Document 01: Offices of the Grand Council, Territorial Headquarters COWASUCK OF NORTH AMERICA, REPUBLIC OF THE SOVEREIGN ABENAKI NATION. R.R. #2. Box 530-A Newport, VT 05855 (802)334-5306.
Dated February 22, 1994.
Salvatore M. Giorlandio
Assistant Attorney General
Office of the Attorney General
One Ashburton Place
Boston, Massachusetts 02108-1698
Re: Northeast Woodlands-Coos Tribe, et al
v.
Depat. of Social Services
U.S. District Court, C.A. No. 92-40149XX
Sir:
Pursuant to our telephone conversation earlier today, and pursuant to 25 USCA, the ICWA of 1978, the Native American Civil RIghts Act of 1968, the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights of 1948, the Treaty of 1713 and other applicable treaties and laws, this letter is to confirm the said telephone conversation as I promised, and wherein I explained that the Cowasuck-Coos People of the Sovereign Abenaki Nation WILL exercise and exert their Sovereign Suzerain Trust Rights under the applicable Treaties and laws of the United States of America.
Additionally, this letter will confirm also, per our telephone conversation, the following information that we discussed, in writing, as promised.
*Your letter of 14 February 1994, mailed 15 February 1994, was recieved by me on Saturday 19 February 1994.
*Former Tribal Judge0Chief Judge of all Cowasuck-Coos Bands of the Sovereign Abenaki Nation, Robert "Spirit Wind" Maynard, is no longer a member of the Sovereign Abenaki Nation nor of the Cowasuck-Coos Judicial System. Furthermore, he is no longer entitled to access to any documents or correspondence in this case or in any case that involves the Sovereign Abenaki Nation or the Cowasuck-Coos Bands under the Grand Council.
*The Chief of the Northeast Woodlands-Coos Band is:
Paul "Spirit Hawk" Pouliot, Chief
160 Dailey Drive
Franklin, Mass. 02038-2551
Telephone: 1-508-528-7629
*Sovereign Abenaki Nation Judge for Southern New England, and to the Northeast Woodlands-Coos Band is:
The Honorable Raymond "Looking Glass" Lussier
810 Newport Avenue
So. Attleboro, Mass 02703
Telephone: 1-508-761-5237
*The present representative to the Grand Council from the Northeast Woodlands-Coos Band is:
Raymond "Looking Glass" Lussier
810 Newport AvenueSo. Attleboro, Mass 02703
Telephone: 1-508-761-5237
*The 2d representative has yet to be selected and accepted.
Document 02:
Letter, Asst A.G. Mass.-con't
As I explained in our telephone conversation, and as I promised to do, in written form, the following is how the Grand Council functions:
*Th Grand Council is the coordinating and mediating body and the corporate entity for the associated bands under the Grand Council, between the associated bands under the Grand Council and the non-Cowasuck-Coos Abenaki Nation groups, and the various non-native governmental groups at the local, state and federal level.
*Each band under the Grand Council is autonomous in their operation. They elect their own Chiefs and Leaders per their traditions and by-laws, and when ever they desire to become two bands instead of one, this is their right to do so. All associated bands operate under a written agreement between them and the Grand Council and upon acceptance of the agreement by the Grand Council, they are authorized to use the Cowasuck-Coos Logo which is copyrighted and trademarked under the laws of Vermont and the United States.
*Each associated Cowasuck-Coos band is entitled to two (2) representatives on the Grand Council, and the Grand Council can accept or reject them. Once the representatives have been accepted by the Grand Council, they have an equal voice and vote to all others, in all decisions of the Grand Council, consistent with Grand Council By-laws.
*Additionally, the Grand Council, meeting semi-annually, or quarterly and even in emergency session if necessary, sits as the Appellate Court for all Cowask-Coos Bands under the Grand Council in those matters that are appealled from a local or associated Band.
*As for my position, I am retired as a Band Chief and I serve as the Chief of the Grand Council of the Cowasuck of North America of the Sovereign Abenaki Nation at the Territorial Headquarters here in Vermont. Also, I am one of the four (4) permanent members of the Grand Council. You also asked but somehow I forgot to tell you, my term of office expires in the year 2000 unless I step down or pass away before then.
*This Council does recognize the Hon. Raymond "Looking Glass" Lussier as a Judge in the Sovereign Abenaki Nation and for the Northeast Woodlands-Coos Band, and he will handle this case for the Grand Council and the Northeast Woodlands-Coos Band. Please direct all correspondence in this case to the Honorable Judge, Raymond "Looking Glass" Lussier. We of the Grand Council leave this case in Judge Lussier's capable hands. Thank you.
Respectfully,
Chief Howard F. Knight Jr. (AKA Rushing Water)
Chief-Grand Council
cc. Ms. Elizabeth Kelleher, Esq., DSS-Mass.
Hon. Judge Raymond Lussier-Sovereign Abenaki Nation
Paul W. Pouliot, Chief-Northeast Woodlands-Coos
Grand Council-all members
Mr. Robert Martin, Esq.-DSS, Worcester, Mass.
DO THE MATH
THINK ABOUT IT
