Pound Ridge, first settled by European colonists in the early 18th century and incorporated in 1788, was originally home to the Tankiteke, members of the Wappinger Confederacy.
A large crowd of residents gathered on a Sunday this past April to witness the unveiling of the town’s first marker honoring the indigenous peoples who had used and traversed the area for generations.
The plaque, located on the grounds of Town Hall off Westchester Avenue, was the brainchild of the town’s Human Rights Advisory Committee. Town Historian Johanna O’Keeffe helped with its wording. Gina Federico, a graphic designer and member of the town’s Landmarks Commission, assisted with the design.
It reads:
“Pound Ridge lies within the traditional lands of the Wappinger and has long been associated with the Tankiteke, Siwanoy, Toquam, Kitchewan, Munsee, Lenape, and others.
We wish to honor the First Peoples with gratitude and respect for their stewardship of this land.
It is our hope that acknowledging both the past and the ongoing relationship of Native Americans to the land upon which we live may deepen an ethic of care for the environment, for humanity, and for the welcoming and diverse community we aspire to uphold for future generations.”
—Town of Pound Ridge Human Rights Advisory Committee
“With the 250th Anniversary of the United States approaching, it’s important to remember our history — both the good and the bad — so we don’t repeat past mistakes,” said HRAC Chair Namasha Schelling, who is also a town councilwoman.
“That’s why the Human Rights Advisory Committee (HRAC) of Pound Ridge decided to install a plaque honoring the First People of Pound Ridge. We want to make sure we remember those who lived here before us, as they offer valuable lessons about our local environment and remind us how connected we all are.”
Speaking at the ceremony was Wappingers Falls resident Drew Shuptar-Rayvis, a cultural ambassador for the Pocomoke Indian Nation of Maryland as well as an educator, researcher, and an Algonquian advocate for living history.
He introduced himself as Pekatawas MakataweU (“Black Corn”).
“Three hundred and eighty years ago, a terrible incident happened in this town during a very difficult, very violent, very aggressive conflict,” Shuptar-Rayvis said, referring to what’s known as the Pound Ridge Massacre of 1644.
The attack by Dutch and English soldiers on a large winter village left between 500 and 700 (primarily Tankiteke, Siwanoy, and Ramapough) men, women, and children dead.
It occurred during Kieft’s War, a bloody conflict driven by disputes over land, livestock, and taxes between Dutch colonial governor Willem Kieft and local tribes.
The Tankiteke and Siwanoy populations were decimated and the regional indigenous resistance broken.
Remaining survivors drifted away from their ancestral homes. Some stayed in their homelands and assimilated into colonial society, marrying poor whites and free Africans, many of them joining other displaced peoples such as the Stockbridge Munsee and the Ramapough Lenape Nation.
In the 1680s, Chief Katonah, a prominent sachem, signed the final land deeds that transferred the remaining lands to European settlers.
In addition to his Algonquian heritage, Shuptar-Rayvis, who was born and raised in Connecticut, is of Pennsylvania Dutch, Welsh, Swiss, English, Flemish, Scots-Irish, Boyko (a Celtic-Slavic people indigenous to the Carpathian Mountains of Western Ukraine), Ashkenazi and Georgian Jewish descent.
Reflecting on the present day, Shuptar-Rayvis noted:
“We are lucky that we, as a society, have grown and have learned from the mistakes made all that time ago, more or less. We’re still growing as a nation, as a people, as a species, but it (the marker) gives us room for thought, it gives us room to pause.”
He thanked the town for erecting the sign and for “making an effort to recognize an uncomfortable history, a difficult history.”
According to a social media post by the HRAC, it was a “meaningful and well-attended event, bringing together residents of all ages.”
“The gathering served as a moment of reflection, gratitude, and connection. It was a beautiful reminder of the importance of honoring those who came before us and appreciating all that Mother Nature continues to provide!” it added.
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