and museum staff are native Shinnecock people.

Handcrafted jewelry and art are popular gift items for the holiday season.

The Shinnecock Shellfish Hatchery and Environmental Center, which cultivates oysters off the Shinnecock tribal shores, co-sponsors the exhibit.

Madeline Rogers, Director of the Shinnecock Shellfish Hatchery and Environmental Center, explained that the museum and hatchery work together to strengthen one another's projects.

"We all represent the Shinnecock nation and the hatchery is a development project of the nation," Rogers said. "Since the museum represents the nation, we often work together. The environmental science fair is another example. We collaborate so we can enhance each others projects."

The Shinnecock Shellfish Hatchery and Environmental center is five years old and run through a government Indian development grant. The exhibit is on view Dec. 13 through March 14, 2009.

The festival will have a kid zone that is free of charge but there will be a small fee for face painting, shell painting, and ornament making. All proceeds and donations will help to fund the Museum's educational program, maintenance and development. All kids are welcome to take photos with a "Shinnecock Santa."

At the festival's stands of traditional food, one can find oysters on the half shell, homemade oyster stew and traditional maritime and winter foods like clam chowder, succotash, blueberry slump, and fry bread.

The permanent exhibit "A Walk with the People," includes murals, a photo gallery, and a collection of sculptures that depict the history of the Shinnecock Nation.

 • The Winter Festival is Saturday, Dec. 13 and Sunday, Dec. 14 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Shinnecock Museum is the only Native-owned and operated museum on Long Island. Located at Route 27A and West Gate Road in Southampton. Contact 631-287-4923 or info@shinnecockmuseum.org for more information, contact Madeliene Rogers, Director of Shinnecock Shellfish Hatchery and Environmental Center, at 631-664-6875.