Newspaper articles related to the July 12th-13th, 1997 Twin Mountain Pow-wow Event.

On the front page of The Courier newspaper of Littleton, New Hampshire it states, "Recieving the Eagle Heart Award for his contributions t othe Mohegan Tribal Nation was Mohegan Tribal Nation Chair Roland Harris. In addition to being active in many aspects of tribal life, Roland Harris played a key role in the planning and development of the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut." How very interesting, and this ought to make one think perhaps Nancy (Millette) Cruger was associated with this person, why?, because perhaps maybe she saw a cash-cow she could bring into this State of New Hampshire so she could cash in?! I do recall "talk" of the Pequot's wanting to bring a 'satellite' casino operation up into New Hampshire. Nancy (Millette) Cruger says she went down there to the Mashantucket Pequot and recieved a $50,000.00 dollar donation to put towards the purchasing price of $200,000.00 for Brunswick Springs a.k.a. N'biz8bek retrospectively speaking. I know I am not the only one who can do math and do dot-to-dot puzzle's!
On "Page 12" of The Courier" newspaper in Littleton, New Hampshire dated July 16th, 1997, it is stated that, "A surprise award was presented to event promoter Nancy Cruger, a.k.a. Song of the Winter Fox (now take a wee lil' memory trip back to that book Fox Song by Joseph Bruchac), who was recognized as a "Diplomatic Ambassador" by the Council of Unity of the National Federation of the Sovereign Republic of the Abenaki Nation Supreme Council (Whew! that "title" is a mouthful and geesh that title is about as long as my arm is). Presenting the appointment was Supreme Council Chief Walter Watso. (This sounds like one is supporting the other and visa-versa, she slaps him upside the backside and he does the same to her, promoting each other with their "titles" and "appointments" (and I am quite sure that the man was signing documents with that Odanak Seal-of-Approval stamp that she then presented to the Governor's Office to get the numerous Governor's Proclamation's Certificates for her created and promoted Pow-wow events too)
In the Coos County Democrat newspaper of July 16th, 1997 it states, " Nancy Cruger was formerly Town Promoter for Littleton, a job which was not funded this year due to tax cuts." (Really?, I definitively recall being told that the reason for not maintaining the event in Littleton, N.H. was because the "traffic conjestion" was getting to be too much in and around Remich Park itself. I have to retrospectively ask myself, if Littleton was being told by their Town Promoter Nancy (Millette) Cruger, that this event was "making money for the Town of Littleton, N.H.", why was this Town of Littleton Selectman and the Chamber of Commerce weren't interested in hosting the event anymore? It seems the Town of Littleton may in fact have realized they were actually losing money doing the event after a few years. So Nancy Cruger got Twin Mountain's Chamber of Commerce and Selectman to host the Pow-wow event at the Twin Mountain Recreation Area (a baseball field area).

This photograph of the Children's Dance at this Native American Cultural Weekend at Twin Mountain, N.H. wherein they make mention of a young girl looking like Paige MacKillop of Jefferson, N.H. is interesting, since the young girl wrote, as a classroom project/ field trip, about a trip to the Bacon's, quote " Flakes were found at Bacon's. Another Paleo site? Maybe! Jefferson Caretakers invited to be a part of yet another archaeological dig. Mr. Baird helped to walk us to the site where Mr. Boisvert and Mrs. Iris Baird helped us tour. Co-written by Kathleen Briggs, Jessica Collins, and Page MacKillop".

Then on "Page 08" of the Coos County Democrat newspaper of Wednesday July 16th, 1997 Nancy Kruger, right, of Abenaki heritage and organizer of the Native American Cultural Weekend in Twin Mountain, New Hampshire.....well one does get the picture.

February 19th, 1997 Article and More regarding the July 12th-13th, 1997 Twin Mountain Pow-wow event.

