ABENAKE NATION

THE ABENAKI TRIBE IS A MEMBER OF THE WOBANAKE CONFEDERACY WHO ARE ADVISERS OF THE IROQUOIS. THESE ALLIES SPEAK RELATED LANGUAGES WHICH MEAN PEOPLE FROM THE EAST. TODAY 2000 ABENAKIS LIVE ON TWO RESERVES IN QUEBEC, AND 10,000 LIVE IN AREAS IN NEW ENGLAND. IN QUEBEC THEY OWN THEIR LAND AND THEY SPEAK FRENCH NOW. THEY LIVE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, VERMONT AND MAINE. THERE ARE THREE BANDS. ABENAKI HISTORY IS INTERESTING AND IMPORTANT AND THEY ARE STILL HERE TODAY. THEIR LANGUAGE IS ENDANGERED AS CHILDREN DON'T WANT TO LEARN IT AND DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.

THEIR CHIEFS ARE CALLED SAGAMA IN THEIR LANGUAGE, AND THEY HAVE NO FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBES IN THE U.S. THEIR GATHERINGS OF TODAY ARE NOT DONE AS THEY WERE BEFORE. THEY HAVE POWWOWS THAT ARE PERFORMED PER COMMERCIAL AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES. PRIOR TO CONTACT THE EASTERN WOODLAND PROBABLY HELD SMALL GATHERINGS TO CELEBRATE. MARRIAGE, DEATH, THE PLANTING MOON, THE HARVEST MOON, WARFARE, AND TRADING, WOULD BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER. THEIR GATHERINGS ARE MORE TRADITIONAL AND ARTISTIC. THEY USUALLY HAVE AT LEAST 100 CARS AT A TIME AT A CEREMONY.

AT SUNRISE EACH DAY OF THE GATHERING THE SPIRITUAL LEADERS GATHER INTO A CIRCLE TO SMOKE AND MAKE PRAYERS FOR THE GATHERING. THEY ASK THE CREATOR, MOTHER EARTH , FATHER SKY AND THE FOUR DIRECTIONS TO BLESS THE GATHERING. THEY MAKE OTHER OFFERINGS.

THE DRUM CALLS FOLKS INTO THE CIRCLE AND THEY FORM INTO PROCESSION. THE ELDERS LEAD THE CIRCLE AND THE MEN LEAD THE PROCESSION, THEN THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN COME. THEN SOME YOUNG WARRIORS FOLLOW.THEY SING A WELCOME SONG. THEY DO ROUND DANCES, GREEN CORN, PINE NEEDLE DANCE, SNAKE DANCE, AND ANIMAL CLAN DANCE.A COMMUNAL FEAST IS HELD AFTER THE DAYTIME DANCING STOPS. AT NIGHT TIME A FIRE IS IN THE CIRCLE AND SOCIAL DANCING BEGINS AND THEY MAKE NEW FRIENDS.


PRIOR TO MARRIAGE THE FAMILIES EXCHANGE GIFTS. A MARRIAGE CEREMONY IS A MAJOR GATHERING FOR FAMILIES. A CIRCLE IS FORMED WITH THE MARRIAGE PARTY IN THE CENTER. ALL KINDS OF SONGS WERE SUNG. A MARRIAGE POLE IS PUT IN PLACE AT THE EASTERN ENTRANCE OF THE CIRCLE AND A BLANKET IS PLACED AT THE BASE OF THE POLE FOR GIFTS.

