Articles of Amendment Form AHA "Abenaki Helping Abenaki; David Skinas on A.S.H.A. Inc. Board of Directors; Fred Wiseman Ph.D. and Eugene St. Onge with Luke A. Willard; Etc:

Page [1.]

N-25565
VERMONT SECRETARY OF STATE CORPORATIONS
MARCH 08, 2007  11:26 AM
Articles of Amendment Form
Domestic Non profits and Cooperatives
CORPORATE NAME:
AHA "Abenaki Helping Abenaki"

APPROVAL BY DIRECTORS OR INCORPORATORS:
Dawn Macie
Nancy Cote
Luke Willard

(a) 3 members to vote on amendments.
(b) 3 votes were cast for each amendment with no disputes on either. amendment. Member's who voted were Chad Abbott, Gail Girard, Candace Dague.

CORPORATION PURPOSE:
Cultural

NAME:
Dawn Macie

Page [2.]

N-25565 Continued....
VERMONT SECRETARY OF STATE CORPORATIONS
MARCH 08, 2007 11:26 AM
Articles of Amendment Form

TITLE:
Registrar/ Trustee

SIGNATURE:
Dawn Macie
DATE: March 07, 2007

FEE:
$25.00 / Note: In the event that there is a problem with your application give us an email address or a phone number so that we can serve you faster. Please file in duplicate.

Dmacie_1959@comcast.net

VERMONT SECRETARY OF STATE

Deborah L. Markowitz

Corporation Information

Corporation Name:
NULHEGAN BAND OF THE COOSUCK-ABENAKI PEOPLE INC.

Corporation Status:
Terminated

File No:
N-25547-0

Type:
Vermont

Corporation Description:
NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBAL ENTITY

State of Incorporation:
VT

Fiscal Month End:
12

Registered Agent:
DAWN MACIE

Address:
P.O. Box 1251

City State Zip:
DERBY LINE VT 05830

Officer 1: DAWN MACIE
Officer 2: LUKE WILLARD
Officer 3: NANCY COTE

Principal Street Address:
322 ELM ST, APT 2

City State Zip:
DERBY LINE VT 05830

Terminated:
06/06/2008 [June 06, 2008]
Above accurated as of 01/22/2011

INTERVALE CENTER

BURLINGTON, VT

http://www.intervale.org/

2008 ANNUAL REPORT

Page [3]

The Missisquoi Abenaki - Intervale Center Alliance

The Intervale Center and Chief April St. Francis Merrill of the St. Francis Sokoki band of the Abenaki Nation of Missisquoi formed a partnership in late 2007 to ensure that all ground disturbing activities planned by the Intervale Center would not adversely affect any Native American archaeological deposits, traditional cultural properties, sacred sites, and unmarked Abenaki burials.
The Intervale contain one of the best collections of ancient Native American archaeological sites known in Vermont. Native peoples lived within the Intervale for at least the last 5,000 years and perhaps longer, first in small seasonal encampments and later in semi-sedentary villages as cultivated foods became a more reliable and significant food source. The Intervale produced a vast amounty of animal, plant, and riverine resources that attracted ancient groups to this area to collect seasonally available foods and other needed resources. As agriculture developed, these people were able to harvest corn, beans, squash, and other cultigens with surplus foods stored in deep pits dug into the floors of their lodges. The earliest evidence of agriculture in the Intervale was documented during an archeological study of the Donahue site where charred corn kernels were radiocarbon dated to approximately 1450 AD. To this day Abenaki families continue to collect Intervale plants for food and medicinal purposes and fish the river.
The Missisquoi Abenaki will continue to work with the Intervale staff and board to protect these important sites. In the spirit of this partnership the Intervale Center offered a suitable repatriation plot to Chief April to reinter human remains found along Mallets Creek because it could guarantee perpetual protection of these burials through the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board easement. In July of 2008 three sets of human remains were reinterred on Intervale Center property in a remote and protected location.
--Chief April St. Francis Merrill, Abenaki Nation of Missisquoi, St. Francis/Sokoki Band

--David Skinas, Abenaki Self Help Association Incorporated, Intervale Center Board Member

Monday, June 9, 2008 10:06 PM

From: "Jdowbasket@aol.com" Jdowbasket@aol.com Judy Dow

To: vcnaa@earthlink.net, dseale@mac.com, ngallag49@hotmail.com, aseyler13@gmail.com, RickPouliot@gedakina.org, lbrooks@fas.harvard.edu, cowasuck@worldpath.net, douglaslloydbuchholz@yahoo.com, rob.evans@state.vt.us, Carey.Hengstenberg@state.vt.us, Scott.Dillon@state.vt.us, John.Brabant@state.vt.us, jbanks@penobscotnation.org, Besanigw@aol.com, ETPVT@aol.com

Subject: Intervale

Hello everyone,

As you know, I have been working very hard for the last five years to protect the Intervale land, the Winooski River and the descendents of Moccasin Village living at the Mouth of the Winooski River. The destruction that occurs on Intervale land is unbelievable. The true story cannot get out. The "good stewards of the land" have made it almost impossible—Intervale Center's Public Relations program and funds provided by the Chittenden Solid Waste District (public funds) and wealthy board members are too large to compete with. I have given updates of the destruction at many Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs meetings and our website has kept you posted with the press releases. The Commission has supported me 100%. The Commission and many others have been appalled by the destruction, lies and deception the people from the Intervale Center have exhibited.

The battle for land survival is quite intense right now. The Attorney General's office, Agency of Natural Resources, Department of Historic Preservation, Chittenden Solid Waste District, Intervale Compost Products and many, many lawyers have been regularly meeting to figure out how they can keep the ICP there for two more years without doing any monumental damage to sites. There have been 14 archeological reports done on the Intervale and human remains have been found there, which were not allowed to be reburied in the Intervale; instead, they were brought to Missisquoi for reburial.

ICP has currently dug five ponds to collect over 1,000,000 gallons of leachate. This leachate is runoff from the tens of thousands of tons of manure and food waste collected each day. These ponds were dug without any permits and one was dug on the archeological site where the human remains were found. According to Jane Lendway, State Historical Preservation Officer, less than 1% of this land has been studied. All reports state that this is the most highly sensitive land in the state. Yet digging continues daily. In addition, the 13-plus acres of compost and the five leachate collection ponds are located in a floodway. FEMA and the State of Vermont clearly state that there is to be no building or digging of any kind in a floodway. About the leachate: it is high in arsenic, lead, phosphorus and E.Coli bacteria. The latest ICP test results show Coliform at levels of 14,000,000 mpn/100mls and E.Coli levels at 2,400,000 mpn/100mls. Now, just imagine that overflowing during a flood into the Winooski River some 500 feet away and down to Lake Champlain, a mere five miles downstream.
Although I received a letter from Kit Perkins Intervale Center's previous executive director, stating that she "would not allow any digging past the depth of a plow's disturbance,” digging to place irrigation pipes underground and building stockade fences and hoop houses with hundreds of three-foot holes is a regular occurrence. I monitor

and photograph grading, excavating and digging on a regular bases, some on known archeological sites and many on sensitive land that has yet to be studied.

The struggle to save our burial sites and prevent environmental destruction is not enough.
We now we have to compete with lateral oppression to save the land. The Intervale Center puts out an annual newsletter called “Explorer.” This week, Explorer 2008 came out and inside the cover was a letter from April St. Francis. I have copied her letter here for you to read:

Working together to protect ancient Abenaki heritage sites

The Intervale Center lands contain the best collection of precontact Native American archeological sites known within Vermont. Native peoples have lived within the Winooski Intervale for at least the last 4,000 years and perhaps longer, first in small seasonal encampments and later in semi-sedentary villages as cultivated foods became a more reliable and significant food source.

The Intervale produced a vast amount of animal, plant and riverine resources that would have attracted ancient native groups to this area to collect seasonally available foods and other needed resources. As agriculture developed these people were able to harvest corn, beans, squash and other cultigens for winter storage in deep pits dug into the floors of their lodges for easy access. To this day, Abenaki families continue to live in the area surrounding the Intervale and continue to collect selected plants for food and medicinal purposes and to fish the river.

The Abenaki Nation of Missisquoi has been aware of and has had many dealings with archeological site issues in this area since the 1970’s before the Intervale Center was created. The Abenakis’ intent is to work with the Intervale’s staff and board to protect these sites and to live in harmony with our neighbors. We feel we can work through any issue by sitting at the table with one another and discussing the concerns we all have. Developing a strong and long-lasting collaboration between us will go a long way towards solving any challenges that may arise in the future.

Chief April St. Francis Merrill

Abenaki Nation of Missisquoi

St. Francis/Sokoki Band

April St. Francis Merrill has been trying to allow the Intervale Compost Products to continue operation in its present location. April has denied my heritage in public newspapers. She has met with ICP and CSWD people to state that I am not Abenaki and that this is her homeland. I know April is very knowledgeable but this is not her homeland. She does not know this land, she doesn't know the corn grinding stone, the sacred caves, the plants, the animals, and the fish, where the ancient chestnut and butternut fields are or where Cat's Island or other burial sites are located. I don’t think she knows how destructive her actions are. I don’t think she cares. She doesn't know the test results show the leachate is high in contaminants and that ICP wants to spread it on the fields adjacent to the river. She doesn't know that the Intervale operation is the biggest story of “greenwashing” Vermont has ever seen. She doesn't know all this because this is not her homeland. I have lived here for 54 years. I'm tired of April’s trying to prove who she is by making accusations against everyone else. Heritage doesn't matter—the land is crying for help. The ancestors are crying for help. But April doesn't know this either.
Judy Dow

Page [1.]

