Below is the (for the most part) transcription of this Youtube video wherein Senator Hinda Miller speaks about and in regards to the bill S.222 i.e. Abenaki Recogniton in Vermont "for the 4 groups."
What a perfect time for us to do the Abenaki Recognition Bill, on a day where we celebrate the privilege (?) and culture of the Irish, and here is the bill that will recognize the Abenaki Tribes and umm…I’d like to tell you my colleagues of why I care so much about this bill….so number 1 for the last three years I’ve been going to the up to Lincoln Vermont to the Sunray Peace Village, where Dhyani Ywahoo, the Venerable Dhyani Ywhoo, a Cherokee Chief and Elder has a weekend every July, invites the elders, umm, those from the Native American Tribes in Canada the USA and South America and they teach us about their culture and their reverence of the land and I have grown to honor and respect the Natives, the Native Americans, Indigenous Peoples. Second, as Northeast Week (?), this is the right commission of Abenaki Bands so that they can become State recognized tribes. I personally come from a tribe and we were too recog…, too much recognized in Europe. We had to wear yellow stars in national recognition of my lineage and tribe and so then it is just the opposite is true of the Abenaki tribes. They do not have recognition that we need to give them so that we can honor and respect all of their contributions to this state. So I think the findings are very important in this bill because many of us have memories I think of….let me see here…..2006 thanks to Senator Snelling, who brought together all of the people for testimony and created a bill that passed ummm. What we found from that bill, was that it failed to comport the recognition requirements for the Indian Arts and Crafts Board of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. In other words, this recognition bill is solely for the recognition of Arts and Crafts.
For those of you, who were here, remember there was a lot of drama, there was a lot of people here, there were letters flying here and there, letters from people outside of Vermont. So this time around, we’ve tried to get, we…. we weren’t quiet. We’d go a little more deeply into how to solve these problems, and to allay the fears of those who fear that through state recognition that they will be able to get federal recognition. Federal recognition brings up images of casinos and land grabs and all other kinds of other things. Let me assure you that that will not happen and if you care to read the findings we thought it was important enough to put in here that fifteen other states recognized their resident Native people as American Indian Tribes, without any of those tribes previously or subsequently acquiring federal recognition. According to a public affairs specialist state recognition of Indian tribes play a very small role in regards to federal recognition and only federal recognition is given to those tribes that can document before 1900 which our Abenaki bands cannot do. So I would like you to go to page….in your Calendar….umm lets see page 4150 section 3 and I want to talk about the criteria that we worked out for recognition of....
....Abenaki tribes. They’re quite distinct and every tribe that is recogni.., every band that is recognized as a tribe must have this documentation, and as you can see, I am not going to go through them all but umm you can see that they have have physically the residency in Vermont, they have to have a chief, council, a constitution, they have to be recognized by others as Abenaki, they have to set up a cultural archaeological umm group of that, and umm then they can petition the commission for recognition so umm that was completed the criteria that you see here, umm then we go to….aahh… section 3(e) the following bands that are listed, have gone through and proven to us, that they have all the criteria listed 1 through 8, we’ve had that documentation, we’ve read it, and we have agreed that they have proven that they are indeed umm Abenaki Bands of Vermont and those tribes will be recognized by this bill. The Abenaki Nation of Missisquoi, the Koasak of the Koas, the Nulhegan, and the ELNU’s. The four tribes will be recognized by this Legislature and by this act and umm the important thing is number (g) all documents related to recognition of tribes will be maintained by the Division of Historic Preservation and made available to the public. That means all that criteria and information will be (cough) made available to the public. so…ahhh….what we have done Mr. President is kept the vested authority in the Legislature and not allowed the commission to say who is the Vermont Indian band, it is the Legislature that is deciding and with that recognition I want to pass into section…..2 which talks about the commission. Umm….we are going to reconstitute the commission, that reflect the bands, that they have some representation, so umm each band that’s recognized will have a member on the commission. The Missisquoi because they are three bands that have come together, the Missisquoi, the St. Francis, the Sokoki will have three members. The other three will have one each, so that six represent the bands and the commission will elect 2 or 3 at-large members umm…and I want to mention at this point that this process is inclusive not exclusive, meaning if there’s other tribes in this state that meet the criteria, they will go to the commission, they will show their proof, when the commission says yes, this is, meets the criteria, then they recommend to the Legislature for a State’s recognition of another tribe, and that other tribe will then get a place on the commission. Umm….so what does the commission do? They develop and market Native American cultural arts and crafts, they help other tribes….other bands…other tribes to get organized and umm they develop qualifying programs that benefit Vermont’s Native American populations for instance we were shown some work that has amassed all the information towards scholarships for young Abenaki Native Americans to know what scholarships might be available for them to go into....