February 19, 1997
Native American Festival moving to Twin Mountain [New Hampshire] By Edith Tucker of the Coos County Democrat Newspaper, Lancaster, Coos County, New Hampshire. “There will be drums along the Ammonoosuc [river] this summer when the highly successful Native American Cultural Weekend, held for the last four years in Littleton [N.H.], will be hosted on the weekend of July 12 and 13 by the Twin Mountain Chamber of Commerce. According to Nancy Cruger, formerly the promotional coordinator for the Town of Littleton who has since established her own consulting firm, when Littleton withdrew its financial backing from the cultural weekend, Ms. Cruger suggested to the Twin Mountain Chamber that it consider sponsoring the event. Held in a congested area of Remick Park, the event had inadequate parking facilities and the associated costs of policing were thought by many in Littleton to have become problems, she said (hey, wait a minute...I recall in another newspaper article in the Coos County Democrat wherein she stated quote, "Nancy Kruger was formerly the Town Promoter for Littleton, a job which was not funded this year due to tax cuts"). The prime location of the Native American event in Twin Mountain will be the town’s Recreational Field, located near the “Four Corners,” with Town Hall as a secondary location. An umbrella committee has been set up to assume responsibility for the event. This includes Selectman Michael Lavelle, Fire Chief Gary Whitcomb, and several Chamber of Commerce members. Numerous smaller working committees are being organized to do the many “hands-on” tasks necessary to prepare the towns’ recreational area for a crowd. In Littleton [N.H.], nearly 10,000 tourists were attracted to the event, clogging the streets, Ms. Cruger said. In Town Mountain, the baseball field will be used for events such as dancing, singing, and the display and making of arts and crafts. Wiring and lights will be installed and showers will be added to the toilet facilities. Ms. Cruger said. The other field will be reserved exclusively for parking. Sponsoring the event costs some $18,000 to $20,000. Costs will be defrayed by grants, sponsorships and local fundraising, she [Nancy Cruger] said. A host of personalities will be on hand for the festive weekend. Awards will be given out with recipients being Roland Harris, the chairman of the Mohegan Tribal Nation, Tantoo Cardinal, the only Native American to receive a “Best Actress” Academy Award for her performance in “Where the River Flows North”, and Nelson Tsosie, a Navaho artist.
Newton Washburn was Chief of the White Bison Council at the time of February 1997, and those who were in attendence at these White Bison Council meetings Steven Hurbert, Nancy Cruger, Mary Warren, and Richard "Rick" Hunt.
Photograph #1 is of myself in a Mohawk made Ribbon Shirt while visiting the Twin Mountain Event in 1997. A related Woodward descendant family from Pittsfield, Vermont came to visit that weekend at this event with me. Newton Washburn was there as well for a short visit to the Pow-wow event in 1997 at Twin Mountain, New Hampshire.

Photograph #2 is of Rickie "Wolfsong" Douglas Provencher, a Native American storyteller born on April 25th, 1953 in Middlebury, Vermont and passed away November 24th, 2000.

Photograph #3 is of Margaret "Marge" Bruchac, scholar, performer, and artist. She is also a storyteller and singer. Her brother is Joseph Bruchac, a storyteller and Native American Book author. Her nephew (standing at the mic holding the guitar, is Jesse Bowman Bruchac, who studied extensively with Cecile Wawanolett. Please see http://www.westernabenaki.com/ and also Elie Joubert's website http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~abenaki/Wobanaki/
there are other website links on Jesse Bowman Bruchac's website that will be informative as to the Abenaki Language revitalization efforts by Elie Joubert, Jesse Bowman Bruchac, Brent Reader, etc., etc.

