September 11, 2010 Photograph of (Left to Right) Donald Warren Stevens, Jr. (notice the silver bracelet, gold ring, the "Native American-ish" t-shirt and the "Native American-ish choker that Don is wearing), Dawn Marie (nee: Dague) Macie, and Luke Andrew Willard.
Here we see yet another photograph of Donald Stevens Jr. shaking hands with Luke Andrew Willard. History Repeating Itself? No, it is not. because Donald Warren Stevens, Jr. is a "distortionistist." He is a descendant of Antoine Phillips Sr. through Antoine's son Peter Phillips who died in December 1906 in Peacham, Caledonia County, Vermont. Antoine was SAID to be aan alleged leader of the described "Gypsy" (roving) Phillips family who traveled along route 15 between South Burlington, Chittenden County, Vermont and locations east, usually "Paradise Alley" of North Peacham, Vermont. He could have been "leading a team of horses," for all anyone really knows! Most of Don Stevens "Phillips people" historically and documentarily resided in and around Burlington, Vermont (including Don Stevens himself!), not Lac Memphremagog throughout the previous 100 years! This man, received the Eugenic's Survey documentation from Judy Dow, Nancy Gallagher, and myself, because he didn't know ANYTHING about his Phillips ancestors 5 years ago! Yet, nowhere does he state that he was NOT brought up in this so-called "Abenaki culture" or awareness of his so-called "Abenaki" Ancestry, because he wasn't raised that way, nor did he have any awareness of "an Abenaki Culture" in the first place! He even admits that his own parents DID NOT COMMUNICATE anything to do with the Phillips family. Most of his self-declarations comes directly from the Eugenics Survey materials (which he takes for FACT, and yet there are distortions and untruths in that material), which were given to him within the previous 5 years! He had to inquire of my person retrospectively-speaking ) because other Phillips people would not share with him....he is a "user" and an appropriator). As to whether or not Richard Wilfred "Black Horse" Phillips was ever documentarily a legitimate "Chief" in Swanton, Vermont (Don asked me if I had any documentary evidence of Richard being a Chief, because he, Don Stevens, didn't really know in the first place!). Richard Black Horse Phillips APPROPRIATED THE TITLE OF "CHIEF"...Not that he really was a legitimate "Chief" of anything, except creating himself as a "President of an incorporation" (I will show that very documentation in due time on this blog as well). Donald Warren Stevens, Jr. used the Winifred Yaratz book, to come to his conclusions, and DID NOT SOURCE any of his "canned" CLAIMS about the Phillips family.
Nulhegan Drummers: Terry Trottier, Donald Warren Stevens Jr., Allen Stevens (son of Keith Davis, born in Franklin, N.H.), Luke Andrew Willard, Dawn Macie, and Keith Davis (born in Concord, N.H. on October 06, 1966). Notice: that is "most" Native Communities, a woman is NOT TO SIT ON THE DRUM, yet in this photograph, Dawn Macie is singing and drumming. In most Native Communities, women are to encircle the drum with the rattles, to "protect" the men singers who sing on the drum. As the life-givers, women are usually NOT culturally allowed to "sit" on a drum, as Dawn Marie (nee: Dague) Macie is seen doing in this photograph. Apparently, making up their "traditions" and ignoring the very Cultural traditions of the Abenaki and the Waubunaki that have been appropriate and have rational reasonings for them, doesn't apply to this made-up alleged and re-invented "Abenaki" group 501(c)(3) Incorporate group calling itself the Nulhegan/ Coosuk/ Old Phillips Band. Even David Roland O'Bomsawin did not drum, simply because this woman was disrespecting and ignoring Abenaki culture and traditions. Of course, none of these people care about what they "put out there," because in truthful reality, they are making this "Abenaki Culture" up as they go along....right along with Luke Willard and Don Stevens.