....high education. Umm I also want to end this here Mr. President by saying that all Abenaki tribes and Native American tribes are subject to Vermont state laws. So, umm Mr. President we present to you I think, a well thought through bill, and we hope umm that lets see, both the ….. we had twelve witnesses, including Mike McShane of the AG, Fred Wiseman who was a great help that was a mathematician with…written many many books on the Abenaki uhhh tribes, Jeff Benay and umm who was the Governor’s Advisory Commissioner on Native American Affairs, and others, so twelve witnesses, so Mr. President we ask that you consider this bill, and uhhh vote in the affirmative.
MY RESPONSE:
Page 01 of Hinda Miller's "Speech"
Democratic Representive from Chittenden County, Senator Hinda Miller states that for the previous three (3) years she has gone to Dhyani Ywhaoo (a.k.a. Diane Fisher)'s "Sunray Peace Village"....
that this woman calling herself Dhyani Ywahoo, claiming to be "Venerable", a Cherokee "Chief" and "Elder" is nothing more that a F-R-A-U-D, a F-A-K-E, Wannabiz Plastic Shamanistic B.S. Con artist residing in Lincoln, Vermont! All legitimate honest Native People's have known this, for years! ESPECIALLY the Cherokee People! First, Dhyani Ywahoo will check one's spiritual aura, then tell one about her SECRET special instructions of the Green Mountain Ani Yunwiwa, that allegedly is charged with the "original instructions encoded within a mysterious Crystal Ark bla bla bla..." Concerning the fraud "Dhyani Ywahoo" (aka Diane Fisher) she is a well known plastic fake. A Shame-on. She claims to be linked to the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation, in truth she is NOT linked to ANY Tsalagi {Cherokee} Nation, nor any other Native Nation. In the past, others have contacted her family, and they (her family) can't understand what she is doing, as they are of the Jewish religion.
She is an excellent example of what type person to avoid, and she claims for herself every red flag to be wary of:
She charges for all instructions.
Founded Sunray Meditation Society (New Age Cult).
Claims: 27th Generation Holder of the Ywahoo Cherokee Lineage.
Chief, Green Mountain Band of Eastern Cherokee. Cherokee Pipe Carrier. She claims her Ywahoo lineage was founded by a legendary prophet named The Pale One (which is based on Jesus Christ). She claims she was taught secrets by elders and that she is a Medicine Elder herself. She is a Senior Teacher of Tibetan Buddhist Vajrayana Practices. She can't speak the Cherokee language. If anyone has her new age, Buddist/Hindu/Cherokee book, do yourself a favor and drop kick that book right out your home! That lady is not a Twinkie, really not even New-Age. She is a con artist, a fraud and will take your money (no checks please) and you will be left with nothing of value.
Well, let's see here, WHO IS INVOVLED with Dhyani Ywahoo & Co.?
LINK: http://www.sunray.org/events/details.aspx?id=15
Nanatasis Bluto or Cheryl Jean Bluto by birth, who married the late Dwight Delvental. She claims to be a Turtle Clan Mother/ Abenaki. She sits as Elder on several Councils in Vermont & Nationally. She shares Abenaki Turtle Clan Moontime Teachings with women. She claims to be Healer who works with herbs, massage therapy, Reiki, & Therapeutic Touch and she is involved with Ceremonies & Counsels people.