Retrospectively-speaking there was a person who recieved a "Certificate Of Indian Status & Citizenship Sovereign Abenaki Nation, Republic Of Missisquoi Membership Card" (since this person's card is a slightly higher numerical Band No. #....which I have redacted at their request....it appears that likely this was "issued" about July 1994 right about the same time Nancy Millette-Cruger was issued one of these "Membership Cards" as well), when they'd spoken with Mr. John Moody, etc. This person applied for and recieved a "Membership Card" from "Chief" Homer St. Francis, signed by "Tribal Judge" Michael Delaney. They had been told they were a "Desrosier" or "Des-rosh-er" by their adoptive mother. Which this person only later found out was totally incorrect information. Mr. John Moody stated to this person at this Pow-wow of July 1994 that, "oh yes, this surname was/ is Abenaki." To my thinking, Mr. John Moody must not have done any genealogical research into this person's genealogical background at all, because this person had been given the incorrect surname by their adoptive mother. Since at least the mid-to-late 1990's this person's mother's surname has been confirmed and their birth father's name is unknown. So, John Moody, "Abenaki Ethnohistorian" and "Abenaki Genealogical Researcher" for "Chief" Homer St. Francis must not have done ANY truthfully valid, clear and convincing genealogical research pertaining to this persons ancestry; and yet "Chief" Homer St. Francis and his "Tribal Judge" Michael Delaney, this person (whose information I have redacted/ removed per their request) was given (through no fault of this person whatsoever) a "Abenaki Membership Card" signed by Michael Delaney. Again, this situation points to the truthful reality, that these so-called "membership cards" are meaningless, (they were like a "token" in a Cracker Jack Box!) and it makes one wonder how many other people recieved these "cards", without the proper definitve genealogical research being done, with merely an "o.k." or a head-nod from "Chief" Homer St. Francis, "Tribal Judge" Michael Delaney, or from their "Abenaki Genealogist and Ethno-historian John Moody"? . These "membership cards" just mean one is a member of an "incorporation", a club, a social circle of people who "claim" to be Missisquoi Abenaki......and yet may not be Missisquoi Abenaki at all, because the "genealogical foundation" wasn't there to be provided and shown by the applicant nor was such evidence shown to that applicant by the "group" nor their "genealogical researcher John Moody" to validate them granting or recieving such a "Membership Card" in the first place! I wonder how much definitive researching genealogically was done regarding my own Woodward and Sawyer Ancestry, when I got my "Membership Card". From my thinking now retrospectively speaking, probably not any validating research or the confirming thereof was done by anyone, except for what I provided the Abenaki Research Project archives at the time of July 1993 myself.

July 12th- 13th, 1997 Twin Mountain Pow-wow Brochure.

On "Page 08" of this Twin Mountain, New Hampshire Native American Cultural Weekend booklet, notice the musical artist Howard Lyons, as it was he, that became later in time, the husband of Nancy Lee (nee: Millette) Cruger.

Early July 1997

This is Newton "Newt" Washburn, age 83 years in Bethlehem "Hollow", Grafton County, New Hampshire with myself. He is a descendant of Darius Woodward and Nancy (nee: Taylor) Woodward who in the early part of 1800 "took" in my 4th Great Grandfather Royal William Woodward and Royal's brother Parker Preston Woodward, after their father Appollos a.k.a. Thomas A. Woodward went to New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and then up to Lapeer County, Michigan to a small township called Arcadia. Both Royal and Parker named their daugher's "Nancy Jane" after Darius' wife Nancy Jane (nee: Taylor) Woodward. She was Royal and Parker's two wive's Mary & Sarah's Aunt by blood, through their mother being being Betsey (nee: Taylor) Sawyer.

I'll have more details and photographs of my "cousin" Newton Washburn in future posts.

June 11th, 1997 Editorial article - July 1997 Swanton Newsletter.

On Page 4 of the "group" led by the then "Chief" Homer St. Francis and his daughter "Acting Chief" April A. St. Francis, it is most interesting that they stated in this
newsletter that, "Holding a card recieved in the past is not proof of heritage. Unfortunately, some cards were given without careful review of the files for suficient documentation, a few were given to members of other tribes and spuses recieved cards. Now, only Abenaki can be authorized as citizens."