Why Can't All People of Abenaki Heritage be Recognized?
One hundred years ago, people of Abenaki hertiage had to hide their cultural identity in order to fit into the primarily European white culture that had invaded North America. My husband's Abenaki people had to lie on their children's birth records and on their own marriage certificates and families felt the need to even lie death certificates in order to protect their families, and again to "fit in" with the main stream culture. The Abenaki people did not live in large organized groups, bands or tribes as this would call more attention to them. In order to survive they formed small based tight knit bands.
Now fast forward to the year 2008. My husband is of Abenaki heritage and is proud of it. Neither he nor his Abenaki relatives have to hide their heritage but they now face a more hideous problem. It is now Abenaki against Abenaki. The Western Abenaki Elders of the Swanton based St. Francis/Sokoki band refuse to recognize other people of Abenaki heritage. Three years ago, their Chief April Merrill repeatedly told use that while the Abenaki were in the process of attempting to obtain Federal Government Recognition, that their enrollment was "on hold" and would remain so until the lengthy process was completed and until recognition was hopefully obtained.
Even after the Abenaki received state recognition, they failed to attain the federal recognition that they felt was so important. Chief Merrill was never able to fully explain why enrollment was frozen during the federal process. After speaking with many other Abenaki people it became apparent that the freezing of membership did not help to attain federal recognition. In fact, it would make more sense that there would be strenght in numbers, the larger the Abenaki nation the more influential and stronger it would become.
After Ms. Merrill kept membership at a standstill for two years because her band was so busy attempting to submit materials to revert the federal government's decision that that the Abenaki were not recognized, I decided to write to the BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs) because I wanted to further understand its decision to deny recognition of the Abenaki. I recieved a several hundred page document from the BIA which included copies of materials that the St. Francis/Sokoki submitted as well as the BIA's lengthy response and decision. One vital piece of information which Ms. Merrill does not want the public to know is that the BIA is never going to give the Abenaki federal recognition, for a number of reasons but most importantly that they failed to prove that the Abenaki have lived continually in the United States. It is well documented that the Abenaki periodically moved between the USA and southern Quebec in an effort to avert sickness and the anglo europeans.
If Chief Merrill is going to freeze enrollment for membership until federal recognition is received she can continue to keep many true Abenaki people in limbo making it impossible for them to be recognized as members of the Abenaki Nation. There is something wrong with this lack of process and even more

Pag [2.]

wrong is to give such power to an individual who'se only desire is to further the interests of the St. Francis/Sokoki band. Her actions are reminicent of a former St. Francis band chief - Homer St. Francis, wanting to do as the chief pleases and thinking that it is the only way, much like a spoiled child.
This has become apparent after I read a recent article in the Burlington Free Press regarding Abenaki Bands voicing opinions on recognition and related issues. Merrill is pushing for the Swanton band and the Koasek Band of Newbury to receive recognition. It was not long ago that the former Koasek Band Chief Nancy Millette [Doucet] and her band was not viewed as being recognizable. The Koasek even invited my husband and his family to apply for membership in her Band and that in order to do so any affiliation or application to join any other band would need to be formally retracted. Now all of a sudden the Koasek and St. Francis/Sokoki have joined forces. Will this benefit all Abenaki peoples or just these bands that have the loudest voices? Why should other bands have to go through any different scrutiny or recognition processes? Why aren't Merrill and Millette fighting to support all Abenaki peoples? What about the Nulhegan Band of the Northeast Kingdom; or the Coos Cowasuck Band; or the Mazipskwik Band; or the Obomsawin Band; or the Alnobak Nebesakiak Band; or the MANY Abenaki individuals that are either formed in small family based bands or for whatever reason are not connected to a recognized band? Don't all documented Abenaki people have the same rights? Is this like a 'caste system' with the St. Francis/Sokoki and Koasek at the top of the pyramid with the other Abenaki people trickling down the pyramid? I thought the days of the Abenaki being second class citizens were over but now it is a few bands that want the prestige, power and control over the rest of us. No one Abenaki band is better or should be more powerful than the others. The Abenaki NATION; all of its bands, clans and documented individuals must join together because that is where there will be strength not only for its present day peoples but also for its future generations.
In the Burlington Free Press article, Ms. Merrill states that "she doesn't trust the commission to decide which bands should be recognized. She also refuses to be represented on the Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs because members were not required to prove their heritage. Merrill cannot have it all her own way. She doesn't trust this commission yet the commission was formed shortly after the Abenaki received state recognition in an effort to aide them. She doesn't want to be represented on the commission but she wants to complain about it. Rather than work to improve the commission and to give another viewpoint she would rather question the members heritage. Why should all members of the commission have to be Abenaki? The heritage of members of other commissions is not questioned. The important factor is that members must be willing to fight for the causes of the group while being fair and equitable to all individuals and groups being represented.

Page [3.]

Ms. Merrill questions the heritage of the commission members. She should focus her energies on reviewing membership applications and in acknowledging Abenaki people who are proud of their heritage. I still do not understand why she is not interested in increasing the membership of her bands and the Abenaki Nation. Why doesn't she want to lead a larger membership? Perhaps the commission needs to investigate this. Is she afraid that her current band is going to lose out on something (?) or that the pie will have to be cut up smaller if there are more members? Just what is she attempting to hide? Instead of the commission focusing on recognizing bands so that they can market their work they should investigate what is tearing the Abenaki nation apart.
"Ginney" from Johnson, Vermont wrote the above 3 page letter

Fwd: Fw: New VT Bill ... H.569
Date: Tuesday, February 09, 2010 9:27 AM
From: ETPVT@aol.com [Ralph Skinner Swett]
To: cowboy@pshift.com

From: wobanaki@kingcon.com [Howard F. Knight Jr.]
To: etpvt@aol.com [Ralph Skinner Swett]
Sent: 2/8/2010 1:58 PM
Subject: Fw: New VT Bill ... H. 569
Kwai Kwai Ralph,
Below is the House Version of the House of Rep's Abenaki Recognition Bill, # 569 as promised FYI [For Your Information]. The best to do is to kill this bill and let it join the Senate verion in the File 13 basket [garbage]. Hopefully! Let them know that this is unacceptable without ALL of the groups that are headquartered and/or incorporated here in Vermont. Also, how can a group like the Nulhegan Band be a historical group WHEN IT IS a breakaway group from the Clan of the Hawk in 2004-2005? There is now way that it computes logically or otherwise.
For Fred Wiseman to claim it is so, he is totally wrong. The same goes for the El Nu as they have only one person who has any Native Lineage that I am aware of, and that is a proven fact by a genealogist. Also, Nancy Millette Doucet, a self-proclaimed Chief of 73 of her family members (all are non-native per the genealogist), herself, has NO NATIVE lineage, and a DNA test (she had one last fall and now claims that it proves she is native) but the truth be known, a DNA test, WITHOUT the Genealogical proof to back up the DNA test, IT IS WORTHLESS. That simple and no arguments becauset hat is the gospel truth.
Respectfully Yours,
Howard
P.S. Be Well, Stay Well, and Treat Yourself Well.

---Original Message---
From: Brian Chenevert
To: [Redacted by someone, Howard Knight?]
Sent: Monday, February 08, 2010 11:17 AM
Subject: New VT Bill ... H.569
I am somewhat confused by this bill

MY RESPONSE:
Here one can review that Howard Franklin Knight, Jr. was directly communicating with his appointee's/ created "Chief's" Ralph Skinner Swett of the Clan of the Hawk, Inc. and also Brian Chenevert of the Koasek Traditional Band of the Koas, Inc.

Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Fred Wiseman & Eugene St. Onge
From: Luke Willard firstnationslw@yahoo.com
Subject: Fred Wiseman & Eugene St. Onge
To: Fred Wiseman wisem@vtlink.net, ellenblood169@comcast.net
Fred M. Wiseman Ph.D,
I'd like to introduce you to Eugene St. Onge. he is a Nulhegan Abenaki and a Ceremonial Leader in our community. You mentioned a short time ago that each band should appoint a tribal official to conduct ceremony, etc. Eugene is an intellectual and very well spoken. I have relied upon him, recently, for counsel. I'd appreciate it if you'll keep him informed of events that may require or benefit from an Abenaki/Alliance presence whether it be ceremonial, spiritual, etc ... you know what I mean. Eugene will be there and will become a familiar face and recognized ceremonial leader. Eugene has earned my respect and trust.

Eugene St. Onge,
I'd like to introduce you to Professor Fred Wiseman. Fred is the Vermont Indigenous Alliance Coordinator. As you know the Alliance consists of the Nulhegan, Missisquoi, Koasek and Elnu Abenaki tribes. Fred is an historian, author, and scholar. He has the best understanding of the Vermont Abenaki that I've come across. He has become a trusted consult and a dear friend. He is an intellectual warrior and a wise man. I trust his counsel. Fred is leading the official fight for recognition on behalf of myself and the other chiefs.

On a personal note ... please try to include Grandfather Philip Thibault as much as you can and when it is convenient to him (and while we still have him). He is a Nulhegan and holds a special place in my heart and was close to Grandmother Nancy.
Cheers,
Chief Luke Willard
Abenaki Nation
Nulhegan - Memphremagog
Vermont Indigenous Alliance
(802) 766-4725 Home
(802) 751-5043 Mobile

RE: Fred Wiseman & Eugene St. Onge
From: Fred Wiseman wiseman@vtlink.net
Thursday, March 04, 2010 2:57 PM
Subject: Re: Fred Wiseman & Eugene St. Onge
To: 'Luke Willard' firstnationslw@yahoo.com, ellenblood169@comcast.net

Hello Eugene St. Onge,
Good to have someone from Nulhegan in the ceremonial role -- I value Luke's counsel and will be sure to include you in all that we plan and do.

Luke Willard,
Wow, I remember Phil Thibault way back when he worked for the railroad, then met him again at a ceremony in St. Albans in 1989. Lot of water of the dam since then. I will think of him, if you could give me a contact phone or email for him.

Fred M. Wiseman Ph.D

Meeting of Nulhegan Council March 13, 2010
Due to the absence of Luke Willard the meeting was called to order at 2:10 PM by Billie Largy. The following people were in attendence:
Forrest and Kathy Cheney
Linda Caron
Allen Bluto
Billy Largy
Linda Smith
Frank Cheney
Mary Poulin
Fran Bernier
Anna Bernier
Richard Green
Nancy Green
Phil Thibault
Gail Gerard
Nickie St. Onge
Eugene St. Onge
Ellen Blood

The purpose of the meeting was to elect officers to vacant positions on the Council and elect a Sub Chief. A motion to elect Eugene St. Onge to the Sub Chief position was made by Billie Largy and seconded by Frank Cheney. All in favor. Billie conducted the oath of office.
The motion was made to elect someone to the Tribal Council. Gail Gerard nominated Dana Cheney and Maria Cheney seconded the motion. All in favor.
Dana Cheney mentioned that he would like to see us all go to the state house to support the recognition bill. There was a little discussion regarding the bill. Dana would like to see us keep growing in numbers.