September 11, 2010 Phtoograph: Here one can see, David Roland O'Bomsawin (Obomsawin) on the far left, Keith Davis in the head bandana, Allen Davis (Keith's son), Donald Stevens Jr. in the middle of the picture, Dawn Macie in front of Don, Luke Willard to the left of Don Stevens. The woman (on the right, in this picture wearing the puple-ish jacket) is none other than Amber Antoinette (nee: Sprouse) and her husband (standing behind her, wearing the light brown tannish short-sleeved shirt) is her hsuband, Dennis Paul Stevens, whose political platform (running for VT Governor this November 2010), is to remove the State of Vermont, legislatively, from the United States; and that to "cure all Vermont ailments" is to "keep the 1.4 billion dollars the State supposedly sends to the Pentagon," to pay for everything from health care, to well....everything. He is simply a "radical" militia person who watched "The Patriot" too many times on Luke Willard's couch! I think perhaps I wouldn't vote for the man, if I resided in Vermont. On the other hand, I might. Why, you might ask? Well, because if such a seperation of Vermont from the United State were to happen, then the "Abenakis," (should these Inc. groups succeed in manipulating themselves and the Vermont politicians into granting and gaining specific group "Abenaki Recognition) would not be quailified or eligible for Federal Indian Grants, nor the Department of Labor monies that each year, April St. Francis-Merrill receives! These groups of alleged and re-invented Abenaki groups would have to import their rolls of fake sinew and their commercially tanned deerhides, etc....and export whatever their arts were (be it Brown Ash baskets, to the 'plastic' Indian-ish Crap I always find being sold on eBay.com and at these New England Pow-wows). So, hey, MAYBE I just would vote for Dennis Paul Steele for Gov. of VT, because, since he, as "an open secessionist" and militia-type person, would stop these "Abenaki" groups from getting Native American Grants for being something they are not. These groups would have to support themselves, depend on themselves. That isn't such a bad idea. This Wanna-Be "Abenaki King" Dennis Paul Steele could them bestow upon these incorporate groups of alleged and re-invented Abenakis all the "Recognition" he can muster, certificates, headdresses and Indian names all he wants to. Of course, there would be nothing for these "Abenaki" groups, monetarily, because that 1.4 billion dollars Mr. Steele keeps repeatedly talking about would have already been appropriated to other necessities (including Mr. Steele's retirement and other benefits) and spent "three ways to Sunday." Oh well, it's just a few thoughts on the matter. I, thankfully, reside just across the river.....so what happens in Vermont can stay in Vermont! Sadly, these incorporate groups of alleged and reinvented Abenakis are here in New Hampshire too. It's an epidemic!
Here is the same photograph, but without the dog.
This Birth Certificate document ("Autumn's" delayed-birth record) of Tagwongo Alezah Obomsawin from Swanton, Franklin County, Vermont...daughter of Thomas Robert Obomsawin and his wife Daisy Jane (nee: Goodman) born October 23, 1993 in Swanton, Franklin County, Vermont...is quite revealing in it's "construction." Let's "de-construct" this document. Thomas Obomsawin was born in Massachusetts, and Daisy was born in New York, New York. At the time of the afore-mentioned birth of Tagwongo Alezah or "Autumn" her parents were living on Upper Ferris Street in Swanton (behind Doris Minkler's home). On this document, it is claimed that it is a Abenaki Nation Certification of Live Birth, signed by "Tribal Judge" Michael A. Delaney who issued said "Abenaki Nation" Certificate on November 05, 1993. Notice that the middle section of the birth certificate document indicates that both parents were born "Birth place Swanton, VT" and yet, it would appear that was and is totally incorrect. Also that the date of July 23, 1996. NOTICE: the information 11a. Franklin Probate Court. 11b. Robert P. Cronin. 11c. dated October 08, 1996. Apparently, in the context of changing his surname from Obomsawin to Abomsawin, in the effort to stay behind the late Doris Minckler's home, in that mobile home, Tom Obomsawin, also decided with with his wife, that it was "unnecessary" to document the child's home birth, with the Swanton Town Clerk's office! There is probably more-likely-than-not, more to this historical story, than what I can discern at this time from this particular document. The reason I am placing this document here, is simply to show that
1. manipulation was going on by various parties/ persons at-the-time.
2. That Tom Obomsawin was obviously working for Homer Walter St. Francis, Sr. at the time of October 1993, as did Daisy (Goodman) Obomsawin.