So, what were these so-called "Leader's ("Chief/ Chief-for-life/ Grand Chief" Homer St Francis) and or Representative's" ("Tribal Judge" Michael Delaney of Swanton's alledged Abenaki (so-called community) doing?!" Passing out to anyone their piece's of plastic Abenaki "membership dog-tags?! That's what my Elder's call these "membership cards" that were repeatedly recreated and reissued by these various "groups" down here in Vermont and New Hampshire. "Chief" Homer St. Francis and or "Tribal Judge" Michael Delaney were putting out these "Missisquoi Abenaki Membership Cards" without doing proper, adequate, and thorough review of applicant's genealogical materials to my thinking. Even when applicants did send in periodic genealogical materials on their families, to "show" their Abenaki descent, the documentary evidence rarely made it into the files of those applicants. Usually it got "lost" between the "Office" and the "Archives". I recall telephoning John Moody, the so-called Abenaki Ethnohistorian after having been made aware of him, by the Vermont Historical Society, and him simply stating to me, when I was living in northwestern Washington, State, quote, "Didn't I tell you the Woodward's and Sawyer's were Abenaki Indian?!, you need to contact the Abenaki Tribal Office and get an 'membership application' and apply for membership." Which is what I did in July 1993. Having arrived in N'dakinna (Vermont and surrounding geographical area's) in April 1994 and while living in Stratford, N.H. after December 1995 and while attending a "meeting - social" at Tom Obomsawin and Daisy Goodman's place, John Moody stated to me while in the company of Tom Obomsawin's "group", "that he had a vehicle breakdown along the Interstate near his home of Norwich or Sharon, Vermont, that he had to walk a bit but having arrived at a front-yard car salesman by the name of Woodward or Woodard, who said he was Indian, this is how he'd arrived at his conclusion's about my Woodward ancestry being Abenaki". Just because someone has the same surname does not mean they come from the same ancestors. Word-of-mouth hearsay oral history is not in-and-of-itself a solidifying/ quantifying basis for concluding someone is Abenaki or even Native American. To this day (June 2009), Mr. John Moody nor the people up in Swanton, Vermont's "group" now led by "Chief" April St. Francis - Rushlow - Merrill, has never shared with myself nor any of my family relatives a shred of documentary evidence, that what he stated was truthful or was of merit. We are still waiting.......

"Chief" Homer St. Francis then goes on to state quote, " WATCH OUT for phony groups claiming to be the true Abenaki. These are social clubs who extend membership to financial supporters and wannabe's." Well, in fact, this is exactly what "Chief" Homer St. Francis and his "Tribal Judge" Michael Delaney did do with their "Membership Cards". In this newsletter as previously I mentioned, they even clearly admitted that "Unfortunately, some cards were given without careful review of the files for sufficient documentation...."

I have documentary evidence of at least five (5) people that got these "Cards" from that "group" up in Swanton led by "Chief" Homer St. Francis, that were never Abenaki in the first place! I find this part of their newsletter a lot like "calling the kettle black" on their part! These so-called "Sovereing Republilc of the Abenaki Nation of Missisquoi, St. Francis/Sokoki Band membership cards" were merely "membership" into an "Incorporation" that was created in the late-1970's.

Daisy Goodman's editorial article in the Coos County Democrat newspaper here in New Hampshire I found while looking in the microfilm at the library. They were "environmentalistically oriented", against Herbicide Spraying, against Sludge Spreading, Logging/ Deforestation techniques by Champion, etc. etc. Tom Obomsawin and Daisy Goodman had a "group" which consisted of myself, his brother David Obomsawin, Vicky...who was David's companion, Carlene Pelletier, Joseph "Tree Hawk" Pelletier, Mark Anthony....Joseph's half brother, Karen Porter) and her young son Levi Porter, Tom Obomsawin's two young son's Adam & Dann Obomsawin, Charles "Charlie" Lessard....who later married to Karen Porter, and Wayne Hall; etc. It was never a very large "group" of people.

February 1997 Happenings.

In the February 19th, 1997 Coos County Democrat Lancaster, NH Newspapaper, Nancy Lee (nee: Millette) Cruger made quite a few interesting statments. Sponsors for her event were Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, Foxwoods Resort Casino, the Mohegan Tribal Nation and the Sun Casino (interesting that all of these mentioned "sponsors" are gambling casino oriented). What is REALLY INTERESTING is that Nancy Cruger says, "I am Abenaki and Irish. That must be why she's a stereotypical Indian I guess. The "Irish explains away her red hair and the alledged Indian explains why she can't hold her temper in check perhaps?! I have heard many people say, 'you don't want to mess with me, I'm Indian and Irish, and you don't want to get me mad'." This event is important to me, as it is in keeping with a promise to my great-grandmother. I promised her on her deathbed that I would find her people and do something to help them so that they would not be afraid to say they are Indian, a fear she had all her life. Her parents were born in Jefferson, and she was born on the riverback in Littleton. Her family traveled and lived in the areas between Jefferson and Monroe." Now that promise is coming true.