The meeting was adjourned at 2:30 PM
Respectfully Submitted by Ellen Blood, (Acting Secretary)

Next meeting will be Sunday, March 21, 2010 at Grandfather Philip Thibault's house at 12:00 PM Noon.
We will celebrate the Solstice - Bring Pot Luck

Meetings, Cards, and more...
From: Luke Willard firstnationslw@yahoo.com
Sunday, July 25, 2010 12:49 AM
To: Grandfather Phil gfatherphil@hotmail.com, Eugene St. Onge ellenblood169@comcast.net, Billie Largy spiritwolf_1@comcast.net
Cc: Ed Davis vtbeermug@yahoo.com, Richard Green greengo@fairpoint.net, Dana Cheney fdcheney@myfairpoint.net

Kwai Kwai Grandfather Philip Thibault, Billie Largy, and Eugene St. Onge,
I have purchased the high quality Tribal ID cards that I designed along with the laminating and other materials necessary to issue the ID's. They will be in my possession no later than August 16th, 2010. If I understood Eugene St. Onge correctly, he has made some cards to give to certain members. I understand that many people have waited a long time for ID's. However, a card that does not brandish the seal and the chief's signature is not valid.
ID cards have been a thorn in my side for many years now. Those cards seem to be more important to people than anything else. Well... now they shall have them.
Pan-Indian rituals do not make people Abenaki. I am working with the Alliance chiefs and coordinators to help bring back and relearn the real Abenaki customs and traditions. I have offered land that the tribe may utilize to build a longhouse, hold events, and a community garden. I challenged our tribal council to focus on self sustainability and community. I believe there it is MORE important for us to encourage our own to learn our true culture than it is to present Pan-Indian culture to outsiders who believe they are learning about Abenakis. How can we promote cultural awareness in the surrounding communities if we do not truly understand our own culture?
I'm going to arrange a tribal council meeting. I hope you both will support these goals and encourage the elders and families to encourage their own to step up to the plate for the sake of our future. The ONLY item on my agenda as chief of the Abenakis of the Nulhegan and Memphremagog watersheds is to ensure that its continuity is unbreakable and protected from harm. I promisted this to Grandmother Nancy (nee: Cote) Rolls and I hope you both will help me to honor that.
Communication is key. My phone number is below, I check my email frequently, and I love company.
My Best,
Luke Andrew Willard

Chief Luke Willard
Abenaki Nation
Nulhegan - Memphremagog
(802) 754-2216 Home

August 19, 2010
Luke Willard
Nulhegan Band

Dear Luke,
Eugene St. Onge would like to hereby state that he no longer wishes to hold the office of Sub Chief to which he was elected. He no longer feels that the Nulhegan Band benefits from his participation and has a conflict of interest with the First Nations Bear Clan which is first in his heart.
The Bear Clan has discussed in depth the participation in the Nulhegan Band and all of the people are in agreement that our participation in the Band would be difficult as we are on different paths. Conformity is not a strength the Bear Clan possesses.
We hope that Creator leads us all to the place we all need to be in unity, peace and love.
Respectfully,
Eugene (Big Wolf) St. Onge
First Nation Bear Clan

Francis E. Cheney
Donna Cheney
Marie Cheney
Philip Thibault
Billie Largy
Kathy Cheney
[unknown]
Gail Girard
Mary E. Girard (Baraw)
Forrest Cheney

Luke Willard
158 Whiting Lane
Brownington, VT 05860

Dear Luke,
Attached you will find two letters and several signed names which have been notarized. We hope that you will honor this request and return all documents associated with these names and remove them from your rolls.
You can gather all the information and meet Eugene and Dana in Newport at a designated spot and they will return the information to their rightful owner. Please return all records by August 31st, 2010.
The names on the signed letter are as follows:

Francis E. Cheney
Donna Cheney
Marie Cheney
Philip Thibault
Billie Largy
Nicki St. Onge
Kathy Cheney
Linda Smith
Ellen Blood
Gail Gerard
Mary Gerard - Baraw
Forrest Cheney

Billie Largy's card is enclosed and her son Allen will be forwarding his card. If you need any assistence or have any questions please feel free to email Eugene St. Onge or call.

Thank you,
Eugene Big Wolf St. Onge
The People of the First Nations Bear Clan

August 25, 2010 Return Reciept

Article Addressed to:

Luke Willard

158 Whiting Lane

Brownington, VT 05860

MY RESPONSE:

REMEMBER the email the 'late' Nancy-Lee (nee: Cote) Rolls sent to Philip Thibault dated July 01, 2006 at 1:29 PM?

LINK: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_hqC5V9v2WXg/TUJ3eYSJUmI/AAAAAAAAIGg/EhkvmY7AW38/s1600/47.+July+1+2006+Pg+1+of+2.jpg

Below is the transcription....

[Handwritten: "For Grey Wolf (John K. Lawyer) and Mike (Delaney)]

From: Nan Lee okemes@adelphia.net
Sent: Saturday, July 1, 2006 1:29 PM
To: "Phillip Thibault" gfatherphil@hotmail.com
Subject: Re: agreement

Grandfather, like I said praying will make things clearer... It has been said to me that Connie Brow is the one that closed the Mazipskwik to begin with, and at this point is for this change. Does she have anthing more to do wit hthe Mazipskwik? If she is still in cahoots with April [nee: St. Francis - Rushlow - Merrill] that means she is in favor of chiefs', sub-chiefs' etc. This is not and will never happen with the Nulhegan Band. [Remember these words from Nancy-Lee Cote - Rolls, because she contradicts herself later in her communications!]

And grandfather, Luke Willard is being watched closely, by everyone from the first group [Clan of the Hawk, Inc.'d or North American People of the Dawn, Inc'd] as well as this group now. He has no idea of this and is worried about his genealogy at this point in time. ...

[I'd be worried too, if I'd made up some concocted confabulation that I was related allegedly to the Otondossone/Watso families of Odanak, Quebec, Canada] LINK: http://www.nedoba.org/gene_fake.html#swassin

I just hope that things will be settled soon, one way or the another.
Love to you and yours,
Nanny [Nancy-Lee nee: Cote - Rolls]

MORE OF MY RESPONSE:
So what it appears to be, is that the 'late' (now deceased) Nancy Cote-Rolls was NOT IN FAVOR of "Chief's" nor "Sub-Chief's" at all. Regardless in several of her communications at a later time's she seems to contradict her statements. Was she making up the rules and regulations as she went along with these other people? Yet upon her death, Luke Andrew Willard (who she had "issues" with in 2004 ... very shortly after the "Nuhegan-Coosuk" Incorporation was sanctioned by the State of VT Secretary's Office in Montpelier, Vermont) assumed the position of "Chief" of this incorporation and began calling himself a "War Chief".

Some Abenakis individually have served in War's since the Revolutionary War, such as the War of 1812, the Civil War, World War 1, and World War 2, the Korean War (I think), the Vietnam War, and subsequent "Conflicts" and War's since. But not as a majority of Abenaki People against another people or Nation. So WHY are these people in these incorporation's, calling themselves "War Chief's"? Is it that merely "incorporation's" Presidents who call themselves "Chief's" and so on, simply competing and slanderously fighting one another, that they need these positions they call "War Chief's"?

IF Luke Andrew Willard was honestly respectful and honorable to Nancy (Cote) Rolls, then WHY is the man, creating a Sub-Chief and calling himself a "Chief" after her death, if he HONORS her memory and position? I think she knew he was a hot-headed egotisitically hungry younger man, who lusted after POWER and CONTROL in his inflated EGO and his false sense of Self-Importance within the incorporation. He preyed on her at the very last, assuming a position within the incorporation, that in all liklihood if her health was sustained, she would not have approved of Luke Willard as Chief of anything!

Vermont Senate (Vincent Illuzzi & Company) Attempts to SILENCE Abenaki Voices:

From: "Denise L. Watso, NY" ab8naki@earthlink.net
Date: February 2, 2011 3:03:27 PM EST
To: ab8naki@earthlink.net
Cc: "'Jacques T. Watso'" jackowatso@hotmail.com, "'Richard Bernier'" richard-bernier@peoplepc.com
Subject: VERMONT SENATE ATTEMPTS TO SILENCE ABENAKI VOICES
Reply-To: ab8naki@earthlink.net

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
VERMONT SENATE ATTEMPTS TO SILENCE ABENAKI VOICES
February 2, 2011

On January 25, 2011, Sen. Vince Illuzzi invited Richard Bernier, Denise Watso, and Jacques Thériault Watso, representatives of the Abenaki people, to testify before the Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs regarding S.10 and S.11. These bills would extend official state recognition to two applicant organizations who claim to be Abenaki, a position which is not supported by the evidence.

On January 31, 2011, the Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs informed Mr. Bernier that it had rescinded its invitation - only Vermont residents would be allowed to provide "direct oral testimony."

This attempt to silence the Abenaki people is in direct opposition to Abenaki history and to our aboriginal rights. Some of us have our primary residence in Vermont, and many others live in Quebec, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire and elsewhere. However, Vermont has been part of our homeland for thousands of years. We will not abandon our nationhood - something much larger than one state - because legislators are scared to hear from the true indigenous people of the Champlain Valley, the Green Mountains, the Connecticut River and the shores of Lake Memphramagog.

What are they so afraid of? Why must they attempt to silence our voices, and deny us our aboriginal, civil, and human rights? Why can't they look us in the eyes and hear our voices as we speak in defense of the truth of Abenaki history and the need for justice and respect? What are they so afraid of?

For more information, contact:

Richard Bernier, Liaison, Abenaki First Nation
richard-bernier@peoplepc.com
802-249-5431

Denise L. Watso, Liaison, Abenaki First Nation
ab8naki@earthlink.net
518-334-3101

Jacques Thériault Watso, Councillor, Abenaki First Nation
jackowatso@hotmail.com
450-568-2810

LINK: http://reinventedvermontabenaki.blogspot.com/2009/12/odanak-band-council-letter-august-16.html

Odanak

August 26, 2002
DARTMOUTH COLLEGE
Hanouver, New Hampshire

To whom it may concern:

It has been brought to my attention that your college has documents and/or tapes of our abenaki language. There are people who are fraudulently representing themselves as Abenaki and who wish to extract these records for their own gain. One person in particular, Mr. Paul Pouliot, who claims to be of Abenaki descendance, but cannot prove it.

These records were taken from Odanak many years ago and should not find their way into the wrong hands.

I am sending this letter with my designated representative, Mr. Richard Bernier, who is an Enrolled member of the Odanak reserve. He is also speaker for our Odanak Abenakis' of Vermont.

As a First Nation's People, we wish to preserve our culture for our own children and have artifacts, language records and anything else that your college may have, NOT be allowed to stray into the wrong hands.

Respectively,
Gilles O'Bomsawin, Chief
of the Odanak Band Council

Odanak

September 25, 2002

Richard Bernier

Odanak Abenaki's of Vermont

35 Abenaki Drive

Newport, Vermont

05855

Kwai, Richard,

In the past six (6) months, it has been brought to our attention that fraudulent means are being used to gain access to Monies, Grants, etc. ... that should be going to Native Americans. This is happening in the United States by people using OUR Abenakis name and Heritage to make these false claims.

