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Thursday, September 7, 2017

Thomas F. Snizek ("Tomo Woundedbear") Documentation

I haven't posted on the blog in a while, so it's now time to do so.

Recently, I have been looking at how various person's who claim to be "Abenaki" or who self-identify as "Abenaki" have (since the mid-1970's) gone from being a member of one group claiming to be an "Abenaki" "tribe" within Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, etc and become a member of another group, and another group, and another group, gaining membership cards over time, much like 'stamp collecting' ...

So, my first of many entries, is pertaining to a man who calls himself "Tomo Woundedbear" ...


He claims to be an Abenaki Chief, and an Abenaki himself. I met him in Port Cartier, (near Sept-Îles, Québec, Canada up on the Gaspé Peninsula area) in July of 2002. I was going to the Midewiwin or the Grand Medicine Society ceremonies, a first for me, since my Elder was traveling from the Olympic Peninsula to this ceremony as well. I traveled with Thomas Dostou and Thomas Snizek, both of the Fall River, MA area. We met with Kanucas Littlefish [Kenneth Durant] in Montreal, where he had arrived by airline, and we drove in a van driven by Tom Dostou, along one side of the St. Lawrence River, and cross over and headed toward the mouth of ... an interesting trip to say the least ... 

Myself and Gilles Francoeur / Truheart in Sept-Îles, Québec, Canada in July 2002


Unnamed (on the right) Innu Firekeeper of the Mide Lodge -  Robin Robert Greene, Sr., Iskatewizaagegan #39 Independent First Nation, Ontario ... Mauchibinance (Ma-Chi-Biness) Moose Dotem (May 16, 1932 - April 25, 2009) and his wife Kee-way-tin-abek Kathleen Greene. The Innu People I remember kindly, whom I had met while up there the two days ... this young man of the community was committed in his tending the sacred Mide fireplace. The young people all help in their community.

Robin Robert Greene Sr.Obituary
Robin Robert Greene Sr. Obituary #2


Denis "Wolfsong" Desrosiers from Lachute, Québec, Canada - Anahee and Gilles.


"Danny?" - Denis "Wolfsong" Desrosiers - Anahee Francoeur / Truheart

[Both Gilles Truheart and his wife Anahee were wonderfully kind]

During this event, Mr. Thomas Snizek a.k.a. "Tomo Woundedbear" pronounced that he was an Abenaki Chief, that he himself was an Abenaki ... stood right there in front of that Midewiwin sacred fireplace ...

In April of 2014 I received an email from a person who was from Québec, Canada inquired after they had read this blog, and encountered my previous mention about Thomas Snizek of Fall River, MA and Somerset, MA.

They provided a genealogical mapping of Mr. Snizek, showing that he had NO NATIVE ANCESTRY. 
(I was not shocked, considering this research on this blog since 2009) but I didn't really concern myself with the man, until this previous week.

Recently encountering two letters from Vermont Archives (within the Petition for Federal Recognition by the Abenaki Nation of Vermont of / at the Missisquoi, St. Francis - Sokoki Band group, led by the now-deceased Homer Walter St. Francis Sr. and his daughter April (St. Francis) Rushlow - Merrill of Swanton, Franklin County, Vermont) regarding Mr. Thomas F. Snizek Jr. of Somerset, MA, I began to evaluate his claims, assertions and so on, over a span of years 1992 - 2017

First, I began evaluating the genealogical mapping that was shared with me back in November 2014.

Thomas F. Snizek on nosorigins.qc.ca

So this isn't "just me" having a hair across my arse, "attacking" someone who "claims" to be and who "self-identifies as" an "Abenaki" I am not the only person who has had questions and concerns about this particular person's claims and assertions of being an "Abenaki Chief" and an "Abenaki" person.

So let us go down this "Abenaki" rabbit-hole regarding "Tomo Woundedbear" and see where it takes you, the reader(s) of this blog ... 