First of all, let me say that there has been absolutely no forthcoming docmentary confirmation or evidence "other than Nancy's own mouth" stating that her Great-Grandmother was Native, let alone Abenaki, "having been born on some riverbank in Littleton, New Hampshire". Secondly, this supposed "death-bed promise" to her Great-Grandmother Flora Una Ana (her middle name was really Eunice) Ingerson-Hunt is obviously highly suspect. Flora Eunice (nee: Ingerson) Hunt was born Mar 25, 1874 alledgely in Monroe, N.H. according to her Death Record of Mar 11, 1963. Genealogical research indicates that the mother of Flora, was born in Littleton, New Hampshire.....NOT Jefferson, New Hampshire in some "cooked up" ca. 1850 - 1874 "Abenaki Village" as Nancy (nee: Millette) Cruger - Lyons has repeatedly stated. Documentation on this subject will be posted in forthcoming postings and this all will make sense as it is provided. Put the pieces together. It doesn't add up. The math doesn't add up. Flora Eunice Ingerson-Hunt had siblings, aunts, uncles and so forth....and they had descendants themselves, so IF in fact Flora Eunice Ingerson-Hunt or her mother Almira nee:Rines - Ingerson was a full-blooded Abenaki Indian woman, well I would think there would be evidence of some definitive kind that can be SHOWN. Family Oral histories MUST support the genealogical records of one's ancestry; and genealogical records must support the oral histories of one's ancestors. Or else it is simply hearsay! Native People's did not likely live in "isolation". They might not have been jumping up and down to their neighbors and the Children's Aid Society folks that they were Abenaki/ Indian, but they were working, farming, millworking, haying, and doing other kinds of visible employment wherein they would be out-in-the-public's observations on a daily basis. They had to put a roof over their families heads and meat & potato's on the table every night just like everybody else whether they were French, Irish, English, or German; etc.

Nowhere in this February 19th, 1997 newspaper article does Nancy make any mention of Flora E. Ingerson-Hunt or Flora's mother, Almira (nee: Rines) Ingerson, having been born in a Jefferson, N.H. "Abenaki Village". ONLY later do the Nancy Millette-Cruger-Lyons Great-Grandma was "stories" begin to change and evolve.

September 1996 - October 1996 - November 1996 -

Another pen and ink illustration I did for The Northern Forest Forum in September 1996.

The two letters regarding the Abenaki Language Lesson materials by Cecile Wawanolett up in Odanak, Quebec, Canada I was (at the time of mid to late 1996) hoping to obtain and compare to the Swanton Abenaki Language Lesson materials. These (2) letters were from a W8linak Abenaki man who attended Cecile's Abenaki Language Classes. I had met him while visiting Odanak in mid-June 1996.

The newspaper article dated October 30th, 1996 regarding the Paleo-Indian spear point having been unearthed I include because of the "stories" having been perpetuated and promoted by Nancy (Millette) Cruger - Lyons regarding the Jefferson, New Hampshire Archaeological developments. You will see further articles and newspaper clippings regarding Jefferson, N.H. and this Paleo-Indian "dig' in future postings here on this blog.

July 28th, 1996 and August 1996.

In July 1996 I was living in East Lancaster, New Hampshire up on the Bunnell Notch Trail in a log cabin built by George Glidden of Whitefield, New Hampshire whom was renting it to me. There was no "indoor" water (you had to go out back of the cabin and run to get a bucket of water from the creek! Now thats what I call "running water") and there was no electricity. There was an outhouse though. It was "remote" living for sure. It was a mile or two above the dirt road called Arthur White Road and in the wintertime one used snowshoes and a tobaggon to get in and out supplies, etc. In the photograph of myself is Bisho (a Bluetick coonhound) and my ol' Walker coonhound named Nipper. We were hanging out in the 1975 Dodge van.

Daisy Goodman and Tom Obomsawin were still quite active "environmentally speaking" against Herbicide Spraying, logging/ clear-cutting. I wrote the "speech" (which I still find quite good if I may say so myself). Of course, I also did the illustration as well, but it was not published in The Northern Forest Forum quarterly newsletter.