We, the Odanak Band Council, are asking you and your Council in Vermont to look into this matter for us. We find it very unethical that even your State and Federal Governments would allocate funds to these parties without positive proof that they ARE of Native American ancestry. It is hard enough in these troubled times for those of us who ARE First Nations People to deal with Governments, without intrusion from those who wish to play Indian.

We ask that you invistigate these matter in any way you deem necessary, even if you need assistance from AIM (American Indian Movement) in order to bring the truth out about those people who continue to exploit OUR Abenaki Culture and Heritage in a false manner. This includes the making and selling of crafts, CD's etc. that are NOT made by Native Americans who are status natives. I understand you have a federal law in the United States that prohibits this, but your Government does nothing to enforce it.

Please contact me, so we may set up a meeting date on these important issues.

Wli wni,

Gilles O'Bomsawin, Chief

Odanak Abenaki Reserve

Resolution De Bande d'Odanak/ Odanak Band Resolution
#Chronologique GOB-046003-04.
Dated September 29, 2003
Province de: Quebec.


Decide, par les presentes:
"While we recognize that the Band Councils of Odanak and Wolinak issued resolutions in 1976 and 1977 recognizing the St. Francis/ Sokoki Band of Abenakis as a group of Abenakis living in the United States, we also recognize that these resolutions were not based on any genealogical or historical evidence linking these "St. Francis/Sokoki" to our Abenaki and Sokoki ancestors.

We also recognize that the number of organizations claiming to being Abenaki in the United States and in Canada has increased greatly since that time, again without genealogical and historical evidence presented to this Council.

Therefore, we resolve that the Couseil de Band d'Odanak does not recognize at this time any organizations claiming to be Abenaki First Nations in the United States or Canada, with the exceptions of our brothers and sisters at Wolinak and Penobscot. We, of course, also recognize our fellow Wobanaki First Nation- the Passamaquoddy, Malecite and Mi'kmaq.

We further resolve that organizations claiming to be Abenaki and particularly their leadship, are invited to send their genealogical and historical documentation to the Conseil de Bande d'Odanak, so that we might review the information to assess whether or not there is any truth to their genealogical claims.

Let it be resolved, that Chief Gilles O'Bosawin sent letters to the Conseil de Bande di Wolinak, to the Penobscot nation and to the Grand Conseil de la Nation Waban-aki, encouraging them to pass similar resolutions."
Quorum (3)
Chef Gilles O'Bomsawin
Clement Sadaques, Conseiller
Michel Hannis, Conseiller
Eddy O'Bomsawin, Conseiller
Denis Gill, Conseiller.

MY RESPONSE:
IF these "Abenaki" incorporation's of Vermont and New Hampshire are indeed "Abenakis" then WHY are these "Abenaki" Corporations so hesitant to show and provide their genealogical connection(s) to the Historical Abenaki People, to the VT Legislature and the Vermont Public?
HIDING their genealogical connection(s) of their ALLEGED and REINVENTED Abenaki Ancestor's because as a majority, these "Abenaki" incorporation's claiming to be Abenaki Tribes and or Abenaki Bands, are nothing of the sort; thus these groups have to hide their genealogies and "sensitive" information, because if these groups did not redact their lies and distortions, the TRUTH would be known to the Vermont Public just what a fraudulent scam is really going on with this "VT Indigenous Alliance of Alleged and Reinvented Abenakis".

Burlington Free Press Article Regarding the Legal Situation of April St. Francis-Merrill

Prominent Abenaki leader

accused of exploiting vulnerable adult

BY MIKE DONOGHUE, FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER •
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2011
April St. Francis Merrill, chief of the Missisquoi Abenaki tribe based in Swanton, is facing a charge of exploitation of a vulnerable adult by manipulating his financial records, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department said Wednesday.
Merrill, 42, of Highgate is due for arraignment March 14 in Vermont Superior Court in St. Albans on the felony charge, Sheriff Robert Norris said.
Attempts to reach Merrill were unsuccessful Wednesday afternoon.
Norris said "several thousands of dollars" were involved during a 4½ year period involving bank and credit-card accounts while Merrill was taking care of the financial business of an elderly man.
Norris said his office received a complaint last summer from Adult Protective Services about "what appeared to be some suspicious activity in his personal bank account."
Norris said the call came into the sheriff’s office because it patrols Highgate. He said during the past several months Detective Kevin Bushey conducted the investigation, which wrapped up Tuesday when he issued Merrill the court citation.
Franklin County State’s Attorney Jim Hughes, who will be responsible for prosecuting the charge, also could not be reached for comment.
Contact Mike Donoghue at 660-1845 or mdonoghue@burlingtonfreepress.com

Franklin County, Vermont Sheriff Norris is actually a cousin relation to April St. Francis-Merrill. She is a 4th cousin once removed of Robert Wayne Norris. Her mother, Patsy Partlow-St. Francis (the late Homer Walter St. Francis Sr.'s wife) is 3rd cousin twice removed of Robert Wayne Norris. Sheriff Robert Wayne Norris (who signed the legal papers against April Merrill) is a descendant of Almeda (nee: Covey) Norris > Almeda's father was Stephen Covey > Stephen Jr.'s mother was  Elizabeth Jane (nee: Partlow) Covey > Elizabeth's parents were James Partlow and Eleanor "Lany" Van Dyke.
Elizabeth's sibling was Charles Henry Partlow, who is mentioned in the Office of Federal Acknowledgment. Some in April's "St. Francis/Sokoki group inc.'d" claim he (the Partlow line) was an Abenaki. April's mother, Patsy St. Francis, is a Partlow descendant through her father. I have yet to verify that or review ANY clear and convincing documentary evidence documentarily or otherwise of that assumption that he, Charles Henry Partlow (or any of his family) were "Abenakis".
Yet, I do wonder if this Sheriff Robert Wayne Norris of Franklin County, Vermont knows of his relationship to April St. Francis-Merrill? If he does, I ponder whether he has a Inc. St. Francis-Sokoki Band Membership Card issued by either the late "Grand Chief" Homer St. Francis Sr, the late "Tribal Judge" Michael Delaney or from "Chief" April A. (St. Francis) Merrill stuck in his wallet? I also doubt it, that April's Membership Card or Chief-li-ness would be "cut in two" with a pair of sissors, because she has now been charged with a felony; and what will happen when she is possibly convicted of such charge, in a court of law? Will Dr. Frederick Matthew Wiseman Ph.D take over and assume the Chief-li-ness position of the incorporation or will "Chief" Donald Warren Stevens Jr. assume the position for both Nulhegan Inc. and the St. Francis/Sokoki Inc. group(s)? It does make one wonder. I know the late Homer St. Francis Sr. was a felon, and he didn't loose his 'status' in having his "Plastic Card" cut in two by his "Tribal Judge" ... I guess since he was in charge (as is his daughter April) the rules and regulation's only APPLY to OTHER PEOPLE, holding their created Plastic Abenaki Membership Cards to their incorporations? Just something for people to think about....April A. (nee; St. Francis) Rushlow - Merrill is accused of allegedly manipulating his (the "elderly man") financial records" quote...


What other FINANCIAL RECORDS has this "Chief" of this Incorporation manipulated? Gaining funding yearly, from the Department of Education, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Agriculture? What else has she been "hiding"?! I think it is about time someone in the Judicial and I.R.S. Agencies actually INVESTIGATE and PROSECUTE this organization and ANYONE who was involved in it, for any possible criminal activities that have happened. Isn't the Sheriff "cousin" to April Merrill? It would seem that "someone" or some persons "close to her" has been covering up a lot of "dirt" for Mrs. Merrill in years past and recently! That just my opinion and thinking on the matter. No, I am not trying to imply or infer that Sheriff Norris has been or is "protecting" April Merrill but someone has been, to my thinking. It's the opinion of many people, that it was "just a matter of time" before this "Chief" and her cronies were exposed for what's REALLY truthfully been happening. And what has been not so truthfully been going on, for years. It's been going on for years, this "Abenaki" Identity Theft Scheme. Their Shell Game shifting around of Grant Funding monies to benefit a select few families and or person's, within each of these incorporation's. What about Jeffrey Benay and his "involvement" with Title VII Indian Education funding? He supported and allied with April Merrill for MANY years; and how about all the person(s) who did the organization's financial records too, right along side April Merrill?


MAYBE this is why Frederick Matthew Wiseman Ph.D caters to these other Inc.'d organizations (EL-NU, NULHEGAN, KOASEK), "getting distance from April Merrill" ... simply to keep himself and his "Indian" "Abenaki Scheme" going, KNOWING full well what April Merrill has been doing and she became a liability to him, as well as to Donald W. Stevens Jr. as well? As one would say, "jump from one incorporation to another, like as if it were a ship sinking". Recently I received this photograph of Frederick M. Wiseman PhD by email....

Frederick Matthew Wiseman Ph.D

ALLEGED and REINVENTED "Abenaki"

of the

St. Francis - Sokoki Band of the

"Abenaki Nation"

Incorporated
~

No matter what his Johnson State College Students

created for him to wear....

the "BS Filter" works!

The good Professor is NOT "who he presents himself to be"

He is not "who he claims to be either"

~REMEMBER~

He supported and supports April A. St. Francis-Merrill

with this concocted and confabulating

"VT Indigenous Alliance"

INCORPORATION'S

"birds of a feather, flock together"

Breaking News!!! "Chief" April Ann (nee: St. Francis) Rushlow - Merrill of the St. Francis/ Sokoki Abenaki Incorporated has been (JUDICIALLY CHARGED) ARRESTED FOR ALLEGED "EMBEZZLEMENT FORGERY AND FRAUD"!!!!

St. Albans, Vermont - February 1, 2011
The leader of Vermont's largest Abenaki band INCORPORATE is in trouble with the law.
The Franklin County Sheriff's Department cited ARRESTED April St. Francis-Merrill for exploitation of a vulnerable adult. Investigators say she stole several thousand dollars from an elderly man while handing his finances over the last several years. She allegedly used the money for personal expenses.
St. Francis-Merrill is the chief of the St. Francis-Sokoki Band INCORPORATE.
Matt Henson - WCAX News
SOURCE: http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=13950728

MY RESPONSE:
This is NOT a surprise to my family (and A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE) whatsoever. This current developing judicial situation is just the tip of the iceberg of the alleged embezzlement, shell-game scheme's, and the "Just-For-Us" business that has been going on since the mid-1976 time-frame regarding the St. Francis/Sokoki - A.S.H.A. (Abenaki Selp Help Association) Inc.'d bunch! Right along with this "VT Indigenous Alliance"

It's a pathetic shame that these people who claim to be Abenaki Tribes and this "leader" (the Alliance's Spokesperson) allegedly stole, forged names, etc, against their own reinvented and allegedly "Abenakis". Well, all I can say is that April Merrill is a "chip off the block" (like her father, the 'late' Homer St. Francis once said), and the rotten apple doesn't fall far from tree! This also goes for all of her concocted "VT Indigenous Alliance" Inc. Groups too.