December 04 1992
Northeast Woodlands – Coos Band Abenaki Republic – Algonkian Confederation
Pisowakamigw Wobanakiak Membership List
Howard Franklin Knight Jr. Group based in Orleans County, Vermont (apparently, Thomas F. Snížek and family (wife Paula and son Joshua) Snížek were members of this pseudo-"Abenaki" group within Vermont.

Card# 701 Thomas Snížek
Card# 702 Paula Snížek
Card# 703 Joshua Snížek

So, Mr. Tomo Woundedbear went from Howard F. Knight Jr.'s group, into the Paul Pouliot's group in ca. Dec. 1992  (right about the time that shit began to the fan, with the Sherry DeVee child custody situation out in California, that involved Paul Rene Tamburro, Howard Knight Jr, Paul Pouliot, and Homer St. Francis Sr. etc)


December 02, 1994
Cowasuck Band – Abenaki People – Leadership (led by Paul Wilson Pouliot)
Regional Representatives –
Massachusetts:
Thomas Snizek
2211 Riverside Avenue
Somerset, MA 02726
(508) 673-9051


 August 12, 1996
From: Mr. Thomas Snížek
To: Mr. Paul Wilson Pouliot
Dear Mr. Pouliot,
As a result of our discussion at the Attleboro POWWOW, I am sending this formal letter demanding to be removed from the Register of the Cowasuck-Pennacook Band of Abenaki People. This demand for myself and my family is to be considered binding and effective as of the date of your receipt of this letter.
I sent an earlier statement of position and request for removal, but received no acknowledgement from your office that my name and my family member’s names were in fact removed from your register. Your lack of response has prompted me to respond with this formal letter of demand.
I hope we can accept each other’s views with mutual respect and part amenably, but at this juncture in the history of the Abenaki, I believe this choice to be the correct one for me and my family.
Sincerely Yours, Mr. Thomas Snížek (Chief Wounded Bear)
Thomas Snížek (Chief Wounded Bear)
Please remove me from the register of the Cowasak-Pennacook Band of Abenaki Thomas Snížek (Chief Wounded Bear)
Please remove me from the register of the Cowasak-Pennacook Band of Abenaki: Paula Snížek
Please remove me from the register of the Cowasak-Pennacook Band of Abenaki: Joshua Snížek (Joshua White Fox)


September 13, 1996 
[Received by the above date] Ms. Holly Reckord, Bureau of Indian Affairs / BAR
1849 C. Street, N.W. Washington, District of Columbia
“Dighton Intertribal Indian Council – The Council Oak” Letterhead stationary
The Dighton Intertribal Indian Council, P.O. Box 34, Dighton, MA 02715
From: Thomas Snížek [also known as Tomo “Wounded Bear”]
Dear Ms. Reckord,
Enclosed you’ll find a copy of a formal letter [SEE LETTER dated August 12, 1996] that was sent Paul Wilson Pouliot (Spirit Hawk, Sagamore of the Cowasuck Band of the Abenaki, which is based in Franklin, Massachusetts).
My family and I have asked to be taken off their rolls because we now belong to a band of Abenaki in Vermont (Mazipskwik).
So my family and I would appreciate not being considered when and if they petitioned the B.I.A. for federal status.
Thanking you in advance,
Chief Thomas Wounded Bear (Thomas Snížek)

[The Traditional Mazipskwik & Related Bands Inc., led by Connie Brow and David Gilman, a spin-off group from the Abenaki Nation of Vermont, of/at Missisquoi, St. Francis-Sokoki group Homer Walter St. Francis Sr – led in Swanton, Franklin County, Vermont … this group is now defunct, as the 501(c)3 organization ‘went belly up” … the membership list of this group was transferred to the Abenaki Tribe at Nulhegan ~ Memphremagog / Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nation led by Luke Andrew Willard and now Donald Warren Stevens Jr. group (the latter group that came into being in ca. 2004 out of the Clan of the Hawk, Inc. members based out of Brownington, Orleans County, Vermont)]