3. That by October 1996, both Tom and Daisy (with the various children) were residing in North Stratford, New Hampshire yet were possibly still connected to Homer St. Francis Sr. ....even though they were both vocally professing to the people around them, to no longer be "connected with the Swanton group." Of course, Tom and Daisy COULD HAVE simply been creating an "Affidavit" in October 1996, "stating that at the time of October 1993, they were involved with Homer....but that in 1996, they were supposedly not involved with the Swanton "Abenaki" group led by Homer St. Francis Sr.?
Burlington FreePress.com
By Terri Hallenbeck
Free Press Staff Writer
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Gov. Douglas appoints native recognition commission
A new Native American Commission was appointed Friday amid hopes that it will avoid disputes that paralyzed its predecessors and find a way to allow Abenaki to achieve long-elusive official state recognition.
Nine members were appointed by Gov. Jim Douglas after the Legislature passed a new law ordering the commission to be reconfigured amid giving the new panel a process to recommend official state recognition for individual Abenaki bands. Official recognition would allow artists in the bands to sell their wares as native-made.
"I'm very encouraged," said Donald Stevens, a Missisquoi Abenaki who served as chairman of the previous commission and helped push for the new commission. "I think you've got a great mix."
Stevens had warned Douglas when he signed the law in May that the new process toward granting recognition wouldn't work unless he appointed good people to the panel. The new commission is particularly notable for the number of young members, said Fred Wiseman, Missisquoi historican who also pushed for the new commission. Wiseman's son, Fred W. Wiseman, is among the new members. He noted several others are in their 20's and 30's. "The young people, I don't think, are quite as jaded," he said.
The commission was created in 2006 with a state law that was supposed to grant Vermont Abenaki official status, but the law didn't meet the criteria of the federal law and the commission was hampered by mistrust among Abenaki bands. The bands overcame strong down-to-the-wire disagreements to reach an agreement on the new law this year. Some Abenaki distrust claims of heritage by others, generating fears that some would seek to block recognition for other bands.
The new law sets out a process by which the new commission will turn to a pannel of three experts to study bands' applications for official recognition. Based on the experts' advice, the commission will make recommendations to the Legislature on who should be recognized. The Legislature would make the final decision.
The new law expanded the commission from seven to nine members; required members to be residents of Vermont for atleast three years; and set the panel's makeup to be diverse geographically and by native affiliation. The panel will elect its own chairman.
The result with Friday's announcement was a mix of members affiliated with the Elnu (Melody Walker-Brookof Jefferson, VT), Missisquoi (David Vanselette of Swanton VT, Fred W. Wiseman of Newport VT, and Takara nee: Matthews of Richmond VT), Nulhegan (Luke Willard of Brownington VT and Dawn nee: Dague-Macie now of Rutland VT), Koasek bands (Nathan Elwin Pero of West Fairlee VT), along with unaffiliated (Shirley Hook-Therrien of Braintree VT ?) and one non-Abenaki Native American (Charlene McManis of Worcester VT). It (the commission) includes the chief of one band (Luke Willard) and members of all the bands that are part of an alliance that the larger bands have.....
formed as well as members who are not part of the alliance. Where are Odanak descendant representatives on this Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs, or don't these Abenakis matter, to these incorporation entities who now claim to be Abenaki Tribes and or Bands? Oh, thats right, they are "Ex-Patriots" who simply happen to have lived and worked in Vermont for generations. It's in the best interests of the State of Vermont ~and~ these incorporations groups to keep vilifying Odanak and W8linak Abenaki descendants who do legitimately come from a 200+ year old documented historical and genealogically connected Abenaki community, because these people do not want to acknowledge, relate or communicate with REAL ABENAKIS within the State of Vermont. The State would rather CREATE "fake" imposter tribes of wanna-be "Abenakis"! Of course, IF most of the VT State Legislative Representative's ever decided to pull-their-heads-out-of -their-own-asses, and realize they ARE BEING LIED TO by these incorporate entities who claim wrongly "that they come the VT Historical Abenaki Tribes," then the Legislature and the Government of Vermont would have to acknowledge the LIARS and THEIVES who EXPROPRIATE/ APPROPRIATE an alleged and re-invented "Abenaki" Culture and heritage! I won't hold my breath for the Legislative Representative's and the citizens of VT or N.H. to realize anything, until it is too late to do anything about these liars and thieves of Abenaki Culture and heritage, trying to now lay claim that their incorporations are now Abenaki tribes and or Abenaki bands of Vermont!