~

The S.222 Abenaki Recognition Bill  should NOT have been passed at all in 2010; nor should the two Legislative Bill's 85 & 86  regarding the Nulhegan and EL-NU groups (who are petitioning for Abenaki Tribal Recognition) be passed under any circumstances.

It will be yet another HUGE MISTAKE.

Because ALL of these incorporated groups claiming to be Abenaki Tribes or Bands within VT, NH, MA, and RI, are from this same ilk (fraudulent foundations) as one would say... "Birds of a Feather, Flock Together" ... Hinda Miller and Vincent Illuzzi both support April Merrill and this concocted "Abenaki Alliance".

April A. (St. Francis) Merrill is a part of this confabulating "Alliance" and so isn't Frederick Matthew Wiseman Ph.D, Roger "Longtoe" Anthony Sheehan, John Scott Moody, Donna (nee: Roberts) Moody, David Skinas, Luke Andrew Willard, Nancy Millette-Doucet, Nancy Cote-Rolls, Dawn Macie and Jeff Benay (to name just a few that support and ally with April Merrill).

Other people associated/allied with and to "Chief" April St. Francis Merrill are Jeanne Lincoln-Kent, Paul Pouliot, Sherry Blanchard-Gould, Howard Franklin Knight Jr., the 'late' Walter Watso, and a whole lot of other people too, both inside Vermont and also New Hampshire.

It is "Abenaki Identity Thieves" and "Liars" are who are approaching the State of Vermont and New Hampshire Legislature's in 2011 (yet again, as they did in May of 2006 regarding S.117).

Of course, there already are a few Legislative "Thieves and Liars" amongst those in power ... at the Montpelier, Vermont State Legislature (as well as in New Hampshire's Legislature as well) I am sure, who support and ally with these so-called "Abenaki" "Chief's" and or "representatives" claiming to be "Abenakis".

Again, WHY did Nancy (nee: Millette) Cruger-Lyons-Doucet go from Littleton, NH ... to Twin Mt, NH ... to Lancaster, NH ... and then on to various other communities with her "Abenaki" horse and pony shows that she entitled her "Sagakwa"/ "Nawhila" Pow-wow's.

I betch'a dollars to donuts, IF someone were to INVESTIGATE her (Nancy Millette-Docette) financial affairs as a NON-PROFIT INCORPORATE Organization ("White Bison Council" and her "White Pine Association") that perhaps she was taking lesson's on "paying herself" - and paying for her own "personal expenses" ... just like her buddy "Chief" April A. (nee: St. Francis) Merrill up in Swanton, Vermont?

What about elderly Burton DeCarr and his  monthly SSA funds? Isn't April Merrill his Legal Guardian and his Payee, for his Social Security Disability monthly payments as well?

What about that Federal Tax Lien for the $15,020.27 dollars USD on the so-called "Tribal Center" in February of 2008, because April Merrill didn't pay I.R.S. the withholding taxes for her employee's? April Merrill was caught when one of her employee's filed a disability claim for a spinal injury, and the I.R.S. said that the employee didn't pay into the system therefore she couldn't recieve the help she needed, and the employee proved that she had IN FACT, paid into the system; and that "situation" proved that April St. Francis-Merrill didn't pay forward to the I.R.S., those employee"s withheld funds. Later, after another woman Carol Ann (nee: Ebare) Louko - Delorme (April's Secretary who supposedly "kept the financial books" for ASHAI) passed away on December 31, 2007 in her Grand Avenue home in Swanton, Vermont. April conveniently blamed everything on the deceased secretarial employee, if I remember correctly.

Carol Ann (nee: Ebare) Louko - Delorme was born on July 21, 1940 in St. Albans, Franklin County, Vermont ... she was the daughter of the late Richard and Anna (nee: Hakey) Ebare. She was married to John Herbert Louko who predeceased her on March 18, 1979. She later married to Kenneth John Delorme on August 06, 1983, and he predeceased her on November 04, 1997.
As an active member of the Abenaki Nation of Vermont, Carol had been extremely involved, for many years working with the Abenaki Self Help Association, Inc. She also served as a valued elder, member of the tribal council, was a delegate to many conventions, and was very involved in the process of State and Federal Recognition of the "Abenaki" People. She was also valued and hardworking member of the Abenaki Repatriation Team.
Carol was considered the Matriarch of her family was always there in a non-judgemental way whenever a need should arise.
Carol leaves her children, Peter Ebare of Swanton, Anna Louko of George, Aina Louko and her husband Ben Odom of Apopka, FL, Arno Louko of Vergennes and Aimo Louko of Georgia; grandchildren, Celelana Ebare, Laura Smith, Katie White, Sara Ebare, Nicholas Odom and Ailee Odom; four sisters, Debbie Bergeron and husband Roy, Dorcas Pelletier and husband Peter, Bonnie Wilson and husband Tommy and Sheila Hilliker all of Swanton; one brother, Mike Maskell and his wife Peggy of Highgate; a special aunt and uncle, “Sis” and Harvey Amilhat of Swanton; a special niece. Melissa Greeno and husband Danny and special friends April St. Francis-Merrill, Marge Greenia, Melody Barratt and Jeff Sise as well as several additional nieces, nephews and cousins. She was predeceased by a sister, Minnie Greeno.

I do think this is the secretary, that was employed by April St. Francis-Merrill, who, after her passing, was the scape goat, who was blamed for fraudulent deeds, that she could not defend herself against. Allegations that she was the one who did not forward to the I.R.S. the withheld taxes of her fellow employee's, employed by Homer St. Francis, Sr. (and later by April St. Francis-Merrill herself).

In light of this "situation" being reported in the February 01, 2011 WCAX news this evening, it would not surprise my person, that the late Carol (nee: Ebare) Louke-Delorme might have be the innocent person here, and the alleged guilty party simply "pulled it off" knowing full well that a deceased secretary couldn't speak against the defamation and character assasination being done to her integrity and name.

Also Debbie (nee: Ebare) Bergeron (Carol's sister) ALSO works (or retrospectively worked at) for ASHAI as well, under the employ of April Merrill as WIA Director.

Here is a another particularly interesting document:

Someone NEEDS desperately to INVESTIGATE a lot more than just Louis Paul LaFrance's alleged FORGED SIGNATURE (he could not read nor write) and that Credit Card that was used to steal from him, allegedly up to $8,000.00 dollars USA (and possibly over that amount) for her "personal expenses" !!

Louis Paul LaFrance lifelong Highgate Springs, VT resident died October 02, 2010 at the Northwestern Medical Center, in St. Albans, Franklin County, Vermont. He was born at home in Highgate Springs on, November 26, 1937, he was the son of the late George Joseph and Addie (Rollo) LaFrance and attended school in Highgate Springs. He was associated for many years, working in road construction with, S.T. Griswold and F.R. Lafayette. He was also well known throughout the area working as a groundskeeper for The Tyler Place, Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge and for many of the local residents. An avid outdoorsman he was a member of the Highgate Rod and Gun Club and the National Rifle Association.

Louis leaves his sister, Velma Billado of Richford; two brothers, Carlton LaFrance and his wife Bertha of Highgate Center, his twin brother Lawrence LaFrance of Highgate Springs and several nieces, nephews, cousins and many friends.
In addition to his parents, Louis was predeceased by a sister, Dorothy Rhoden and two brothers Herbert and Harlan LaFrance.
A Funeral Service will be held Wednesday, October 6, 2010, at 11 a.m. from The Kidder Memorial Home, 89 Grand Ave. Swanton, Franklin County, Vermont.

What about that "particular house", that was bought with a Grant, to accomodate people visiting in the area that the St. Francis/Sokoki - A.S.H.A. (Abenaki Self Help Association) Incorporated was to use as a "Guest House"? The organization allegedly used some of the Grant Funding for the purchase of the house, allegedly pocketed the majority of the $$$$, and April St. Francis Merrill bought that house, for a mere single $1.00 USD bill.

Also, what about all the yearly federal Department of Labor funding, and also the federal Dept. of Agriculture funding too that has been funnelled up to Swanton, Vermont into this "Abenaki" group led by April Merrill all these years since 1976?

Identity Thieves of the Abenaki People, is the name of the game in 2011.

If the Vermont Legislature ASSUMES this is an "isolated situation", it is not. 

If the legislature allows these "Abenaki" incorporations bill's 85 and 86 to go through ... "officially recognizing" any of these "Abenaki" incorporations (who now claim to be Abenaki Tribes and or Abenaki Bands) then the lying and the stealing and the shell-game sheme's of manipulating Federal and State Grants, for their "own personal expenses" will continue most assuredly!

More News:
Journal of the House

Thursday, January 27, 2011
At one o'clock in the afternoon the Speaker called the House to order.
H. 124

To the committee on General, Housing and Military Affairs.
The Vermont Legislative

Bill Tracking System
Sponsor List for a Specific Bill or Resolution
2011 - 2012 Legislative Session
Bill: H. 0124
Title: AN ACT RELATING TO THE OFFICE OF NATIVE AMERICAN AFFAIRS
Sponsors:
Tom Stevens
Carolyn Whitney Branagan
Michel Consejo
Jim Masland
Kesha K. Ram
Kate Webb
SOURCE: http://www.leg.state.vt.us/database/status/summary.cfm?Bill=H%2E0124&Session=2012

Against The Darkness, An Intro to VT Abenaki Identity and Cultural Competency Through Ethnic Revitalization: Compiled by Frederick M. Wiseman, Ph.D Pages 10-17; "Certifying Indian Artists Under S.117 Abenaki Recognition Bill" By Frederick M. Wiseman Ph.D;

Page [9.]