For your consideration and thought:
So, after examining these two documents, of which Mr. Thomas Snížek submitted in August and September 1996, it would appear that he joined one group based in Franklin, MA led by Paul Wilson Pouliot and Paul’s wife Linda (nee: White), then left that group, while at the same time (or before his resignation) joined with his family, to another group based in Franklin County, Vermont, led by Constance Brow and David Gilman, which was a spin-off of Connie’s cousin, Homer Walter St. Francis Sr.’s group in the same town … 

Evaluation: 
What Mr. Snizek had done back in the fall of 1996 is not unusal for faux "Abenakis" of Vermont or it's surrounding states. Created incorporation's by person(s) claiming and self-identifying "Chief's" "Medicine men" etc has been like opening up a shop on the corner to sell their BS concoctions to anyone that will listen, is desperate, or is gullible, then or today in 2017. Mr. Snizek went "Band" shopping ... like one would do stamp collecting, in which to legitimize his "Abenaki" created persona. He was re-enacting (playing a role) of an Indian/ Abenaki at Fort Ticonderoga and now he needed a membership card in an faux "Abenaki" group claiming to be a "tribe" for those who were and are naive and gullible as to the merits of his created "Abenaki" persona, and the integrity of that group's membership card(s). Raymond "Looking Glass" Lussier had evaluated his genealogy and "cooked the books" and subsequently "approved" Mr. Snizek's genealogy for membership into Howard Knight's pseudo "Abenaki" group of frauds in Orleans County, Vermont. Mr. "Looking Glass" Lussier must not have done much research or looking into Mr. Snizek's genealogical background.

July 2002 -


Mr. Gilles Francoeur in Sept-Îles, Québec, Canada (to the very left in the photograph).
Thomas F. Snizek "Tomo Woundedbear" in the center of the photograph.

April 05, 2007


Henry Richard Snizek "had a strong spirit of adventure and delighted in stories of pirates plying local waters and tales of Native American history even more, especially considering our family's Abenaki Indian ancestry. A member of the Dighton Intertribal Council, he served as keeper of the fire at annual powwows. He was also proud of his role and fond of the camaraderie he experienced as a member of the Wolf Tail Drum." 
[written by Rick Snizek, son of Henry R. Snizek, nephew of Thomas F. Snizek Jr.]

April 16, 2009
PRESERVATION OF EASTERN ALGONKIAN CULTURE AND EDUCATION, LTD.
REGISTERED BUSINESS
Business code: 000999725
Officers:
Registration: April 16, 2009
State ID: 000999725
Business type: Nonprofit Corporation
Members (6):
Robert Ernest Charlebois (President)
153 Plymouth St., Carver, MA 02330
Paula J. Snizek (Treasurer) 
2211 Riverside Ave., Somerset, MA 02726
Thomas F. Snizek (Clerk)
2211 Riverside Ave., Somerset, MA 02726
Frank Cochise Zerambo (Director)
1 Valley St., Providence, RI 02909
Coo Teh Hey (Director)
12 Ella St., Westerly, RI 02891

Evaluation: 
Robert E. Charlebois was in fact Donna Louise (Carvalho) - Moody's first husband whom she divorced 1995; she's now married to John Scott Moody of Sharon, Vermont, and both Donna and John created and operate the "Winter Center for Indigenous Traditions" Incorporated.


Thomas F. Snizek a.k.a. Tomo Woundedbear

August 28, 2011 - 


Thomas F. Snizek at the Nulhegan event August 2011

August 2013 –


Nulhegan Powwow in Vermont.
[Now a member of the Nulhegan group?]
On what genealogical documented basis?

APTN Video by Brian Francis



2014 -

Chief Thomas Woundedbear
Panawampskewi (Penobscot Person)

"Penobscot Person" ?

