Shinnecock Indian Nation western Connecticut, the lower Hudson River Valley, through present-day New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania. Like the other Native peoples of Long Island, the Shinnecock made "wampumpeag" (wampum), shell beads strung onto threads that were used as currency, for record-keeping, for aesthetic purposes, and to symbolize a family. These shell beads have been found at Native American-inhabited sites as far west as the Rocky Mountains, showing their value in a trade. Although other New England tribes produced "wampumpeag", the Indians of Long Island are reputed to have made the best. Paumanac, one of the many names given to Long Island, means
Puka shell because they were naturally pierced, which enabled them to be strung like beads. Puka shell jewellery first became a popular item in Hawaii during the 1960s, as an attractive and inexpensive lei which could be made and sold on the beach where it was made. In the 1970s, this type of shell jewelry became highly sought after, and prices skyrocketed. The craftsmanship also became more refined and the "lei pūpū puka", puka shell leis were strung in graduated or matching styles, rather than the original random patterns. Many "legends" about the puka shell were created during this time, and these