1995 was the year when Missisquoi imploded, due to the demands of lawyers and researchers preparing an ongoing case for Federal recognition. Notification was sent to enrolled Abenaki citizens that they needed to upgrade their genealogical files so as to provide documentation of native ancestry. Many heretofore-loyal Missisquoi families, including many leaders, could not or would not provide this data. WHY did these persons obtain "membership cards" in the first place, if they did not have adequate genealogical documenation substantiating their "Abenaki" descent? They split from the original tribal organization [incorporation], gutting it of many capable and innovative officials [like Michael Delaney and his wife Ina]. This process was accelerated by a bungled attempt by political rivals to "take out" the feisty Chief St. Francis. So far, the regional decline has not been reversed, with the loss of many community cultural activities such as the harvest supper in October. The mid and late 1990's saw many politically unsound Missisquoi offshoots and independent community initiatives all over Vermont. For example, a politically metastable region formed around Newport VT generated by many individuals originally associated with Missisquoi in the 1980's; dividing, coalescing and re-dividing based on evanescent inter-personal relations. This process has yielded the Clan of the Hawk, Nulhegan Band, The Cowasuck-Horicon Traditional Council of the Sovereign Abenaki Nation, the Cowasuck (Coos) Traditional, and various "American Odanak" groups. The southern flank of the Abenaki area experienced a similar process with Cowass North America Inc, and more recently the "Pocumtuck Proper of the Confederacy Pocumtuck including those in VT as Abenaki".

EXACTLY... Reinvented and Alleged "Abenakis" of Vermont, NH, MA and RI etc.
Do Vermont Abenakis want revitalization?
This is an interesting and critical question. In meeting with literally hundreds of community [incorporate] members and discussing Abenaki issues throughout Vermont, I would estimate that most 21st century, self-identified Abenakis are at least aware of their identity and are therefore competent at the Phase I "gathering tradition" stage; perhaps 10%-20% are more or less operationally aware of pipe, smudging, pow-wow, etc. protocols so as to be classed as culturally competent at the Phase II "Pan-Indian" stage. But I would estimate less than 1% know or care about enough of their distinctive and collective American Abenaki history and culture to be classed as competent at stages beyond Phase II.
The prerequisite to an evolving indigenous Vermont cultural revitalization is a desire on the part of political and cultural leaders to commit to an inclusive effort that reflects the unique history and symbology of the American Abenakis. In the 1988-1993 period, there was a sense, shared by leaders and laypeople, that the Abenakis should move forward, as a whole community, to reclaim their lost heritage from Euroamerican sources. This was they [sic] heyday of the Abenaki Research Project, which was crucial to the Federal Recognition Petition; the numerous meetings surrounding a planned "Abenaki Cultural Center" that evolved into the Tribal Museum and Cultural Center; plans for annual meetings that became the "Abenaki Heritage Week Celebration," and other successful initiatives. Unfortunately, the actions of Vermont, Massachusetts and Quebec Abenaki leaders in the mid 1990's effectively ground this cultural progress to a standstill. Self-proclaimed Abenaki spiritualists attacked the friendship that had begun to grow between Vermont academics and the Abenaki community, estranging vital allies in the search for information in the ethnohistoric record so important to the revitalization process. Vermont's Native neighbors, from Akwesasne to Pleasant Point, tried to help restart the

 Page [10.]

process to move Abenakis into understanding their uniqueness and place in the Native world. They have found little welcome in Vermont. That is because incorporated "Abenaki" "Tribes" "Bands" and the membership card holding people were not and are not Abenakis in the first place.

Today the Missisquoi community tends to rely on its historical incorporation position in the development of the modern Want-To-Be Abenaki identity rather than actively pointing the way to an ethnically competent future that celebrates local and regional Abenaki uniqueness. Other emerging communities, usually revolving around individual charismatic leaders, seem uninterested in wider connections, or are too busy arguing with one another to be concerned with encouraging cultural or heritage literacy. The comprehensive failure of Vermont Abenaki leadership at all levels and all areas is especially evident in the inability of American Abenakis to effectively and cohesively participate in the Wabanaki Confederacy, Seven Fires Alliance, Wabanaki reburial and repatriation initiatives, the 1996-2006 State recognition process, and the various "unity" initiatives. The sometimes self appointed leaders of too many political organizations tend to distrust others and proclaim that their understanding Abenaki culture is the only "correct" way. This decidedly xenophobic belief is based on:

1.) a conviction on the part of these leaders that enough information is already at hand and that there is no need to look elsewhere, or

2.) a self-interested, innate distrust of data and materials generated and taught by other Abenaki organizations and

3.) leaders who feel personally threatened by "external" information and interpretations, and may condemn the information and its collectors.

This anti-intellectualism engenders a lack of interest in repatriation of lost data and artifacts; or the continuance of oral history research to detect and isolate cultural traditions unique to extant and emergent regional communities, or the Abenakis in general. This xenophobia may also alienate researchers, Native and non-Native, who could potentially offer new materials, information and counsel. One of the more egregious examples of this mindset was the squandering of generous grant monies meant for young Abenakis' ceremonial clothing. Rather than commit to making the best regalia for the youngsters, the leaders made minimal, but sufficient clothing, then boasted that they "pocketed" the remainder of the grant. When word of this action got out into the wider Vermont philanthropic community, it became much harder for Abenakis to access grant funds. This is just simply typical of what's on the agenda and the endeavor of ALL these concocted "Abenaki" incorporations claiming to be abenaki tribes or bands ... to line their pockets with Grant Funding from various sources in the name of their incorporation's representing "Abenakis" Since 2003, the situation degenerated further as some organizations attempted to gain unconstrained control over young Abenakis' learning by defaming other cultural organizations and their leaders.

From studying this dreary past practice in the current American Abenaki leadership, we must expect little new ethnic revitalization or participation from these groups, and only a lingering continuation of geographically inappropriate symbols, ceremonies and arts left over from the first and second phases of revitalization, perhaps in the best cases, mixed in with some newer data. As documented above, we can expect that alternatives will probably be apathetically ignored or seen as threats to the political power base established by these factions. Past experience also indicates that community leaders may attempt to wreck external initiatives unless they can be claimed as their own. But without the assistance of their increasingly apathetic constituencies and or increasingly estranged Euroamerican allies, today's leaders are becoming less effectual in thwarting the necessary new rounds of ethnic revitalization that seem to be arising in 21st century

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Vermont. However, we cannot rule out the very real danger that these people pose to the continued progress of Abenaki culture. But knowing the problem is part of the solution.

However, the ethnic revitalization situation is entirely different with many young Abenakis, especially high school and college students and "twenty something" professionals. Occasional older Abenakis, especially those who have only recently discovered their heritage, also reject past apathy and seek a measure of cultural competency. These people seem entirely unwilling to accept the apathy and anger of their elders and desperately want to know their collective Abenaki identity. However, their desire has its costs. In 2004, these young Abenakis were chastised and shunned, because of their desire to learn more about their cultural history and its place in the wider native world. Yet they persist against community and family rebuke. It is these brave people who will complete Phase III and IV.

Part Three

Indigenous ethnic engineering in Vermont?

Missisquoi has seen five or more bouts of "after-school or extracurricular" programs attempting to revitalize culture through young Abenakis learning, the second of which is seen in the prologue to the video. They last until funding and interest by adult supervisors wanes, or factionalism sets in, then the program languishes and fails because the Grant Funding is used up or misspent. In contrast, programs heavily subsidized by Euroamerica, such as the UVM "Summer Happening" recur year after year. Grass-roots Abenaki unity programs (such as that shown in the frontispiece), which include a revitalization-programming component, seem to quickly falter under the pressures of interpersonal rivalry. Scholars who understand cultural revitalization know that programming, in of itself, is not sufficient, the desire for change on the part of community leaders, and families must be cultivated, and agents against continued cultural growth must be neutralized or at least marginalized. These scholars use a recent term, "ethnic engineering," to describe the directed and structured application of culturally and geographically authentic (or near-authentic) information to solve problems in community identity. It necessarily uses data, as well as technology to achieve its well-defined goals. In this paper I propose the application of an ethnic engineering model that is, in part, the underlying paradigm of the Against the Darkness System.

Needs assessment:
In the old days the voice of young people was vital in Abenaki councils in that it was they who would bear the brunt of the decisions made in assembly. On April 17, 2004, a conference called "The State of the Abenaki Nation" was held at Johnson State College. As part of the Conference, a panel of young Abenakis from different families and regions discussed their feelings about the future. Among many enlightening thoughts, they pointed out that young Abenakis have consistently wanted to understand their culture and heritage from local resources, not through books. Furthermore, young Abenakis are fully aware of and deeply appalled by the factionalism and infighting that plagues their elders.

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In subsequent months, other young Abenakis echoed these sentiments time and time again. It appears that there is a vast desire on the part of young Abenakis for further ethnic revitalization, yet a distinct distrust of their elders in being able to "pull it off." This terminology "pull it off" sounds like "shoplifting an Abenaki culture and heritage that honestly does not belong to them; but these young reinvented and alleged "Abenakis" in their attempts to further their false "ethnic revitalization" and reinventing themselves, will do it regardless. Young identity thieves learn from their parents who stole an "Abenaki" identity for themselves just as easily since 1976.

Engineering design
If we accept the wisdom of the young in the design of a solution, then the task is clear.

Audience
First, the young, not their elders, must be the audience for future effective revitalization. Yet except for the example cited below, the young can only be accessed through their elders. Past practice (some examples cited above) indicates that community leaders, if they get wind of a new educational initiative that may undermine their authority, will certainly attempt to derail it. It is therefore extremely important that any proposed educational initiative be approved by a relatively broad group of adults more sympathetic to the young and education, and less sympathetic to power. This approval and access process has been the "weak link" in previous Abenaki ethnic engineering proposals. Most enlightened Abenaki children through high school at Missisquoi and elsewhere, tend to be in semi-organized or funded extracurricular groups under the watchful eye of adults generally linked to people who may be more or less defensive about their lore. An energetic public relations program, emphasizing the advantages of the revitalization plan, must precede any attempted educational initiative, and must be designed to be as non-threatening to entrenched power as possible. The repeated failure of adult-authoritative after school programming over the last three decades indicates that alternatives or enhancements to adult-generated programming must be sought. A possible alternative with great potential is empowering the youth to take a measure of control of their own revitalization. For example, Penobscot elder Watie Akins initiated the Abenaki Talking Circle, a program originally suggested by young Abenaki Brent Reader. The "Circle of Courage" Program is based on Lakota tradition of values; NOT Abenaki culture, heritage or values. The grass-roots cadre of high school college, graduate school, and young working Abenakis is not led by any adult, or even by any individual. It has advisors and coordinators, but no leaders. The programming and proposed activities are determined in council where all have an equal voice. This has led to beadwork instruction by master bead worker Cindy Gordon, dance practice, video screenings, participation in feature films by Alanis Obomsawin, and trips to other Indian reservations such as Akwesasne in New York. Such an endeavor may serve as a prototype for other, perhaps more organized initiatives.