Summer 2015 -

Donald Warren Stevens Jr. and Thomas Snizek (seated)
At the Wabanaki Confederacy in Shelburne, Chittenden County, Vermont
(where apparently these two like to pretend they are Abenakis)

(Photo by Josh Snizek)

"Tomo Woundedbear" Thomas F. Snizek tattoo's
Apparently the Mt. Kearsarge Museum in Warner, N.H.
(likes to exhibit non-Native "self-identifying / self-proclaiming "Abenakis")

March 19, 2016
Amazon.com Review
Abenaki Warrior: The Life and & Times of Chief Escumbuit
By Alfred Kayworth

 

Thomas Snizek stated “Very informative, great deal of dates and other information. 
Things that an Abenaki myself did not know about.”

September 23, 2016 

Donald Warren Stevens Jr. and Thomas F. Snizek
Wabanaki Confederacy
Campobello, NB

[Don Stevens former member of the Swanton, VT group]


Wale Idris Ajibade - Chief Red Eagle - Chief Tomo Woundedbear
Campobello, New Brunswick, Canada
2016 Annual Wabanaki Confederacy Conference

Wale Idris Ajibade and Thomas F. Snizek 

Wale Idris Ajibade and Donald Warren Stevens Jr.

Jim Taylor Swift Fox El-Nu "Cherokee / Abenaki" Wanabaki 2016

February 21, 2017
https://issuu.com/african-views/docs/african_views_report_on_the_his_imp.

CREDITS & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We thank the following: We thank the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty Oba Ada Okika: In charge d’ Affaires Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the Tomo Wounded Bear, Condoled Chief of the Abenaki people of New England United Nations Indigenous peoples and Tribes of the Americas to the United Nations.



Chief Tomo Wounded Bear of the Abenaki Federation were joined by other African Kings and other native chiefs to perform a ceremonial welcome to their ancestral shores out of respect and honor for His Imperial Majesty, Oba, Dr. Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, the Ooni of Ife (in picture above) on June 10, 2016 at the African Union Permanent Observer to the United Nations in New York. The program was organized by African Views in partnership with the United Indigenous peoples and Tribes of the Americas to the United Nations and supported by various partners including UNESCO and CARICOM. 

NOW, that you have followed this man, Thomas F. Snizek this far, let us delve even deeper, into his genealogical background ... which was mapped out by a researcher in Québec, Canada, and subsequently (again) document-for-document, mapped by my person last week.

