Date: Wed, 6 June 2007 12:16:23 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Chief Chenevert" Chiefchenevert@cowasuckabenaki.org
To: chiefchenevert@cowasuckabenaki.org
I just wanted to give everyoe a quick report on the powwow and the weekends events as well as to thank people.
Overall it was a terrific weekend, approximately 1500+ people came and enjoyed themselves throughout the weekend. Everyone commented on how friendly and comfortable they were made to feel and how well organized and set up it was. Not to mention the numerous comments I received on the Security team and how safe they made everyone feel. The whole weekend went off without really any hitches.
I would like to thank all of the helpers Ray and Ivonne Lussier, Elaine, Karen Mica and Shelley Boudrea for the great job they did at the front gate. Norman Chenevert [Brian's father] , Andy [Paul Andrew Pouliot] and Bonnie Lynne Akerman [Both Andrew and Bonnie are the children of Paul Wilson Pouliot and Linda (nee: White) Pouliot of Worcester, MA] for their work on keeping the parking lot organized, James Akerman [Bonnie's (nee: Pouliot's) husband] for his efforts at the First Aide station, Eric James Cruger [Nancy L. (nee: Millette) Cruger - Lyons - Doucet's son by her husband Christopher Cruger] for being our sound man, Norman Chenevert, Daniel B. Osgood [father of Carolyn (nee: Black) who married to Richard "Rick" Hunt, cousin to Nancy Doucet] , Mike Finn and everyone else who chipped in and walked around for Security and our go for for the weekend Mike Johnson who helped out with everything from top to bottom, Mike Finn for putting up the staging and Peter Newell, Jason and Andrew who helped out a long with everything.
If I forgot anyone I apologize as so many helped out.
The Koasek Drum, named the Tuhtuhwas Drum had been finished just prior to the powwow and was delivered to Carolyn Black Dan Osgood's daughter) to paint our Band symbol on it and the drum's name. Thank you Carolyn! The head dancer's were Carolyn Black and Josh Hunt (Rickey Hunt's son) did a tremendous job! Thank you both very much. Rick Hunt was our firekeeper for the weekend and with all the rain we got on Friday and Saturday night he had his work cut out for him. But like a true professional he did an excellent job. Thanks Rick!
The drum groups were very good, thank you Red Bear Drum and Split Feather drum Mystic River had car trouble and never made it up. Peter Newell our MC kept everything moving smoothly and did a tremendous job. Thanks Peter! Also thank you to our Koasek members who were vendors there and to our new little brother the El Nu Abenaki Tribe for putting together the 18th century village which they lived in all weekend long. On Sunday morning we wen to, Tribal Council Member, Mike Finn's house to plant our Koasek corn. It went very well as Fred Wiseman PhD. taped it and Roger Longtoe Sheehan sang for us. Thank you Mick for leting us use your home and property to get our Koasek Corn growing again. Hopefully if the crop goes well we will have enough for Koasek citizens to plant themselves. Also on Sunday just after Grand Entry, Nancy and I as speakers for the Koasek signed an alliance with the El-Nu of Abenaki making us their big brother and in traditional form a Wampum belt was given to commemorate the event and will be read at future gatherings. The Koasek welcome our younger brother the El Nu Tribe of Abenaki as a sub-band of the Koasek Abenaki Band. We are on our way to rebuilding our Nation!
And our biggest thank you goes to the two man wrecking crew of Nancy Millette and Peggy Fullerton who put the whole event together and worked tirelessly for the last 6 months. Rest up ladies because we get to do it all over again next year!
Abenaki hold week of Nawihla celebrations
by: Donna Laurent Caruso
@ Indian Country Today June 25, 2007. All Rights Reserved
HAVERHILL, N.H. - Abenaki of Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts held a weeklong celebration in early June that culminated in a pow wow on ancestral land, the planting of bebonki skamon, an old form of fast-growing, sweet northern corn, and seminal educational outreach. The event was named Nawihla, which means "to go back home." Organizers felt this was the best name for the ceremonies because just last year, Abenaki were officially recognized by the state of Vermont.
The events were held at the Woodsville Community Field in an area known to be a center of Abenaki commerce dating back about 10,000 years. The meadows that straddle the Connecticut River at the present-day towns of Haverhill and Newbury, Vt., once held permanent villages and expansive gardens of Aln8bak ("Our People").
In the 1700s, Abenaki dispersed, perished or hid. Many, as Marge Bruchac, an Abenaki historian, has noted, "hid in plain sight" in order to survive the genocidal forces of Roger's Rangers and later, state-sponsored eugenics programs. Their homeland, N'dakinna, was never purchased by treaty or otherwise.
A population estimated to be 25,000 Aln8bak in New Hampshire) alone was reduced to 700 by 1760.
"It was an overwhelming feeling to go back home," Chief Nancy Millette said.
"It was absolutely the best. Fantastic. I am still in awe." Co-Chief Brian Chenevert agreed. "Every Abenaki I know said they got an incredible feeling of being home. We had such a great reception from the town that many tensions were eased, the governor of New Hampshire, John Lynch, even proclaimed a Native American Cultural Awareness Weekend."
Michael Johnson, a Mashantucket Pequot who helps coordinate the tribe's Schemitzun pow wow, said, "Nawihla had such a strong meaning, everyone was drawn into it. When well-off tribes support emerging tribes, we are reminded of all the issues we have overcome and are still facing."