Format
It would enhance the revitalization process if youth-oriented ethnic engineering initiatives were designed in a format that was trendy or interesting for youngsters, yet understandable, but only marginally fashionable for their elders. For example, when not in session, the Abenaki Talking Circle communicates via e-mail, and posts data and imagery via the Internet, or "burned" CD's exchanging images and music. However, the Wobanakik Heritage Center, the Against the Darkness System and other adult organizations provide, by request only of the Circle, data, guidance and contact information that is then converted into usable data by the group. This independent low-level youth based and directed activity decreases the potential for subversion of the information and the message by the fixed adult leadership. This activity indicates that the

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constantly and eagerly used world of "My Space" type chat rooms, pod casting, video and gaming, and web-casting and hyper linked emailing, routinely used by these youngsters, is barely tapped at a device for delivery of revitalization content. Abenakis have always been eager to acquire new technologies, and later treat them as traditional; from firearms and steel avow-points in the 1600's to wool trade cloth and seed beads in the 1800's. The revolutionary digital technology is no exception; as this is written, it is being used to fashion specific tools for ethnic defense and revitalization. The Against the Darkness System is a primitive step in this "digital" direction, but such initiatives need much more development if it is to meet the knowledge and emotional needs of the young.

But motivated young Abenakis also need to have a clear idea of what is authentic heritage and what is not, and most importantly, to have a "BS filter" so that they can evaluate sources or bearers of information. Anyone taking Fred M. Wiseman's work as being "legitimately scholarly" and unbiased, at least in my opinion, NEEDS a "BS Filter" against his created BS; even the O.F.A., of the B.I.A., concluded that! Assuming access to young minds is permitted by adult "gatekeepers" or sought by the youth themselves, any proposed ethnic engineering revitalization program must be extremely conscientious regarding the empirical data, inferences and interpretation, and the presentation curricula; certainly; more so than that required by the Vermont Dept. of Education for curricula meeting the Grade Cluster Expectations (GCEs). Only this care can give the next generation of Abenakis the necessary `BS filter" that they so desperately need.

Part Three

Conclusion

There are many existing, powerful sources for Vermont Abenakis to use to achieve individual and collective cultural competency; ranging from activities to classes, to readings, to talking circles and even the Against the Darkness System. However, there are social forces just as strong that work against cultural competency, including individual and community apathy, greed on the part of leaders, inter-personal and inter-group jealousies and rivalries, and a lack of community and financial support.
A combination of forces are converging in the early 2000's that point the way to a bright future for Abenaki renaissance: a mixture of
1) a geometrically increasing knowledge base of the Vermont Abenaki experience,
2.) traditional, adult-based teaching and programming,
3.) constantly augmented with grass-roots youth initiatives,
4.) enhanced by the increasingly powerful digital world of work-station and wi-fi portable computer, video cell phone, internet, interactive, High-Definition and standard video, computer and "play station-" type gaming, pod- and web-casting and 5.) the entirely untapped potential of "survival" type eco/cultural experiences, role-playing and period reenacting. Content, and audience are all in place. Data delivery systems are being refined. There is optimism that the ethnic engineering process discussed here will succeed. It is also possible that other solutions will present themselves. We all can hope.

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APPENDIX

Below is a treatise on Abenaki Identity, prepared by request for the Vermont House General, Housing & Military Affairs Committee given as testimony for state recognition in 2006. This document may assist in understanding the identity issues embedded in the revitalization process.

"Abenaki Identity"

By

Fred Wiseman, Ph.D.

Professor and Department Chair,

Johnson State College

January 8, 2006

(Please note: this analysis is from a scholarly, not a native rights advocacy perspective.)

Indian Identity

1. Identity is a negotiation between "who I say I am" and "who others say I am". In the case of "classic" minorities, all one has to do is self-identify and the civil rights of that legal status are bestowed. It would be inappropriate to have someone "prove" his or her race through DNA analysis, religion through attendance records to church or temple or sexual preference in the bedroom, especially since "racial profiling" is no longer politically correct. African-Americans Latinos, Jews or gays do not have to prove who they are before the media or civil rights courts.
2. However, this situation does not apply to Native Americans, who have to prove who they are, individually and collectively. Since the 18th century, American Indian identity has been in the hands of British-Americans. To qualify for the special civil liberties and opportunities afforded to other "classic," or self-identifying minorities, a person of native descent needs to be:
1.) an enrolled member (with enrollment criteria agreed to by Anglo bureaucracies),
2.) of a federal or state recognized tribe (with the tribal criteria controlled by Anglo bureaucracies). Merely saying that one has an "Indian princess" ancestor is meaningless and carries no legal weight. Since British-American political interests control Indian identity, other racist peculiarities abound, including

a. the apparent absence of any pejorative racial slur that applies to Natives.
b. the persistence of racial stereotypes in art/illustration (i.e. pie-plate eyes, big noses, buck teeth with regards to the Cleveland Indians, University of Illinois "Chief Illiniwink," etc. logos).
c. the pejorative casino Indian stereotype-- who is either too stupid to know he is being taken advantage of (i.e. the well-publicized scams done by the Democratic National Committee against Indian tribes in the 2003-04 presidential campaign, or the ongoing Abramoff scandal), or cagily deprives senor citizens of their life savings while state regulators look on helplessly (Connecticut government and media propaganda against the Mashentucket Pequot and to a lesser extent the Mohegans)
d. state officials are permitted to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayer monies in an attempt to "prove" that local Indians are cultural and political frauds (i.e. Connecticut and Vermont Attorney Generals' Offices) to protect powerful political and economic interests; without any public outcry that this is a major human rights violation (as is being done in the prosecution of the Milosevic regime which "proved" that Serbian Muslims were ethnic Albanians, to deprive them of Serbian rights)

Vermont Abenaki Identities

Without any formal "official" recognition of Indian identity, the Vermont situation is very fluid, and little understood. However, for purposes of introduction, I divide Abenakis into five distinct groups, ranging from most to least well-documented; and one external group, which causes profound problems with Indian identity:

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1. Missiquoi.

For many years, there was little misunderstanding on the part of Anglo or Franco-Vermonters of who the Abenakis were, they were a group of Indians living in Northwestern Vermont with a definite homeland, and community structure. Missisquoi Abenakis know who they and their families are and where they have lived, and genealogy and residence are very important parts of individual and collective Missisquoi identity. Missisquoi has a well-developed organizational system with governmental branches, including a Chief, Tribal Council and social services branches, educational institutions such as the Indian Education and museum programs, and many Iinks with state and federal educational and cultural agencies. It is Missisquoi that anthropologists such as UVM's Bill Haviland and Marjory Power; or others such as myself from JSC, have focused on in their research. It is Missisquoi Abenakis who have borne the brunt of racial detestation by Vermonters from the 1970's remarks that the Abenakis were "a bunch of drunken Frenchmen asking for a government handout (as told to me by a fowler friend in 1975), to the current portrayal of Abenakis as Frenchmen asking for a special privileges from the government, the oft-published, but incorrect position of the Vermont Attorney General's Office. There is little doubt on the part of anyone in Vermont that Missisquoi Abenakis carry Indian identity, and have in the past, and continue to suffer, for it.

2. Other organized groups. There are many (I know of about 6) other groups of New England Abenakis, formed
1.) around charismatic individuals or
2.) in response to internal political squabbles at Missisquoi.

These groups have varying levels of cultural activity, ranging from the very active Cowasucks of North America, (Note: this group recently imploded!!) which have language programs; a library, a very fine newsletter, to very much less than that. They may consider themselves organizationally a tribe, clan, circle or non-profit organization. They have onl recently emerged, and are still below the anthropological and political "radar screen;" so they ac a well-known Euroamericans) -homelland, organized family bandor a alternative structure; and other cultural characteristics that draw serious study by anthropologists or the vaath of Vermonters. They are also quite unstable, splitting and coalescing at will, and suffer horrible internecine conflict.

3. Professional Abenakis. These are (generally) well-educated individuals without ties to existing American Indigenous political groups, cultural homelands or genealogies, who make their livelihood as being Abenaki Indians, usually as educators, storytellers and craftspeople. They are quite outspoken and influential, often aligning themselves with powerful Euroamerican institutions such as the University of Vermont or creating their own private institutes. Given the national scandals regarding people without documented native ancestry being hired as "Indian" (e.g. the Ward Churchill/University of Colorado controversy), it is probably appropriate for the suitable Euroamerican institutions to scrutinize unaffiliated Abenakis when they hold employment in Euroamerican organizations, or speak to Euroamerican agencies based on their ethnicity.

4. Assimilated Abenakis. These are people who recognize Abenaki ancestry, but prefer to define themselves as Vermonters or Americans. They generally do not participate in cultural activities, but are important because they pass on an Abenaki connection to their children, who may wish to enhance their native awareness in the future.

5. Abenaki Deniers. These are people who for various reasons (including the necessary denial of Abenaki identity during the Eugenics Survey ethnic cleansing of the 1930's) deny their native heritage. They are often great critics of Abenaki communities and their relatives who profess an Abenaki identity.

6. "'Wannabies" These are people without native genealogy, cultural ties or history who wish for various psychological, social or economic reasons to assume an Indian identity Oh, really? This sounds A LOT like Swanton's " St. Francis/Sokoki bunch that Fred M. Wiseman's belongs to, advocates for, and supports in his holier-than-thou we-are-historical-because-we-have-been-around-longer-than-any-incorporated-group nonsense. As with other con artists, they are often quite persuasive and well versed in "Indian lore," and are therefore hard to expose UNLESS of course, one has a Ph.D who works for Johnson State College who makes B.S. up as he goes along, buying stuff off from eBay.com and having his College students create "reproduction" "Abenaki" "artificats". However, anthropologists and sociologists who study this phenomenon, have shown that an over-emphasis on spirituality (often a generalized "pan Indian" form of religion), an avoidance of working closely with well established native organizations, and inappropriate overuse of native protocols ("Indian" naming, clothing, behaviors, etc.) are indicators. Missisquoi and perhaps other native organizations have well developed and implemented rigorous enrollment criteria to prevent wannabes from achieving an unwarranted Indian identity. The contradictions and distortions coming from Frederick M. Wiseman Ph.D are so many, it's beyond my person not to laugh. Even IF his statement were even remotely truthful, then Carol Nepton wouldn't have send so MANY people who claimed to be "Abenaki" letters requesting further genealogical documentation to support their claims! It has been the tradition of Anglo governments to empower native tribes to police the legitimacy of their own tribal rolls. Fred M. Wiseman Ph.D just LOVES to repeatedly use that word "ANGLO", doesn't he?!