Remich Park, Littleton New Hampshire Pow-wow July 6-7, 1996

This event I attended, and this is the first time I think I heard this "talk" of so-called "hiding in plain sight". It has been used/ said quite frequently since then by alot of people, to brush away and avoid discussion(s) about the lack of evidence, genealogically or otherwise, about one's claims of having ancestral Western Abenaki from and of Vermont/ New Hampshire documentary evidence. I sometimes wonder if this "hiding-in-plain-sight" concept is simply a matter of denial. Denial of what our ancestral relatives "gave to us as their descendants", that we refuse to accept and acknowledge that they (the ancestors of which we claim) chose the "silence", "the its-no-big-deal-that-we're-Abenaki". Homer St. Francis' "group" claimed "that they were "hiding-in-plain-sight" because of racism, because of discrimination, because of the "Eugenic's Survey of Vermont". I often wonder if these are simply "just excuses" on these people's parts simply because they refuse to accept that their ancestral connections are "alot of things" but it isn't "Missisquoi Abenaki" nor was it "Cowasuck Abenaki", etc. You'll see why I say this as I go along....

It is interesting that in the second part of this newspaper article it states, "As part of the annual gathering of Native Americans, the Town of Littleton, in collaboration with the White Bison Council, will hand out four Native American Awards." The Littleton Town Promoter was Nancy Lee (Millette) Cruger - The Organizer and Promoter of this Pow-wow Event at Remich Park was Nancy Lee (Millette) Cruger - and the "Chief" creator and promoter of the White Bison Council was (you guessed it) Nancy Lee (Millette) Cruger! Oh and these "Proclamations" officially declaring July 6th and 7th as Native American Cultural Weekend in Littleton, New Hampshire was issued by the Governor of New Hampshire, who in all truthfulness "rubber stamped" the document without so much as a glance at the merits or the foundation of these so-called "Governor's Proclamation's". They are a "feel-good" piece of paper, that if your ego is BIG you put it in a frame and hang it on the wall and point to it every time someone comes to visit. If your honest about these "Proclamations", you would hang it above your bathroom toilet! Of course, we know what Nancy Cruger did with her one of many Governor's Proclamations for her Pow-wow events! She was the person who created and promoted the White Bison Council, that she herself "incorporated" and presided over, with her cousin Rick Hunt; etc. How many bonefide real Abenaki do you think attended their White Bison Council meetings? I know that Daryl Laroque, Charlie F. True, her 1st cousin Rick Hunt, and perhaps her relative Rhonda Besaw, and Mary Warren? I betcha dollars to donuts, it was only the invented Abenaki who had their "Cards" that attended. Oh, I am sure "Grand Chief" Walter Watso and perhaps "Grand Chief" Homer St. Francis Sr. had attended a few times to make it all seem legitimate and authentic. Its always good to have a REAL Abenaki from Odanak, Quebec, Canada bring down his "seal/stamp of approval" and make these people's papers appear to be authentic. In factual reality, they were all merely "incorporations" and not authentic Abenaki "Bands" or "Tribes" but merely "organizations" or "Councils" they themselves created and promoted in their endeavors to make the States of Vermont and/ or New Hamphire naively and stupidly think that these "groups" were the real legitimate Abenaki People! I think not. Nancy Lee (nee: Millette) Cruger - Lyons created her illusion of being Abenaki, and she promoted her delusions of being Abenaki, what with her "Diplomatic Ambassador Card from Homer St. Francis Sr." that she'd recieved in July or August 20th, 1994!! She created and promoted her "Great-Grandma Flora Una Ana Ingerson-Hunt stories" in the media, and she "attached" this ancestoral relative of her's to a definitive archaeological site in Jefferson, Coos County, New Hampshire....selk-claiming and promoting that her Great-Grandmother Flora Una Ana (really this woman's middle name was "Eunice") was from a 1872-5 Abenaki Village in Jefferson, New Hampshire. It was all an illusion and delusion on her part, sadly said, and the factual documentation will prove this that I will post on this blog! I recommend you folks read "Fox Song" by Joseph Bruchac copyright 1993. Then "follow the postings and newspaper articles of which I post on this blog as it relates to Nancy Lee (nee: Millette) Cruger - Lyons. It will all make sense as I go along showing you the real truth about the invented Vermont/ New Hampshire Abenaki.