The Mashantucket Pequots helped sponsor Nawihla. Millette noted that 1,500 people came through the gates. "What I think really set this apart from other events I've done was how many questions people asked, how much they wanted to be informed and learn."
The creation of an 18th century Aln8bak village by the Elnu Sub-Band of the Koasek band of Abenaki drew a constant stream of people.
Shortly after the state recognized the tribe, a strain of old corn was formally gifted back from descendants of European settlers. "It is noteworthy that the tradition of seed propagation was also preserved by non-Natives, and it is just so significant that this old corn variety was planted on the meadows during Nawihla," he said. Johnson received an ear to bring to the Mashantucket Tribal Museum, where "we will remove the kernels and plant on our own homestead garden beds away from other corn."
According to Chenevert, the ceremony of planting the aboriginal corn was small and private in a family-size garden on a section of the meadows owned by a tribal council member. Chenevert and Mike Fenn made the mound, and Karen Majka Mica and Millette handled the corn. Fred Wiseman PhD, professor of humanities at Vermont's Johnson State College, showed, "Against the Darkness," a DVD he produced that dramatizes Abenaki persistence through seven generations after the state of Vermont declared they did not exist. Wiseman, as historian and ethno-botanist, also recorded the corn planting. "The corn has some old characteristics and some beyond my knowledge. It is not an ornamental and not a degenerate of more modern corn. It is very like the traditional corn, with ears only three and one-half to 5 inches, and between eight and 12 rows with a lot of variability. It has a very short growing season. Even if it is a 30 to 40 percent European/American variety, it is still old and is as close to bebonki skamon as we'll ever see. "Since the corn came, some people have discredited its importance and now I am learning the politics of corn. I thought everyone would simply be glad to know of it. It this is indeed ancient or indigenous, it is very important that it is under Indian control.
"There will be a lot of interesting work ahead of us," Wiseman said
Page [1]
Email from Ret'd [Retired] Chief Howard F. Knight Jr.
to Eric Scott Floyd of Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Date: Sat. May 17, 2008 9:43 PM
Suject: US DEPT OF JUSTICE - GOV. TO GOV. CONNECTION
From Howard Knight Jr., "You also will note that Paul Wilson Pouliot's group, the Cowasuck band of the Pennacook IS NOT listed anywhere on this list because they do not acknowledge him and his group in anyway as being a legiotimate group that has had any legitiate dealings on a government to government basis."
Page [2.]
From Howard Knight Jr. to Eric Scott Floydd, "It was good to meet with you again at Sub-Chief Wiseowl's Burial Service at the Vt National Veterans Cemetary this past Thursday, after so many winters since our last meeting face to face."
From: Brian Chenevert
Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008 11:18 AM
To: Howard Knight; nancy Lyons [now married to Doucet], DocRay Lussier
[The reason Howard F. Knight Jr., with Emerson Bidwell Garfield (in that Newport, VT Nursing Home) and Brian Chenevert (of Massachusetts) called their Tradename - Business Name "The Cowasuck - Horicon Traditional Council - of the Abenaki Nation" was simple. Eric Scott Floyd (of Pittsfield, Berkshire County, Massachusetts) ... his father Harry David Floyd was born October 30, 1936 in HORICON, Warren County, New York !! Howard F. Knight Jr. was MAKING UP SH** yet again, against the bone-fide legitimate Abenaki and the Coos Ancestor's of N'dakinna; that's what he was doing!]
Page [1.]
N-303890ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
NON-PROFITS and COOPERATIVES
Corporation Name:
Alternate name choice:
COWASUCK of NORTH AMERICA, Inc.
Registered agent's name:
Howard F. Knight, Jr.
Registered agent's address in Vermont:
573 East Main Street
Newport, Vermont 05855
Principal Office Address:
P.O. Box 147
Post Mills, VT 05058
DIRECTORS NAMES and ADDRESSES:
1. Nathan Elwin Pero
3649 Blood Brook Rd.
Fairlee, VT 05045
2. Matthew R. Knight
573 East Main Street
Newport, VT 05855
3. Morris Pero [Uncle or Nephew to Nathan Elwin Pero]
5 Pero Hill Rd
Thetford Center, VT 05075
4. Brian Chenevert
6 George Street
Webster, MA 01570
5. Paul Bunnell
45 Crosby Street
Milford, N.H. 03055
Member's Names and Addresses:
1. Brian Chenevert - President (see above)
2. Paul Bunnell - Vice President (see above)
3. Karen Jean [Majka] Mica - Secretary
Box 307 West Warren, MA
4. Shelley Janet Bordreau - Treasurer
Gilbertville, MA.
Vermont Secretary of States Office
[Stamped] 2009 April -7 AM 11:53 [April 07, 2009]
03. 12. 2009 Paid $97.00
Page [2.]
Incorporators Printed Name & Signature
Nathan E. Pero ..... Nathan E. Pero
Howard F. Knight Jr. ..... Howard F. Knight Jr.
This filing cannot be changed for any reason without the use of the Turtle Clan Stamp and the Cowasuck of North America Corporate Seal with shows the continuity of the Koasek Traditional Council of the Sovereign Abenaki Nation (today's filing - 12 March 2009) as successor organization to the Cowasuck of North America.
Witnesses:
Nathan Pero
Tribal Council Member
Howard F. Knight Jr.
Ret'd Chief - Senior Advisor