Implications for recognition
Abenakis
I hope that this has given a perspective on the Indian identity issue that can be applied to the question of Abenaki recognition. For civil/human rights purposes, it is probably appropriate to cast a "wide net" to

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include all with Abenaki ancestry under the rubric of "Native American," to give Abenakis equivalent rights of other minorities who can self-identify. This is accomplished in the S.117 bill as it stands. However, it is also important that positions of power such as membership on the proposed Vermont Native American Commission belong to Abenakis with native ancestry as documented by legitimate tribal authorities. The Commission, and or the Division for Historic Preservation should be empowered to develop protocols to approve the Indian identity of applicants to the Commission.

Potential Non Abenaki members of the Native American Commission
Since all other nations represented in the state are state or federally recognized, there is no question regarding the identity of non-Abenaki Indians residing in Vermont. If the membership in the Commission is to be opened to citizens of other Indian nations, they should certainly provide documentation of enrollment in their federally recognized tribe.

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[Handwritten]

"Many Native people have discovered, at different time in their lives, that they are in fact Indian. This does not make them less Indian. However they cannot, because they have not been raised in it, have the knowledge, understanding, relationship with Earth, that a traditionally raised person can have. They can have all the formal education, all the degrees in the world, and it doesn't make any difference. For such a person to assume the identity of an Indian authority is a sham and a lie."

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CERTIFYING INDIAN ARTISTS UNDER THE

S.117 ABENAKI RECOGNITION BILL:

THE PROCESS AND STATUTORY TUTORY PRECEDENTS

BY

Fred M. Wiseman Ph. D

Director, Abenaki Tribal Museum

Chair, Department of Humanities, Johnson State College

Introduction

Although I [Frederick Matthew Wiseman Ph.D.] worked with Senators Diane Snelling and Vince Illuzzi to incorporate language [Wiseman Ph.D helped write the criteria for S.117 and S.222] that would allow relatively simple certification of Abenaki artists, the final version of 5.117 did not recognize any Abenaki corporate entities (tribes). The legally vague recognition of the "Abenaki people." was a statutory action that is not legally applicable to the certification of artists.
Abenaki decorative artists do not currently meet the criteria of the 1990 Indian Arts and Crafts Act; in that they must be enrolled or certified by State or Federally recognized tribes. This problem extends beyond the decorative arts such as basketry, birch-bark canoe building and jewelry-making to the performing arts. For example, the Schemitzun Pow-Wow of the Mashentucket Pequot Nation does not accept competition dancers from the Abenaki community. The Pequots require documentation of enrolled membership in State or Federally recognized tribes. A young Abenaki woman [Takara nee: Matthews] who has won many competitions, including the Dartmouth Pow-Wow; will not he able to compete in the Schemitzun "young adult" category this August 24-27 in Connecticut. However, through S.117, there is now a mechanism by which artist certification may occur.

The new Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs has the statutory power to permit Vermont Abenakis be certified as Indian artists under the 1990 Indian Arts and Crafts Act. Below is the relevant section of the 5.117 recognition bill that addresses that issue:

S.1 l7 CHAPTER 23. § 852. VERMONT COMMISSION ON NATIVE AMERICAN AFFAIRS ESTABLISHED: AUTHORITY
(c) The commission shall have the authority to assist Native American tribal councils, organizations, and individuals to:
(2) Permit the creation, display, and sale of Native American arts and crafts and legally to label them as Indian- or Native American-produced as provided in 18 U.S.C. § I I 59(c)(3)(B) and 25 U.S.C. § 305e(d)(3)(B).

This section of the 5.117 state law refers to the federal statutes (listed below) regarding the Indian Arts and Crafts act of 1990 and the Indian Arts and Crafts Board. In order to see bow this will work we need to look at the applicable sections of the Arts and Craft Act, and the empowering legislation surrounding it. As pointed out above. the §853(a) "The state of Vermont recognizes the Abenaki people" part of the S.117 bill does not address these aspects of the Arts and Craft Act at all.

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Step #1 The Vermont Native American Commission must formally recognize legitimate Vermont Tribes

Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990

TITLE 1 -- INDIAN ARTS AND CRAFTS

SEC. 104 CRIMINAL PENALTY FOR MISREPRESENTATION OF INDIAN PRODUCED GOODS AND PRODUCTS:

Sec. 1159 Misrepresenation of Indian produced goods and products

(c) As used in this section--

(1) the term "Indian" means any indivdual who is a member of an Indian tribe, or for the purposes of this section is certified as an Indian artisan by an Indian tribe;

(3) the term "Indian tribe" means--

(B) any Indian group that has been formally recognized as an Indian tribe by a State legislature or by a State commission or similar organization legislatively vested with State tribal recognition authority;

As you can see from the abstract above, under Sec. 104 (c)(3)(b), this means that an Indian tribe (legal under the Arts and Crafts Act) can now be "formally recognized" by the Vermont Native American Commission, which ahs its statutory mandate to do this from the VT Legislature.

Therefore the Commission must develop criteria and protocols for recognizing existing Abenaki groups resident in Vermont, in order to extend the 1990 Indian Arts and Craft Act to Vermont Abenakis. There are many criteria that have been established states in the past. A rather extreme example, basically patterned after that of the Bureau of Acknowledgement, Bureau of Indian Affairs, is presented below:

VIRGINIA STATE RECOGNITION CRITERIA

The criteria that must be satisfied by a petitioning group in order to qualify for recommendation by the Council for Virginia state recognition can besummarized as follows:

Showing that the group's members have retained a specifically Indian identity through time.

Descent from an historical Indian tribe(s) that have lived within Virginia's current boundaries at the time of that tribe's first contact with Europeans.

Ability to trace that tribe's continued existence within Virginia from first contact down to the present.

Providing a complete genealogy of current group members, traced as far back as possible.

Showing that the community has been socially distinct - at least for the 20th century, and farther back if possible - from other cultural groups, preferably by organizing seperate churches, schools, political organizations, etc.

Providing evidence of contemporary formal organization, with full membership restricted to people genealogically descended from the historical tribe(s).

These criteria are a useful reference, but inapplicable in Vermont. First, these exclusionary criteria, developed by a hostile state government with motives similar to that or pre-recognition Vermont, are inappropriate given the current climate of cooperation between state and native population. Second, the Commission, without state and budget (as does Virginia) lacks the time and manpower to conduct extensive background research on Vermont tribes. However, some form of documentation of 18th-

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20th century cultural and genealogical continuity should be developed and applied to the issue of State tribal recognition. There have been several Vermont Indian groups that have recently emerged with uncertain tribal homelands, histories and sociopolitical continuity. It would reflect well upon the credibility of the State of Vermont (and its Native population) if only legitimate tribal organizations were empowered to certify artists. A proposed preliminary set of criteria:

1. Do members of the tribe genealogical connection to know Abenaki groups of the past?

2. Has the Abenaki tribe maintained an identifiable Native American community culture through time as evidenced by any or all of the following

a. Accounts by outside observers

b. Oral histories by tribal members and Euroamerican neighbors

c. Production of native craft arts or distinctive subsistence and other practices that are distinct from their Euroamerican neighbors.

A 10-page response to these simple criteria could be assembled easily by legitimate Vermont tribes, and quickly approved or disapproved by the Commission. However, there is a potential for prejudice on the part of Commission members and reticence on the part of Vermont tribes; that may impede the State recognition process. It will require professionalism on the part of Commission members to properly solicit applications, and conduct the research to recognize individual tribes. Approval should be by majority vote, so as to limit potential factionalism.

Step #2 The recognized tribes must develop criteria for non-enrolled Abenakis to become certified artisans.

Furthermore, while all enrolled citizens of the tribe automatically become certifiable as Indian artists, there is a process by which un-enrolled artists can become certified by the tribes. This process is dealth with in 25 CFR Part 309 below:

Indian Arts and Crafts Board

25 CFR Part 309

SUMMARY: This rule adoptes regulations to carry out Public Law 101-644, the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990. The regulations define the nature and Indian origin of products that the law covers and specify procedures for carrying out the law. The trademark provisions of the Act are not included in this rulemaking and will be treated at a later time.

Sec. 309.4. How can an individual be certified as an Indian artisan?

(a) In order for an individual to be certified by an Indian tribe as a non-member Indian artisan for purposes of this part-

(1) The individual must be of Indian lineage of one or more members of such Indian tribe; and

(2) The certification must be documented in writing by the governing body of an Indian tribe or by a certifying body delegated this function by the governing body of the Indian tribe.

(b) As provided in sectio 107 of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990, Public Law 101-644, a tribe may not impose a fee for certifying an Indian artisan.

(b) Indian artisan means an individual who is certified by an Indian tribe as a non-Indian artisan.

We can see from the above statutory references, that each Abenaki tribe that may be recognized by the Native American Commission must adopt rules and procedures for certifying non-tribally enrolled artists. Under Federal statute, this procedure is left up to the individual tribes to develop. It is obvious that a non-enrolled artist does not have the strength of genealogical data for enrollment, so a less stringent certification code, such as oral history, acceptance of the applicant or his family as "Indian" by others, or alternate supporting data may have to suffice for this purpose.

MY RESPONSE:
Actually, it is obvious that a "non-enrolled Native/Abenaki artist" could actually have the strength of genealogical data for enrollment, yet chooses NOT to enroll into a mere "Abenaki" INCORPORATON which attempts to pawn itself off as a legitimate "Abenaki Tribe or Band" when IN FACT it never was, never legitimately is, and never will be, an "authentic" Abenaki Tribe or Abenaki Band in the first place. That's why these incorporation's "representatives" and "supporter's" sit on the present day Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs there in Montpelier, Washington County, Vermont. These legislature's of VT and NH "BS Filters" are stuck under their desks, while these politicians play stupid, and forget to do their homework, on this Professor Wiseman and his "Alliance" cronies he attempts to validate with his BS.
Indeed, Mr. Ph.D Wiseman helped create the criteria for S.117 and S.222, which was subsequently even further altered by the likes of Hinda Miller and Vincent Illuzzi, so that ALL these INCORPORATIONS of dubious questionable "Abenakis" could simply sit on the Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs, with their buddies from the Dept. of Historical Preservation ... and subsequently grant themselves their own recommendations for "Legislative Recognition" for the very Reinvented and Alleged "Abenaki" Incorporation's that these people actually belong to! Slapping each other on the backsides for "pulling it off".