Sewer Line Dig Unearths Controversy
By Kelley Granger, Staff Writer
Excavation for a new sewer line on historic Huguenot Street has yielded
significant archeological finds and has exposed a New Paltz historical
controversy.
The discoveries include human remains, which are thought to be American
Indian, and evidence of an American Indian longhouse, according to Eric
Roth, director of the Huguenot Historical Society.
Amateur historian Raymundo Rodriguez-Jackson said the society has been
neglecting what is becoming very apparent: the presence and history of
American Indians in the area, and that the society is using improper
terminology to refer to them.
Roth said that all relevant state agencies, such as the Department of
Environmental Conservation and several tribal nations who may have had
claim in the area were called in to meet with the society to determine
if excavation could continue after finding the remains.
“We went out of our way to be as inclusive as possible,” Roth said.
All agencies and tribal nations agreed that “with proper monitoring and
protection of the burial, the sewer line could go forward,” Roth said.
“We’re doing everything possible in accordance with federal law and
tribal wishes.”
Rodriguez-Jackson said that his dispute is with the cover up of the
existence of American Indian occupation of the area.
“They woke up…and there was a longhouse in their backyard,”
Rodriguez-Jackson said of the society.
Rodriguez-Jackson said that Roth denied the existence of American
Indians on Huguenot Street, but Roth said the society has been well
aware of it. He said the SUNY New Paltz Archeological Field School has
been uncovering artifacts for 10 years, but that it takes long periods
of time for them to evaluate and catalog their finds.
“My understanding is that the field school is only offered as a summer
course designed to give students a well-rounded understanding of
archeological methods, making long-term and intensive work difficult to
complete,” Roth said. It’s taking more time to present information
“because we want to be so thorough.”
The society is planning an exhibit for 2009 which will display research
and American Indian archeological finds. Roth said the society has
already held a conference on African-American history, hosted a lecture
by Lenape and Delaware Indians Scholar Dr. David Oestreicher and
included American Indian history in the society’s Stone House Day event
as “a genuine attempt to show respect to that community.” The society
has asked Oestreicher to be a consultant on the 2009 project.
Rodriguez-Jackson questions why it will take until 2009 to give the
public this information.
“Washing off a few rocks and putting them in a display case in 2009 isn’
t going to cut it,” Rodriguez-Jackson said.
“If it’s 3,000 to 5,000 years old, it blows a hole in the bottom of New
Paltz…in a good way,” he said, adding that this much history can only be
good for the society as it will raise interest and draw funds to support
projects.
Victoria Hughes, curator of education for the society, immediately
acknowledged American Indian presence in her narration of the history of
the area.
“Through archeology we know the Esopus had lived in this area right
here,” she said. Her narration includes significant events, like the
European and Esopus Indian deed signing, how the Esopus were affected by
European disease, what the Esopus were traded for their land and what
rights they supposedly retained to it.
The narration did not include any historical information of the Esopus
before European arrival. The society said that Rodriguez-Jackson’s wish
for a more integrated program is something that they’re working toward
as they revise materials and train tour guides.
Rodriguez-Jackson thinks the society is threatened by having another
history on site.
“I think they want to keep this history of theirs buffered and
protected, and I understand that,” he said. “But it’s not fair to
everyone else.”
Rodriguez-Jackson has also criticized the society for improper
terminology associated with American Indians which generalize the
Warranawankong and Waroaneck tribes as Lenape and Esopus.
“I think he’s misplacing the blame,” Roth says. “A lot of what he’s
arguing about is simplification over centuries.”
Rodriguez-Jackson has an issue with the term Esopus, which the society
and documentation belonging to the Europeans uses to identify the
American Indians of the Esopus region. It was the Dutch who first used
Esopus for ease in place of the tribal names.
He also disputes use of the term Lenape, which he claims the society
uses inaccurately.
"All credible research on local American Indian history claims that the
Waroaneck and Warranawankong tribes spoke a Munsee dialect of the Lenape
or Delaware tongue, one of the Algonquian family of languages,” Roth
said. “I believe that Mr. Rodriguez disputes this last point, but I have
seen no serious research that suggests that this is not the case.”
Rodriguez-Jackson agreed with Roth that the issue is an academic debate
but believes the society shouldn’t be promoting its use.
“If this product is defective and you’re selling it, you’re responsible,
too,” he says of the terminology.
In spite of the controversy, Rodriguez-Jackson said the society has been
slowly moving in the right direction.
“I thank director Roth for having the academic standards to be able to
embrace new truths,” Rodriguez-Jackson said. “It’s not personal. It’s an
academic chess game about truth of our heritage.”
E-mail Kelley at Kelley
Special thanks to Bear Warrior for the lead.
Contents
April 2007 Reports
Last updated on April 16, 2007