THEY HAD A DIVERSION OF LABOR AND RELIGIOUS BELIEF. WOMEN COLLECTED ALL TYPES OF BERRIES, NUTS, ROOTS, RICE, ONIONS, CHIVES, GARLIC, CABBAGE, AND OTHER PLANTS. THEY GATHERED HERBS FOR MEDICINES TO EAT. THEY PLANTED CROPS OF CORN, BEANS, AND SQUASH. THEY WERE DRIED AND COULD BE USED DURING THE WINTER. THEY ALSO PLANTED SNOW PEAS, CUCUMBERS AND GOURDS. THE MEN HUNTED AND TRAPPED WILD GAME SUCH AS MOOSE, DEER, RABBIT, TURKEY FOR FOOD ANDMADE IT INTO VENISON. THEY ASLO CAUGHT FISH USING NETS - TURTLES, CLAMS, SALMON, AND TROUT. A HUNTER'S BOUNTY WAS SHARED BY ALL AND HE KEPT A BASIC SUPPLY OF FOOD FOR HIS FAMILY.

SOMETIMES THEIR MEN WENT TO WAR TO PROTECT THEIR FAMILIES. BOTH GENDERS TOLD STORIES, MADE ARTWORK, PLAYED INSTRUMENTS, AND USED TRADITIONAL MEDICINE. IN THE PAST ONLY MEN WERE CHIEFS, BUT TODAY WOMEN CAN BE CHIEFS.

THEIR DECISION MAKING PROCESS IS SOMETHING THE ABENAKI ENGAGE IN WHEN THEY HAVE TO MAKE GROUP DECISIONS FOR THE BEST OF ALL THEIR PEOPLE. CONSENSUS MEANS THAT ALL UNDERSTAND THE DECISIONS NOT THAT ALL AGREE. THE NEEDS AND ATTITUDES OF ALL ARE INVOLVED AND THEY BRING THEIR IDEAS INTO THE DISCUSSION. THE SMALLEST GROUP DELIBERATES ON AN ISSUE OR MATTER. THE LEADER REPORTS THEIR DECISION TO THE FACILITATOR. IF THEIR IS DISAGREEMENT, THEY ARE ASKED TO DELIBERATE AGAIN. THE FACILITATOR KEEPS ASKING THEM TO TALK THINGS OVER UNTIL A CONSENSUS IS MADE.

THREE TRUTHS ARE INVOLVED -WHEN AN ISSUE IS DISCUSSED, THE GROUPS CONSIDER THE GOOD AND THE BAD.
1) PEACE - DOES IT PRESERVE PEACE?
2) RIGHTEOUSNESS - IS IT MORALLY CORRECT?
3) POWER - DOES IT PRESERVE THE PRESENT AND FUTURE INTEGRITY? NO ONE CAN IMPOSE THEIR WILL OR MAKE A DECISION FOR ANOTHER. ALL MUST UNDERSTAND THE VIEWPOINT AND AGREE OF THEIR OWN FREE WILL.
A PRAYER: OD GREAT SPIRIT WHOSE VOICE I HEAR IN THE WINDS AND WHOSE BREATH GIVES LIFE TO THE WORLD, HEAR ME. I AM ONE OF YOU CHILDREN, SMALL AND WEEK. I NEED YOUR STRENGTH AND WISDOM. LET ME WALK IN BEAUTY AND MAKE MY EYES EVER BEHOLD. THE RED SUNSET MAKES WISE HANDS RESPECT THE THINGS YOU HAVE MADE, MAKE MY EARS SHARP TO HEAR YOUR VOICE. MAKE ME EVER READY TO COME TO YOU WHEN LIFE FADES AS A SUNSET, MY SPIRIT MAY COME TO YOU WITHOUT SHAME.

THEY USED TO BUILD AND LIVE IN BIRCH BARK WIGWAMS. TODAY THEY LIVE IN MODERN HOUSES. THEIR ABORIGINAL CLOTHING FOR MEN WAS BREECH CLOTHS; THEIR WOMEN WORE WRAPS AROUND DEERSKIN SKIRTS AND NO SHIRTS! THEY MADE DECORATED MOCASSINS WITH GLASS BEADS. SOME OF THEIR CHIEFS WOULD WEAR TALL FEATHERED HEADDRESSES. THEY DID NOT PAINT THEIR SKIN WITH TATTOOS. THEY WERE WELL KNOWN FOR THEIR BIRCH BARK CANOES.

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