Having Paul Wilson Pouliot and his 2nd wife, Denise, "crow" and prance around exclaiming that they are NOW the ONLY "Abenaki" group in New England with an "Intent-to-Petition-Letter" for Federal Acknowledgment on the Federal Recognition table (now that April St. Francis-Merrill's St. Francis/ Sokoki "Abenaki" group was denied Federal Acknowledgment in mid-2007, had me just a little bit curious what their vocal attitude was all about....
So, I began to do a little "investigation" of my own in early January 2010. My little investigation is still on-going, with new documents coming into my possession...as people either send the documents to me, or I locate and obtain these documents myself, in my own research endeavors.
Speaking with the OFA (afore-mentioned in the previous blog posting) the Office of Federal Acknowledgment stated that, "it doesn't mean anything whatsoever, when someone sends in a Letter-of-Intent-to-Petition-for-Federal-Acknowledgment. It is simply someone who alleges they might be an "Indian Tribe", but that Letter-of-Intent, in and of itself, does not mean that such petitioner is recognized IN ANY WAY, SHAPE or FORM, by the Office of Federal Acknowledgment by receiving such a Letter of Intent to Petition, nor by their agency responding to such document."
Paul Wilson Pouliot and Denise Katherine (nee: Beauregard) (she was previously married to Jamie Mehigan, before she married Paul Pouliot on August 16, 2008 in Alton, Belknap County, New Hampshire where they presently reside) can "crow" and "prance around politically" in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, California (or any other states where they have managed to "incorporate" themselves and their group). It still does not legitimately make their group an Abenaki nor a Cowasuck Tribe or Band. All they are, is an incorporation sanctioned by whatever state they want to sanctify themselves in politically-speaking to make themselves appear or imply that their group is legitimately Cowasuck or Pennacook Abenakis. Incorporations does not equate to being legitimate Abenaki Tribes or Bands.
Per the documented information from the BIA, online I found this:
83.2 Purpose.
….(c) Associations, organizations, corporations or groups of any character that have been formed in recent times may not be acknowledged.
Paul Wilson Pouliot formed an incorporation in late February 1993. It would be determined that such time-frame, is within "recent times".
Therefore, his incorporation cannot gain acknowledgment by the Office of Federal Acknowledgment (OFA) under 83.2 subsection (c).
(d) Splinter groups, political factions, communities or groups of any character that separate from the main body of a currently acknowledged tribe may not be acknowledged.
The group led by Paul Wilson Pouliot now calling itself the COWASS NORTH AMERICA, INC./ Coos-Cowasuck Band-Abenaki Nation/ Cowasuck Band of the Abenaki People/ "COWASUCK BAND of the PENNACOOK/ ABENAKI PEOPLE" (WAS) and (IS) a "splinter group", a "political faction" and a "seperate-yet-connected entity" (Howard Franklin Knight, Jr.'s concocted incorporation calling itself the "Abenaki Nation of Vermont", Inc.)
Therefore, Paul Wilson Pouliot's incorporation could not gain acknowledgment from the OFA, under subsection (d) of 83.2 either.
So what does Paul Wilson Pouliot's "Letter of Intent to Petition for Federal Acknowledgment" actual represent or mean?
N-O-T-H-I-N-G
"kia 8da k'waj8nemowen"
Under 83.6 subsection (c)...."A petitioner must satisfy all of the criteria in paragraphs (a) through (g) of § 83.7 in order for tribal existence to be acknowledged. Therefore, the documented petition must include thorough explanations and supporting documentation in response to all of the criteria.""kia 8da k'waj8nemowen"
Since January 23, 1995 until the present date of August 07, 2010 it has now been exactly 15 years, 06 months, and 05 days....since this Pouliot-led group of alleged-and-reinvented "Cowasuck" "Pennacook" "Abenakis" sent in their Letter of Intent to Petition for Federal Acknowledgment. The question is, will it take them as long at the St. Francis/Sokoki (38 to 40 years) for the public to realize that this whole "Abenaki" dynamic in Vermont and or New Hampshire amounted to and was founded on "illusionistic tactics and schemes"? Time will tell.....
According to the information researched online:
After a group files a letter of intent to petition, that group has unlimited time under the regulations in which to prepare and submit a documented petition, which includes the evidence and arguments showing that such group meets the requirements for acknowledgment.
And secondly:
Under the regulations, the time between the filing of the letter of intent and the submission of the documented petition is not limited.
So, Mr. COWASS Inc. President Paul W. Pouliot and his wife Mrs. COWASS Inc. Treasurer Denise Pouliot can "bark" and "howl" all they want to about their "Letter of Intent" that the Incorporation of which they maintain, sent into the OFA 15.5 years ago. When the OFA regulations are laid out on the table in black and white, there isn't a snowball's chance in Hell that their group will gain what they have announced their "intent" to go after (probably when Hell does freeze over!)
The ONLY dynamic that this group of alleged and reinvented "Cowasuck-Pennacook" "Abenakis" led by Paul Wilson Pouliot could gain right now, is just what they are going after TODAY.......
What they want (these created incorporations are all after....just like in Vermont) is a State-of-N.H.-sanctioned "Commission on Native American Affairs" here in the State of New Hampshire through the political usage of Rep. Daniel Carr (Democrat) Cheshire- District 04 Seat #: 3038 Home Address: PO Box 111 in Ashuelot, NH 03441-0111 Phone: (603)239-6830 Email: daniel.carr@ leg. state.nh.us
These mere Incorporations claiming to represent and that today claim to being the "Abenakis" of New Hampshire, seek to be "bonefide" and legitimized by such a Commission on Native American Affairs chaired and populated by their incorporation members/ leaders such as (very likely) Sherry Gould (Wijokadoak, Inc.) of Bradford, N.H.; Peter Newell (President of the N.H. Intertribal Council, Inc. and is also on the Board of Directors for Wijokadoak, Inc. as well); and of course, Paul W. Pouliot (President of COWASS NORTH AMERICA, Inc.) now of Alton, N.H. from Franklin, Massachusetts. (He had to relocate to New Hampshire, to IMPLY that his group Abenaki/Cowasuck/ Pennacook came from "here").
So in conclusion, even in New Hampshire, there is the distinct impression that the "Sleezy Weasel's will be guarding the chicken house door," .....just like the so-called "Abenaki Alliance" is trying to do over in the State of Vermont. This "Alliance consists of (4) four incorporations sanctioned in the State of Vermont and/ or New Hampshire, which are as follows:
1. April St. Francis-Merrill's group in and around Swanton, Vermont calling itself the St. Francis/Sokoki Abenaki
2. Luke Willard's group in and around Orleans, Vermont calling itself the Nulhegan Band, Inc.
3. Roger A. "Longtoe" Sheehan's group in and around Jamaica, Vermont calling itself nowadays Elnu Abenaki Tribe
4. Nancy Lee nee: Millette now Doucet's group in and around Newbury, Vermont calling itself the "Koasek Traditional Band of the Koas Abenaki Nation, Inc.")
One (1) HUGE question not being answered by anyone is, "Where are the Odanak descendants that have resided and still do reside in either Vermont or New Hampshire in this whole "Abenaki Recognition Process" in Vermont and New Hampshire?"
Another question that should be first and foremost in the minds of the State of Vermont or New Hampshire Legislative Representatives is:
"Where is.... and from WHAT defined historical (before ca. 1900-1930) community of Abenakis, do these groups and or members of this so-called "Abenaki Alliance come from genealogically, historically, and socially?
These questions have yet to be answered clearly and convincingly by any of these incorporations (who are claiming to be "Abenakis" of Vermont or New Hampshire).