Carollee or Carol Lee (nee: Reynolds) Matthews who is a Card Holding member of April St. Francis-Merrill's group up in Swanton, Vermont....is seen dancing in a red dress....in one of these video links where Mike Bastine talks to the crowd.
Alan "Spotted Wolf" Champney is also in one of these video's as well.
Anyone with the ability to do a simply Google.com search regarding "Dhyani Ywahoo" can conclude the woman is a FAKE. Unless of course one is a MORON, can't do the research, or is a Democratic Senator from Chittenden County, Vermont!
Yet, if one is going to support verbally and/ or monetarily a known "false presenter" of Native American alleged Cherokee Pan-Indianism Culture and spiritualistic bullsh** to a bunch of naive stupid and smiling idiotic euro-american's, then of course, supporting false, fake and fraudulant, wannabe Abenakis in Vermont isn't too much of a stretch either I guess, for even a Democratic Senator to do.
Hinda Miller went on to inform all of the 26+ other Vermont Senators, that by going to Dhyani Ywahoo's encampment for the previous 3 years every July, that she has grown to honor and respect the Natives, the Native Americans, (and then in "political correctness" throws her hands out) saying "Indigenous People's"....
IF this woman had ANY respect or honor for honest legitimate decent Native People's FROM HISTORICAL NATIVE COMMUNITIES she would have sat back down and shut her mouth, instead of continuing/ perpetuating this obvious scheme of a deceitful methodology, in trying to get these four Inc. groups "Instant Shake and Bake" Official State of Vermont "Recogntion."
Representative Hinda Miller if she had any respect at all for THE TRUTH, would have actually sought out the factual foundation of these "groups" claiming to be Abenaki Tribes and or Bands. Yet, it is all about deception, about Federal and State $$$$Money$$$$, and "political correctness."
TYPICAL POLITICIAN with their head up their ass.
Then, Hinda Miller, reminds everyoue one "that she personally belongs to a TRIBE too.....
the Jewish Tribe, where they had to wear yellow stars....
EXCUSE ME Sen. Hinda Miller, the NATIVE PEOPLES are NOT the "LOST TRIBE OF ISRAEL"!!!! Neither are the Abenaki People.
Maybe these people are from the Lost Tribe of Antlantis?! They could confirm this with a visit to "the Mother Ship" in Lincoln, Vermont......
Perhaps someone out there in "La-La-Land" would grant these people a one way ticket back to the Pleiades star system, where these people alleged come from, and take Dhyani Ywhaoo with them?! If they cannot afford the tickets, perhaps we can convince those from the "Mother Ship" to just abduct all these wannabe re-invented Cherokee's and Abenaki's from N'dakinna?
Indeed retrospectively-speaking, there was a lot of "drama" and a lot of people there in Montpelier, Vermont in May of 2006. I was there to witness it. Now, with this "repeated" harassment of the Legislature in Vermont by these four groups, no one wants to hear or listen to the opposing, factual foundation(s) of these four "groups" seeking "specific group" State Recognition. What the Senate Commmittee on Economic Development (Rep. Vincent Illuzzi, Rep. Hinda Miller and Co.) have done is "closed the door & locked it" and tried to manipulate the whole process clandestinely/deceitfully (to my thinking) against the legitimate Abenaki Peoples living in the state of Vermont, so that these four "groups" can gain what truthfully does not belong to any of them! No opposition was or is allowed. No genealogical foundations were allowed or researched thoroughly and honestly by anyone on this Senate Committee on Economic Development.
Who and where are the "groups" in these alleged other 15 states that have gained state recognition?
I betcha dollars to donuts, these "groups" in these 15 other states had to submit genealogical and historical documentary (before 1900) records showing and proving their connection(s) to Native People's within those particular states BEFORE they recieved official State Recognition.
But again, this whole process was started by thieves and liars who know no shame or guilt in what they do against legitimate Abenaki people!
