By JOSH KAUFMAN

Native Americans populated Queens well before the first European ships dared to test the "flat" horizon with their wooden galleons.

Queens Matinecock leaders meet with the then mayor David Dinkins at a Queens Pow Wow event.

The "New World" was a phrase based on reference, that had no relevance to the Native Americans who lived here for thousands of years.

The Matinecocks established villages at what is now College Point, Flushing, Whitestone, Bayside, Douglaston, Little Neck, and in various places across Long Island.

Basically peaceful people, they lived off the land and did not take more than what was necessary to survive. They believed all life was sacred, and gave thanks to the hunted animals that provided them with food.

Rivers offered fresh drinking water, and deer were not killed for sport. Gigantic sturgeon migrated through the East River, and forest was as common then as concrete is today.

Chief Wassaja, who was instrumental in starting the Northeastern Native American Association, lived in Queens from 1990 to 1998, and reflected on the need for Native Americans to learn about their heritage.

"There were many complaints. People felt like they had nowhere to go and were divided. Many of us who existed in Queens decided to form a group," said Wassaja. "We formed the Northeastern Native American Association, and emphasized the need to know your own nation. There are over 500 native languages. The goal was to learn your own individual heritage and then meet to share experiences."

Mother Winterflower, a Ramapo Indian who is, also part of the association, said, "People don’t think we even exist."

Nuppaqua — which translates to Water Woman, Giver of Life — is a descendant from the Matinecock royal family. She is the Matinecock council chairperson, as well as a respected healer and dancer. Nuppaqua explained that there is much debate over the ownership of the land of New York City, which is a focus point for the council.

"We have deeds to property on Long Island and they are not honored. The do-cuments that indicated the sale of Manhattan and land throughout New York City do not contain authentic Native American signatures," Nuppaqua said. "We own half of Long Island and downtown Manhattan."

She also said that Chief Takapusha, one of the great Matinecock leaders, and a direct descendant of hers, never sold the land. There was no concept of ownership since the land is sacred and belongs to the earth, therefore the property could not have been sold.

Nuppaqua said that the majority of people dismiss Native Americans, offering little or no respect.

"The Matinecocks are the only tribe within City limits," she said. "We are a National Landmark with Federal Recognition and are listed in the Department of Interior as a National Treasure . . . and still we are treated badly."

Evidence of indigenous peoples stretches as far back as 10,000 years, according to Susan Brustmann, director of the Poppenhusen Institute in College Point, where pottery shards are on display that date back 4,000 years.

The permanent exhibit at Poppenhusen Institute in College Point which preserves pieces of Queens’ Native American history.     Tribune Photo By Ira Cohen

Several sites have been discovered in Queens giving clues to what life was like for the very first people to settle on the land that is now Queens.

A "dig site" on 114th Street and 14th Avenue helped bring about state   legislation to force mandatory excavations on any area where relics were discovered before roads are widened or other construction work done that would destroy these precious connections to our past forever.

Archeologist Eugene Bousch has conducted extensive excavations in Queens and, working through the Poppenhusen Institute, Bousch has helped uncover some of the Native American legacy hidden under the land, houses, and roads of Queens.

Bousch worked on the site at 114th Street and 14th Avenue, discovering early relics dating back thousands of years. The dig only lasted from 1997 to 1998, but the robust time period for the many pottery shards, quartz waste shavings, and projectile points unearthed ranged from 1500 BC to 1000 AD.

The College Point Nursing Home is believed to be the former site of the main Matinecock village.

Relics were discovered at Graham Court during archaeology excavations in the 1930s by Mathias Schreiner of College Point, Carlye Smith, Ralph Solecki, and Stanley Wisnewski.

Tallman’s Island — Lax Avenue and 127th Street — is believed to have been either a "pow wow" site or a village.

"The predecessors of the Matinecocks date to around 1100 to 1200 AD. What we call Matinecock culture originated around 1400 to 1500 AD," Bousch said. "They were mainly agriculturists and grew mostly corn, beans and squash."

The first white settlers arrived in the 1630s and 40s. Encounters with European colonists eventually resulted in the diminishing of the various tribes, both in power and population.

In addition to aggression, the Europeans imported diseases, such as small pox, which ravaged the native population due to a lack natural defenses against the plague.

Bousch discussed the effects that European settlers had on the Native Americans, citing that the passing out of blankets contaminated with small pox "wittingly or unwittingly, was an example of early germ warfare."

Land was "sold" to the colonists to keep the peace, but "The Natives had no concept of land transference. They didn’t understand deeds and ownership, and instead thought of themselves as stewards of the land," added Brustmann.

Scandinavians were the first explorers in the area and traded with the Native Americans. "They had respect," said Nuppaqua. "They would come, trade, then return."

The Dutch and English began relations in a similar fashion, with explorers journeying across the Atlantic in search of new barter to secure. However, the difference was that these nations established a permanent presence in the Americas.