"I think you won't see the fighting that's been happening over the last few years," Stevens said. That's because these people all are "in it for themselves" and none of them care about fairness, transparency or proof of genealogical connection to the Abenaki Ancestors, to my thinking. "It's going to be a good group of people who work well together," said Frederick Matthew Wiseman PhD, who hopes to serve on the expert panel that will advise the commission. Yeah the PhD, helped write the concocted criteria, for the very group he belongs to, and now hopes to sit on the 3-person expert panel, so he can "o.k." these groups that he advocates for, to gain their State Recognition! How BIAS'D is that? They distrusted that Judy Dow was of "Native descent or heritage" because she (Judy Dow) seemingly advocated for "fairness and transparency in the VT recognition process of ANY Indian group" that sought State Recognition through the VCNAA (Commission); therefore she immediately became an enemy to these 4 and or 5 groups calling themselves "the VT Indigenous Alliance," whom arrogantly and stupidly state that they represent 95% percent of the Native population living in the state of Vermont.
The "Alliance" bitched and complained retrospectively, about Tim de la Bruere and Jeanne Brinke being on the Commission or having the ability to say or nay to these groups that comprise the "Alliance" and "because their ancestry is from Odanak, Quebec's Abenaki community"....because these former VCNAA appointed members advocated for transparency and fairness as well. The "Alliance" bitched and hollered about Rep. Kesha Ram "because she sought fairness and transparency" in the recognition process of ANY Native population in Vermont too. So, in May 2010, the out going Gov. Jim Douglas, signs the S.222 Amendment contrary to transparency and fairness of and towards legitimate Native People's living within the State of Vermont geographically-speaking and supported/ supports these basterd wanna-be "Abenaki" incorporations. Why? Because they are "under State of VT laws"....controlled by the State of VT. Perhaps the politicians want to seem "politically correct" all of a sudden since its "election year" and they do not want to appear "offending"?
He said several bands are working to prepare their applications for recognition in time for next legislative session. "I know several of them are busting their butts right now," he said.
Abenaki Tribe at Nulhegan-Memphremagog Makes History
As it goes along......
Written by Administrator (Mark William Mitchell)
Monday, 13 September 2010
Abenaki Tribe at Nulhegan-Memphremagog Makes History
By: Dawn Macie
Brownington, Orleans County, VT - Members of the Abenaki Tribe at Nulhegan-Memphremagog (a alleged and re-invented Coosuk
Stevens is not the first Phillips descendant to follow in the footsteps of the family's patriarch. According to Phillips oral history from the dubiously accurately recorded Eugenics Survey documents, Peter Phillips (son of Antoine) led his people and only a few decades ago, Richard “Blackhorse” Phillips, held the torch for a time. Truthfully, Richard "Black Horse" Wilfred Phillips appointed himself as President of a mere incorporation and solicited membership into that incorporation. It was not a historical legitimate tribe of Abenakis.
In regards to the
Don "Wanna-be Inc. President" Stevens continued, speaking of Luke "Skywalker" Willard, “By stepping down as
It seems unfitting and almost poetically absurd that the
Dawn Marie (nee: Dague) Macie, born July 18, 1959 in Burlington, Chittenden County, Vermont (as was her father and mother!) daughter of James Walter Dague and Nancy Lee (nee: Cote) Dague -Thomas (well who knows IF the late Nancy Lee Cote actually married Charles Wendell Thomas?) - Rolls. Dawn is holding one of her "Abenaki" hand drums, smiling for the camera. NOTICE the Indian-ish necklace and the ring as well. It's like these people are "so insecure" in their concocted assumed "Abenaki" persona's that they got to wear as much Indian-ish jewelry, chokers, and clothing, to "prove to those around them, that these people are indeed, "Abenakis."
September 16, 2010
Williston Observer
Page 17
Region & State
Vermont law gives tribe hope for recognition
By Lisa Rathke
The Associated Press
MONTPELIER, Vt. – Members of Vermont Indian tribes have renewed hope for state recognition, which some have been seeking for decades and the Abenaki tribe needs to sell its signature baskets and other crafts as Indian-made.
A new state law creates a process for a Vermont commission to recommend tribal recognition, which the Abenaki hope will also allow them to seek federal funding for education and other benefits.