1. Jacques Richot b: about 1683, South Berwick, York County, Maine
d: April 8, 1729, Ste. Michel d' Yamaska, Yamaska County, Québec, Canada
married Elizabeth Dubois b: February 21, 1683, Cap de la Madeleine, Champlain County, Québec, Canada m: September 23, 1703, Ste. François du Lac, Yamaska County, Québec, Canada
d: January 17, 1742, Ste. Michel d' Yamaska, Yamaska County, Québec, Canada
[Jacques Ritchot was the son of Richard Nason and Shuah Colcord. He was born in South Berwick, ME In 1682, a group of French militiamen and Abenaki Indian warriors raided Sturgeon Creek where the Nason family lived and brought many villagers to Canada as hostages. Jacques was among them. His father was killed, his mother later remarried to John Douglas in ME. He was baptised Jacques Ritchot in 1691 (he was about 8 or 9 years old). His name was a french translation of his father's first name. His mother was called Suzanne Calquet in the baptism record. Naturalized French May 1710.
He grew up in Ste. Francois-du-Lac, probably in the Crevier family who employed him and married Elisabeth Dubois-dit-Brisebois.]
His Father: Richard Nason b: 1649 in South Berwick, York, ME 
His Mother: Shuah Colcord b: 12 JUN 1660 in Hampton, Rockingham
2. Joseph François Richot b: March 27, 1713, Ste. François du Lac, Yamaska County, Québec, Canada d: August 1, 1748, Ste. François du Lac, Yamaska County, Québec, Canada
married Marie Anne Giroux b: August 12, 1717, Beauport, Montmorency County, Québec, Canada
m: October 14, 1737, Laprairie, Laprairie County, Québec, Canada d: June 16, 1789, Ste. Michel d' Yamaska, Yamaska County, Québec, Canada
3.  Joachim Michel Richot b: August 12, 1743, Ste. Michel d' Yamaska, Yamaska County, Québec, Canada d: December 30, 1819, Ste. Michel d' Yamaska, Yamaska County, Québec, Canada
married Charlotte Couturier b: March 18, 1745, Ste. François du Lac, Yamaska County, Québec, Canada m: Ste. Michel d' Yamaska, Yamaska County, Québec, Canada d: December 28, 1776, Ste. Michel d' Yamaska, Yamaska County, Québec, Canada
4. Joachim Richot b: July 14, 1770, Ste. Michel d' Yamaska, Yamaska County, Québec, Canada
married Thérèse Victoire Joyal dit Lafrenière b: December 30, 1773, Ste. François du Lac, Yamaska County, Québec, Canada m: February 11, 1793, Ste. Michel d' Yamaska, Yamaska County, Québec, Canada
5. Joseph Richot b: October 6, 1799, Ste. Michel d' Yamaska, Yamaska County, Québec, Canada d: November 1, 1886, Ste. Germain de Grantham, Drummond County, Québec, Canada
married Geneviève Chapdelaine dit Larivière b: November 16, 1798, Ste. Michel d' Yamaska, Yamaska County, Québec, Canada m: February 5, 1821, Ste. Michel d' Yamaska, Yamaska County, Québec, Canada d: December 15, 1868, Ste. Michel d' Yamaska, Yamaska County, Québec, Canada
6. Narcisse Richotte b: January 16, 1835 Ste. François du Lac, Yamaska County, Québec, Canada d: June 7, 1920
married Clarisse Marotté dit Labonté b: May 8, 1838, Ste. François du Lac, Yamaska County, Québec, Canada m: November 22, 1859, Ste. François du Lac, Yamaska County, Québec, Canada d: July 1, 1892, Fall River, Bristol County, Massachusetts
7. Joseph Richotte b: November 21, 1865, Ste. François du Lac, Yamaska County, Québec, Canada d: February 20, 1934, Cranston, Providence County, Rhode Island
married Philomène Kirouac b: September, 1869, Province of "French" Québec, Canada m: January 19, 1892, Fall River, Bristol County, Massachusetts d: March 11, 1934, Fall River, Bristol County, Massachusetts
8. Wilfred Richotte b: October 10, 1900, Fall River, Bristol County, Massachusetts
married Alfeda Gagné b: January 9, 1901, Fall River, Bristol County, Massachusetts m: September 6, 1919, Fall River, Bristol County, Massachusetts d: August 23, 1965, Fall River, Bristol County, Massachusetts
8. Lillian Richotte b: December 12, 1921, Fall River, Bristol County, Massachusetts d: October 20, 2013, Fall River, Bristol County, Massachusetts

She married Thomas F. Snížek Sr. b: October 26, 1915, Fall River, Bristol County, Massachusetts m: July 28, 1938, Fall River, Bristol County, Massachusetts d: January 6, 1972, Fall River, Bristol County, Massachusetts
8a. Barbara Phyllis Snížek b: March 10, 1939, Fall River, Bristol County, Massachusetts d: November 18, 1988, Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts
married Bruce (Beava) Arthur Burton b: December 25, 1937, Fall River, Bristol County, Massachusetts d: February 18, 2007, Fall River, Bristol County, Massachusetts
8b. Thomas F. Snížek Jr. b: May 26, 1944, Fall River, Bristol County, Massachusetts



As anyone can review, evaluate and investigate themselves, none of Mr. Thomas Snizek's ancestors lead back to Abenakis, or even Native Wabanaki People's along this land. Rather, they go to Austria (probably Hungarian or Polish), and his late mother Lillian (nee: Richot)