The photographs are of Nancy (nee: Millette) Cruger in July 2006 (not 1996) in the buckskin regalia.

Another Thomas Obamsawin article: Property Rights ~ An Abenaki Perspective Winter 1995

May and June of 1996 Abenaki Language and Cecile Wawanolette, Etc.:

I am not sure if I went to Swanton, Vermont for the pow-wow during Memorial Day weekend or not of 1996. The audio tape "jackets" are from the audio material I had created with Elder woman Cecile Wawanolett of Odanak, Quebec, Canada. I recall that there was an Abenaki Language Class or a "visit" by Cecile, that was held in North Stratford, Coos County, New Hampshire at Daisy Goodman's mother's house down along the Connecticut River (just a little north of East Stratford, N.H.), sometime before my going up to Odanak in June 1996. I had asked Cecile if I could kindly visit her up in Odanak with the endeavor to audio-tape record the 31 + Abenaki Language Lesson materials she had taught in Swanton, Vermont. We arranged for the 18th, of the next month (June). I had bought a new tape recording machine with a universal sound mic and a bunch of audio cassettes, and drove up to Odanak with a remaining $20.00 dollars in my pocket for gas money to get back into the State's with. I sat with Cecile in her livingroom explaining why I wanted to work with her regarding audio recording her speaking the abenaki language, etc. On the very first audio tape she helped create at her own kitchen table, in her own voice she'd stated that the Lessons and accompanying audio tapes would be "open" to all those who wish to speak the Abenaki Language. She clearly understood that our work would be "unrestricted", to those who wanted/needed such language material. In the process of audio-recording Cecile at her kitchen table, the first batch of tapes didn't sound clear enough so we had to backtrack, and re-record her speaking the lesson material over again. I would announce the Lesson, she would speak only Abenaki for that Lesson. We didn't have to do all 31 Lessons because Jesse Bowman Bruchac had done previously pretty much what I was trying to complete. It was my endeavor to make a complete set of Swanton Abenaki Language Lessons to be available to anyone who would want to have a set. At the end of the endeavor, Cecile and I had recorded quite nicely the written material I had brought with me. I came home and "boiled it down to two 90 minute tapes, combining my work with Jesse's but ONLY Cecile speaking the Lesson material in Abenaki.

While at Karen (nee: Porter) and Charles "Charlie" Richardson's place, "house-sitting" for them while they were away, with their permission I had typed up the "flyer announcement" dated June 28, 1996 that is attached to this posting. Naturally, depending on demand for the material copies and the two audio cassettes and the postage, I had to request the costs to get the two blank tapes, copy the lessons, and ship the set per each request, to the recipient. I had very limited income at the time, but I was not attempting to "sell the language, "use" Cecile, or any other sort of maliciousness towards anyone nor was I making sets and stocking them. Someone would request the material and I would created the "set" of two tapes and the accompanying phtocopied materials each time someone would request it. I sent a set to Jeanne (Lincoln) Kent, another to Paul Pouliot "group", etc. I sent the "bulletin" to Swanton's group led by "Chief" Homer St. Francis, and the Nebesak "group" led by Bea Nelson of Derby, Orleans County, Vermont. I could not find the previously- written-down address for the Connie Brow and David Gilman "Mazipskwik group" but I had concluded that once the word would get around, then they would contact me if they wanted the material. I had written the address of the "Traditional Abenaki of Mazipskwik and Related Bands c/o David Gilman P.O. Box 309 Highgate Center, Vermont 05459" previously on the back of a genealogically oriented document, and had forgotten that I had given it to my cousin Gordy Griggs of Island Pond, Vermont. This Mazipskwik "group" had created and organized itself from "Chief" Homer St. Francis' "group after October 1995. I was requested to be the "firekeeper" for their Essex Junction, Vermont Pow-wow event of July 27-28, 1996. I drove over to Essex Junction, Vermont to the place they were having this event in my 1975 Dodge van and drove up to a small trailer, and out stepped their "Tribal Judge" Michael Delaney. He threw that "bulletin flyer" piece of paper at me, yelling and carrying on, telling me to get back in my van and leave. Which I did without so much as a hi or goodbye to anyone! He'd been 'mad as a wet hen in a thunderstorm' all because he assumed that I was implying that I concluded that the only real Abenaki in the State of Vermont were from and of "Chief" Homer St. Francis' "group" because their "group" didn't get one in the mail. In retrospective thinking, I think the man was 'hostile', belligerant, egotistical and full of self-importance of himself. Here nor there now, he is deceased now right along with "Chief" or "Grand Chief" Homer St. Francis.

