Traditional Mishoon Burn

Chenae Bullock and Shane Weeks on Lil Pine's first launch.

This week on the Shinnecock Powwow Grounds, Chenae Bullock (Shinnecock) led the traditional burning of a small dugout canoe named Pewea Koowa, or Little Pine, alongside her educator-mentor Darius Coombs (Mashpee Wampanoag) and apprentice Shane Weeks (Shinnecock).

Made from a white pine tree harvested by Darius in Massachusetts, Little Pine is a ten-foot, child-sized mishoon (canoe) that can fit two adults. Its smaller size allowed the burn crew to complete the build in a record-setting three days. This is the seventh mishoon Chenae has helped to create, and notably, the first one she has led. Darius, her mentor, has built over 40 mishoons in his lifetime.

The last traditional canoe build like this on Shinnecock land took place more than a decade ago for the Shinnecock Nation Cultural Center & Museum, making this effort all the more meaningful.

With children in mind, youth from the Boys & Girls Club of Shinnecock and Wuneechanunk Shinnecock Preschool contributed to the process by crafting cedar brooms and helping sweep ash from the canoe’s interior.

The burn site transformed into a lively cultural camp, complete with a traditional outdoor kitchen. Visitors and volunteers were welcomed with fresh fruit, berries, cakes, sandwiches, and traditional dishes including wood-fired striped bass, clams, goose, venison stew, and a crowd favorite—blueberry slump.

Pewea Koowa had its successful first launch in Heady Creek on Monday, April 21.

Tabutne to the community for coming out to support this beautiful and important act of cultural sovereignty and resilience.

The mishoon was commissioned by the Long Island Children’s Museum and will be featured in an upcoming exhibit in the fall.