Members of the Unkechaug Nation marked the winter solstice and honored the whale during a ceremonial gathering at the Manor of St. George, returning Indigenous spiritual traditions to a site deeply tied to their ancestral history.
Unkechaug Chief Harry Wallace said the ceremony reflected an enduring bond between the Nation and the Manor, which sits on original Unkechaug land in Mastic. “There’s always been a connection,” Wallace said. “Our people worked there, celebrated there, and maintained relations with the Manor from the very beginning of colonial times.”
The winter solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year, holds special spiritual meaning. Wallace said the ceremony was held to honor the whale, an animal central to Unkechaug culture and identity. “It’s a very spiritual time for us,” he said. “This was the first time we conducted a solstice ceremony at the Manor, and that made it especially meaningful.”
The whale ceremony included prayer, the offering of traditional tobacco, the smoking of a sacred pipe, and a symbolic offering to the ceremonial fire. Shane Weeks, who helps lead whale response ceremonies on Long Island, said the ritual reflects centuries of respect for balance and sustainability. “Whales are a huge part of who we are as a people,” the Shinnecock Nation member said. “We’ve honored them for thousands of years, long before commercial whaling changed the oceans.”
Manor representative John Scott Prudenti said the event reflects a renewed and respectful relationship between the estate and the Unkechaugs. “We’re working closely together to reconnect and strengthen a relationship that goes back generations,” Prudenti said. “It’s important that the Manor acknowledges that history and supports these traditions.”
Both Wallace and Weeks noted that bringing the ceremonies to the Manor represents healing and continuity. “This is about honoring our ancestors and carrying our responsibilities forward,” Wallace said. “Being welcomed here again matters.” Organizers said they hope future ceremonies will continue at the 127-acre estate, which has a panoramic view of Narrow and Bellport bays near Smith Point.