Communicating with Daisy Goodman and Thomas Obomsawin back then in the Summer of 1996, after having traveled up to Odanak by myself for the first time, I got a postcard in the P.O. Box one day, informing me that I needed to communicate with Elie Joubert (adopted son to Cecile) and Cecile Wawanolett herself. This postcard was sent by Daisy Goodman. So, I called Daisy Goodman up in North Stratford and she instructed me to contact Elie Joubert. I did, and he said for me to contact his mother Cecile. Which I did on the payphone as well, and she informed me that "some people had told her that I was allegedly 'selling the language', 'that I had recieved a $20,000.00 dollar Language Grant' etc etc, no she didn't want me to come back up to Odanak to her house ever again". The situation quite upset me as you can only imagine. I mailed her up a set of the finished audio materials and photocopied lessons. I am not sure who exactly told her these obvious lies, and distortions about my integrity and character as a human being, but I hope whoever they were that said these things to this dear Elder woman, finds some pathetic satisfaction in what they did to destroy my dream of working with her. I have my suspicions of whom was involved retrospectively speaking but it matters not at this point in time. I simply moved on and worked with elderly Stephen (Atian) Laurent (L8l8) of Intervale, New Hampshire, as I could regarding the Abenaki Language. I did the best I could, on the income I had at the time, and with the transportation I had as well. At least I did something with the language that hopefully will benefit someone in the future.

What happened around this time as well was that I had contacted Hull, Quebec, Canada's "Canadian Museum of Civilization" and recieved a reply dated May 21st, 1996 from them regarding their photocopies of their catalogue cards of manuscripts and audio tapes related to the Gordon Day collection. this cover letter I took to Tom and Daisy's home and I shared this good news with them. I wanted recorded Abenaki linguistic materials to use in my study of the Abenaki Language. Inviting me to dinner I agreed and the letter from this Musuem "disappeared" and no one seemed to know what became of it. I looked everywhere in that house that I could. Later, quite a many months later, Thomas Obomsawin brought it to Karen and Charles Lessard's house and handed it to me thankfully. The damage to my faith in these people was already done sadly said.

I recall that the reason I had asked Cecile if I could audio-record the 31 Swanton, Vermont Abenaki Language Class Lesson material with her, was because one day while visiting with Tom Obomsawin and Daisy Goodman, I had circumstance to have walked by Tom's "Music/Research room", and he was playing an audio cassette of Elvine Royce-Obomsawin speaking Abenaki. I was shocked there was this kind of Language material out there. I inquired if I could get a duplicate copy to listen to. The response was "no, it is copyrighted". Thinking on this, it pissed me off that something like this material on the abenaki language would have been Copyrighted, and "restricted" from other Abenaki People so that they could not get hold of such recorded Abenaki language. Subsequently, I had inquiried about getting the material from the Canadian Museum of Civilization up in Hull, Quebec, Canada and that is the very reason I wanted to create with Cecile Wawanolett, the tapes of the 31 Lessons of Abenaki Language Classes we'd done in Swanton, Vermont so that ANYONE could get this material without undue restrictions in obtaining such.

"Someone" felt the necessity to "talk" negatively to Cecile, and probably out of jealousy and maliciousness towards my endeavor. I didn't have alot of money, I didn't have any $84,605.00 dollar Language Revitalization Grants (nor did I know how to find one, let alone how to apply for such). I just took the time and the effort to do what I felt was a worthy and good endeavor and put it into reality and someone had to come along and sabatoge it.