“It’s not just for us. It’s for kids, it’s for our grandkids,” said Dawn Macie, 51, of Rutland, a member of the Nulhegan band of the Abenaki. Dawn Macie has had two children, and on their VT birth record certificates, NO FATHERS were named...so of course, "its not just for us, its for kids, its for our grand kids." This is yet another media campaign by these people "propping up their children" to benefit the adults of these incorporation's, to my thinking.
Gov. Jim Douglas appointed Dawn Marie (nee: Dague) Macie, who makes
Under federal law, artisans must be members of state- or federally recognized
Such labeling of crafts would allow the
Drums that sell for $90 to $130 could go for up to $200, she said. Handmade, intricately woven grass and splint ash baskets range from $20 to more than $1,000. Greed?
At least 1,700 Vermonters say they are direct descendants of the Western Abenaki tribes inhabited all Vermont and New Hampshire, and parts of Maine, Quebec and New York for hundreds of years before the arrival of the Europeans. They include the Missisquoi and Cowasuck Abenaki who farmed the river floodplains of Vermont at least as long ago as 1100s AD, the law said.
But the state of Vermont has been reluctant to recognize the Abenaki, in the past fearing it could bolster one
Over the years, the Vermont attorney general’s office has questioned the
The new law and commission are a step toward state recognition, commission members and legislators say.
“It’s not about casinos, land grabs,” said state Sen. Diane Snelling, R-Chittenden, co-sponsor. B.S., it isn't.
The law is intended to address the shortcomings of a bill passed in 2006 that created the commission and recognized the Abenaki as a minority population in Vermont, but failed to allow them to label their crafts as Native American.
It’s more objective than a bill that failed in 2007 that would have recognized three distinct
“We tried to figure it out who qualified before. There was a lot of energy around, ‘Well, some tribes just automatically qualify.’ … Now they’ll set some standards and then everybody who meets the standards is in,” she said.
Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia have state-recognized tribes, said Ken Van Wey, program assistant for the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, which is part of the U.S. Department of Interior.
North Carolina and Virginia have commissions that identify tribes that are not federally recognized, for the purposes of selling arts and crafts.
The Vermont law changed the makeup of the commission, and expanded it from seven members to nine. Members must be Vermont residents for at least three years Big Deal and from a diversity of affiliations and areas of the state Again, Big Deal. The commission includes several members in their 20s. So what?, younger or older, these VCNAA members presently advocate for and are members of these various incorporate groups in VT.
The law also set up a process for
Applications will be reviewed by a three-member panel of experts. Based on the panel’s findings, the commission will make recommendations for recognition to the Legislature, which has the final say.
“I have a lot of hope that the Legislature will act quickly because WE DON'T WANT TO GET CAUGHT "MANIPULATING" OR "LIEING", "BEING NON-TRANSPARENT AND UNFAIR," TO GAIN RECOGNITION FROM THE VT LEGISLATURE, CLAIMING TO BE SUPPOSEDLY, THE ABENAKI this has been a very long, long process that has taken many years, and has aged people,” said commission member Luke Willard, of Brownington, the former
From: Anonymous
To: douglaslloydbuchholzCc: (redacted)
Sent: Sun, Sep 19, 2010 5:59 pm
Subject: Fw: Tribal Enrollment Form
----- Original Message -----
From: Donald Stevens.....donaldstevens@myfairpoint.net
to his following relatives:
<djayburbo>@comcast.net
<vjburbo@comcast.net>
<pscs1955@aol.com>
dianelynn@varinweb.com
"LynFinley"lfinley@msin.net
”joyce mcentee”jgmcentee@yahoo.com
“leonard burbo”<fire2347@yahoo.com>
This email was sent to Burbo’s and Phillips descendants with the above email addresses, etc. Someone before I got this, redacted some names to the emails:
Sent by Donald Stevens: Monday, September 06, 2010 8:48 PM
Subject: Tribal Enrollment Form
To all my relatives,
I will be assuming a leadership role in the Nulhegan Tribe in which our ancestor Antoine Phillips was Chief back in the 1800's. I would like to get you and your family all enrolled before our recognition application goes to the State of Vermont for consideration. If you are interested in becoming a Tribal member, please fill out these forms, sign them, and get them back to me or the Tribe. I at least need you to acknowledge your intentions.