Page 02 of Hinda Miller's "Speech"
Rep. Hinda Miller states that every alleged Abenaki band that is state recognized as a tribe must have this documentation.
But she will not go down and list all of the criteria needed (see below). WHY? Because genealogical evidence is left off the table! Literally. It's mentioned, but not required.......
OK, below is the actual "criteria" (in black) this Committee concluded would be needed to be shown and provided, for these four (4) gorups to gain official State Legislature of Vermont "Tribe or Band" Recognition:
1. These groups have to have a physical residence within the state of Vermont.
These 4 groups are incorporated within the State of Vermont. Their Incorporate"business" agent has to have a physical mailing address within the State of Vermont. Of course, all of these Incorporate groups claiming to be Tribes and or Bands were formed/ created within Vermont.
2. These groups would have to have an organized tribal membership roll, along with specific criteria that were used to determine membership, and include evidence of kinship among tribal members.
These 4 groups have an organized tribal membership roll because the "rolls" consist mainly of their family members, first and foremost. Subsequently, they "bring in other followers" and issue "Membership Cards." Naturally there would be "kinship among the members, because first, for example, Nancy (nee: Millette) Doucet gave out "Membership Cards" to any and all of her family relatives who would accept them, whether they asked for these "Cards" or not!
3. Documented traditions, customs, and legends that signify Native American heritage.
Signify means to suggest, to imply, to protend (i.e. meaning "to stretch").
That is not proof of genealogical connection to the Abenaki People. Or is such "signifying" record documentation, traditions, customs and legends adequate enough proof of Native American heritage?
4. A state recognized group must have a tribal council, a constitution, and a chief.
Tribal Council = Incorporation Board of Directors
A Constitution = Incorporation By-Laws
Chief = Incorportion President
5. A group must have been and continues to be recognized by other Native American communities in Vermont, as a Vermont Native American band or group.
An incorporation "recognizing" another incorporation is not one Native American community in Vermont recognizing another Vermont Native American band or group.
6. A Vermont state recognized Tribe or band has to have been known by state, county, or municpal officials, as a functioning Native American band or group in Vermont.
Incorporation's obviously have interaction with state, county, or municipal officials, and be known by such, while functioning as an alleged yet reinvented/ self-proclaiming Native American band or group in Vermont.
7. A state recognized Tribe or Band cannot be recognized as a tribe in any other state, province, or nation.
8. An enduring community presence within the boundaries of Vermont that is documented by archaeology, ethnology, physical anthropology, history, genealogy, folklore, or any other applicable scholarly research and data.
An "enduring community presence"?
So, if by Incorporating within 1976 or between 1976 and or/ after 2005, that represents "enduring community presence"?
If by using the work, assumptions and conclusions of Mr. John Scott Moody and/ or Frederick Matthew Wiseman well, I have documentary evidence that rips assunder these two Abenaki "historians" assumptions/conclusions both historically and genealogical speaking both from Vermont Court Judges and the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Federal Acknowledgement.
None of these four (4) groups (according the Senator Hinda Miller, quote states, "our Abenaki bands") cannot document before 1900 that they were a Tribe or a band of Abenaki/Missisquoi/Sokoki/St. Francis Indians/ELNU/Nulhegan Coosuk/Koasek of the Koas.
So, the state of Vermont (and New Hampshire) is/are going to ignore the genealogical, historical, and social histories of these four (4) groups etc. now calling themselves, as a whole, "The Abenaki Alliance" and very likely subsequently grant Official State Recognition to Incorporations, and in that endeavor, make Incorporations into "Abenaki Tribes" with the stroke of an alleged "politically corrective" pen?!
In conclusion, this is no surprise to my thinking. With a pen and paper, the re-writing of Abenaki history in Vermont repeats itself. "To hell with the truth" as they'd say......
But the TRUTHFUL documentation will be shown and provided.....regardless of Vermont or New Hampshire's Legislature's granting official state recognition to these Incorporate groups either in New Hampshire or Vermont.