September 05, 2017
Face Book Conversation from Thomas F. Snizek and Douglas Lloyd Buchholz:

"I spent my whole like involved in Native life."
"All I can say in my defense is what I've been told my whole life."
"I was a chief of an Inter Tribal group and was made a Chief in a Ceremony in a Mide'wnwim Lodge Ceremony … Traditional Chief (Spiritual Chief)."
"I will travel to see you when I come back, is that good enough? I was elected a Chief in Dighton in 1995 and was made a Chief in Ceremony 2012 thereabout."
"All I know it what I have been told by my Mother."

Douglas Buchholz: I would like to confirm that Lillian Richot was in fact your mother, and that Thomas F. Snizek Sr was your biological father as well … genealogically speaking....

"They are and were."

"Well my friend ... Like I said, I will contact you when I get back home. And if what you say is true, then I have been lied to my whole fucking life … really fucking great. See you then."

As a SIDE NOTE:

July 1988 -
White Wolf (Lee Maddox), Chippewa Elder Obituary:
White Wolf (Lee Maddox), a member of the Sault Sainte Marie Chippewa, passed away at the age of 65 years of age He was born on the Chippewa reserve, and was a graduate of La Salle High School in Michigan and the Rhode Island School of Design. During the Korean War, he was a Master Chief Petty Officer and served with the Navy "Seabees" (Construction Battalion) for thirty years.
He was also a civil engineer for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, a position from which he retired in 1996 due to his heart condition. In addition, he served for two terms on the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Commission of Indian Affairs. He founded the Dighton Intertribal Council in l989, was its Acting Chief until l997 and has continued as Elder Chief. During his term, the Council was given the Town Hall Building on Rte 138.
White Wolf gave many lectures to civic organizations regarding Native American culture and frequently visited classrooms of children throughout the New England area. He is survived by his wife Libby, three daughters, Lisa, Lee and Debra and a son Anthony. He was to be a grandfather in September.
His funeral will be held on Monday July 13, 1998 at eleven in the morning at: Birchcrest, 189 Gordon Neck Road, Swansea, Massachusetts, followed by burial at Dighton Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St Joseph's Indian School in Chamberlain, South Dakota, 57325.

If the late Lee "White Wolf" Maddox was the founder of the Dighton Intertirbal Council in 1989, and was that organization's Acting Chief until 1997 ... how could Mr. Thomas F. Snizek be elected as that organization's Chief, all while being a member of Howard Franklin Knight Jr's group in Vermont, and subsequently, Paul Wilson Pouliot's group based in Franklin, MA [now based where the Pouliot's live in Alton, NH], and then the Swanton, VT, based Mazipskwik group, and very likely the Nulhegan group based in Orleans County, Vermont now ?


Mr. Snizek claims he was made a Chief in a Ceremony in a Mide'wnwim Lodge Ceremony … Traditional Chief (Spiritual Chief) ca. 2012." 

NO GENEALOGY, NO COMMUNITY, NO ABENAKI, and he's a "Chief of the Abenaki"?

Does anyone in N'dakinna SMELL the BULL SH** yet?

Does anyone in N'dakinna SEE the CREATED "ABENAKI" PERSONA yet?

In conclusion, per this evaluation, it would appear that with the sacred ceremonies of the Midewin, as well as the Wabanaki Confederacy, wherein apparently ANYONE can present themselves as an "Abenaki" and or an "Abenaki Chief" ... and with a click of the heels and wave of the hand ... taaah daaaaah ... 

NOW they are entering into Native Museum's across N'dakinna.
NOW they are entering into the United Nations across N'dakinna.
NOW they are entering the Sacred Spiritual Lodges across N'dakinna.

REPRESENTING the WABANAKI.
REPRESENTING the ABENAKI.
REPRESENTING themselves.








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