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to drop me an email. Please follow the instructions so that I can get you on our roles. We need to have all of our Tribal roles up to date by October 1st. Please send this to your any relative related to Grandma Burbo or Antoine Phillips. You can list children that are born to you or adopted. Please do not list step children if they have not been legally adopted as minors.
We will need a copy of your birth certificate, mother and father's birth certificate. You need the birth certificates that link to Grandma Burbo or the Phillips bloodline.
I have received the Birth Certificate of Aunt Mary Lemons so I will not need this from Carrie or Bobby. However, I will need yours and your childrens. I also have my mom's so Joyce McEntee (Don Stevens' sister), I will only need yours, the Kids, and grand kids...
My address is:
Don Stevens
156 Bacon Drive
Shelburne, VT 05482
Be Well,
Don Stevens
MY RESPONSE:
"Soliciting membership" into the so-called Nulhegan/ Old Philips' Band Incorporation, Don Stevens Jr. and Luke Willard etc., CLAIM that their group's Inc. and their membership is "historical," implying that the people that are in the group, have always been connected to the group. Their claims and proclamations in the media etc are rather hysterical, not historical! Rather this email of early Sept. 06, 2010 (BEFORE these people's PR media article Campaign)...from Donald Stevens...indicates VERY STRONGLY, that their claims are obviously LIE'S and merely more of their political shenanigans (meaning "devious manipulative tricks used especially for underhanded purposes." 2. a : tricky or questionable practices or conduct — usually used in plural).
Donald W. Stevens Jr. solicited information about the Phillips Family from Judy Dow and Nancy Gallagher (who wrote the book, "Breeding Better Vermonter's") while serving on the VCNAA (Commission) retrospectively-speaking. Secondly, he decided to communicate with my person by email and telephone format, seeking further genealogical information about the Phillips ancestors and descendants (NOT TO USE GENEALOGICALLY just for himself or his family) BUT TO USE SUCH INFORMATION, DISRESPECTFULLY AND CLANDESTINELY, on a POLITICAL LEVEL. He stated that he wanted his and my communications via email to be "confidential." WHY? The answer is, because he didn't want no one to know WHERE he got the information from, in the first place (playing games with April Merrill?) or simply because HE DID NOT KNOW A DAMN THING about the Phillips ancestry or the descendants, WITHOUT OUR HELP?
He uses Yaratz' book of information and the Eugenics Survey data, as FACTUAL records; yet neither of which is SOURCED. None of which is supported by REALITY,, historically or comtemporarily-speaking. That is MY OPINION, take it or leave it.
Either way, I think every politician in Vermont ought to see this email from Don Stevens and think twice, perhaps three times, before allowing themselves to be "hoodwinked" by these various incorporation's who claim to be "Abenaki Tribes" etc.
Vermont is setting a stage, a very dangerous foundation, if the state legislature or the Federal Indian Arts and Crafts Board allows incorporation's to be re-invented into Native American Tribes and or Bands. Such actions will have dire consequences against any legitimately documented Native person, community and Nation, across this entire country!
Contrary to the mantra chant, that Rep. Vincent Illuzzi, Rep. Hinda Miller and Rep. Senator Diane Snelling keep singing in these "Abenaki" media articles, just the FACT that Tom O'Bomsawin's brother David O'Bomsawin is standing in this group photograph of which Dennis Paul Steele, Luke Willard, Dawn Macie and Keith Davis are also therein, of this so-called Nulhegan Inc.'d group, informs my person, that this group is eye-balling gaining State of VT "Abenaki" Recognition, and subsequently, in Federal or U.N. Court (at least attempting to) go after the June 1796 Old Indian Philips Land Grant, which encompasses northwestern Vermont. Tom Obomsawin researched that Land Grant while living in No. Stratford, N.H. (his brother still resides in that local area), and it would not surprise me in the least, that Bea Nelson and or "someone" whispered into Luke Willard's ear about "going after this Land Grant of 1796," once State Recognition is obtained, to hell with the State of Vermont, these incorporated groups will not only take an inch forward, these groups will take a mile or more! Don't think I am right in my conclusions (?) well....time will tell....won't it?!
