Indian Summer

Native food rises again at the Intervale

By Alice Levitt [07.01.09]

“When I was in college here, anthropologists still thought that Indians only roamed through here in hunting bands,” says University of Vermont ethnobotanist Kit Anderson. More than 30 years later, she is reminiscing surrounded by corn, beans and squash at Healthy City Commons — a sizable plot just off the Rena Calkins Trail at the Intervale Center. This is the home of the Abenaki Traditional Garden, a project combining the talents of growers, historians and conservationists in a living, edible embodiment of what Samuel de Champlain most likely found when he arrived on these shores.

“This is exactly where such a garden would be,” continues Anderson, pointing a few yards into the distance. “There’s a burial site just past that row of trees. A young Abenaki woman was found buried there, and in the soil were the remains of corn.”

Administrator's comment: Should the Abenaki be Interested or even care?

Festival's here, but is interest?

By Sally Pollak, Free Press Staff Writer • July 2, 2009

As the city of Burlington throws itself a 400th birthday party of major proportions, ticket sales to festival events are below anticipated levels, organizers say.

Six days before the Burlington International Waterfront Festival was set to begin, ticket sales to festival performances were more than 50 percent below projections, said Doreen Kraft, executive director of Burlington City Arts.

Today marks the opening day of the $1.8 million, 13-day celebration that commemorates the arrival in 1609 of Samuel de Champlain, a French explorer who was the first European to explore the lake and its shores.

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/

'Authentic' status is necessary

Cherokees of Alabama should abide by, appreciate, rules

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

‘You’re born what you are, the Creator made you."

    So said Bobby "Red Hawk" Sterling, chief of the group Cherokees of Alabama, when discussing whether his group should have the right to sell "authentic" native American crafts at the gift shop planned for the former River Trace Golf Club property in East Gadsden.

The Alabama Indian Affairs Commission said the group could not legally sell items, even those made by CoA members, labeled as "authentic" Native American goods because the group is not recognized as a tribe, a status change the group says it is pursuing.

While we welcome the CoA’s presence in Gadsden and its plans for investing in a development here, some of its actions are cause for concern. Signs posted at the property proclaim it a reservation although it hasn’t been declared one. A security vehicle is labeled "reservation" police.

In response to the repatriation issue at UMass/Amherst and Five Colleges:

 We are deeply concerned about a claim that three Native tribes (STOCKBRIDGE MOHICAN, NARRAGANSET, & AQUINNAH) are making to SOKWAKI/ABENAKI & NIPMUC/CENTRAL CONNECTICUT RIVER ancestral remains, grave goods, and artifacts that are in the NAGPRA process at the FIVE COLLEGES including UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS/AMHERST in the central Connecticut River Valley.  

            Despite being asked repeatedly to collaborate with the ABENAKI NATION, NIPMUC TRIBES, and MASHPEE WAMPANOAG in a coalition to work on this important repatriation together, these three groups have decided to attempt to exclude the descendants of these Old Ones and require the NAGPRA COMMITTEE to tell UMASS/ AMHERST and the FIVE COLLEGES to only deal with them.

Tribe set to sue so bridge will open

CORNWALL CROSSING: Mohawks say closure of international span was done illegally

By LORI SHULL

TIMES STAFF WRITER

SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2009

MASSENA — The Mohawk Council of Akwesasne is going to sue Canadian officials to try to get the Seaway International Bridge reopened.

The tribal government on the Canadian side of the Mohawk reservation announced Friday that it plans to take Minister of Public Safety Peter van Loan and Canada Border Service Agency President Stephen Rigby to court to end the stalemate that has had the bridge closed since May 31.

Tribes’ NAGPRA complaint against UMass moves forward

University recently released remains of eight Narragansett ancestors to unauthorized individual

By Gale Courey Toensing

Story Published: Jun 24, 2009

NARRAGANSETT, R.I. – A complaint against the University of Massachusetts Amherst, claiming violations of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act is under investigation and will be heard at a Review Committee meeting in the fall.

The complaint was filed jointly by Tribal Historic Preservation Officers Cheryl Andrews-Maltais of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head, Aquinnah; John Brown III of the Narragansett Indian Tribe; and Sherry White of the Stockbridge-Munsee Community Band of Mohican Indians in May 2008. Andrews-Maltais has since been elected chairwoman of her tribe.

Sherry Hutt, NAGPRA program director, confirmed that the complaint is under investigation.

MASHANTUCKETS PLAN POWWOW FESTIVAL FOR JULY 8-9

Published on 6/26/2009

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribe will host a powwow festival — an American Indian celebration of dancing, singing and socializing — from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 8 and 9 at the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center.

A grand entry of tribal members will take place at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. both days. Admission will be free for museum members and for those who purchase a museum admission.

Prescription drug abuse in Indian country

Lamar Associates announces training program for tribal law enforcement, health, education and service providers

By Staff reports

Story Published: Jun 28, 2009

WASHINGTON – Tribal communities facing an increase in prescription drug abuse are being offered a two-day training program by Lamar Associates.

Lamar Associates, a 100 percent American Indian-owned professional services company, offers training and technical assistance paired with a deep understanding of the challenges facing Indian country.

In January, a man driving under the influence of alcohol and prescription drugs crashed his automobile and killed a woman on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. In 2007, the Montana State crime lab attributed 141 deaths to four major prescription painkillers compared to seven attributed to methamphetamine.

“The increase in prescription drug abuse and diversion in Indian country calls for swift response to help service providers address this growing problem,” said Steven Juneau, Lamar Associates vice president. “After training over 1,000 attendees from Indian country, we know prescription drug abuse has the potential to further devastate our Native communities.” Juneau is a former federal special agent in charge and enrolled member of the Haida Tlingit Tribe of Alaska and a descendant of the Blackfeet Nation of Montana.

The Vermont Indigenous Celebration

Tobacco tax increase

By: Barry Higgins

I recently read an open letter to the commission regarding the tobacco tax increase in your state. This is a nation wide trend to decrease smoking related healthcare cost and diseases by discouraging hitting people where it hurts in the pocket. There is no question of the connection between smoking and health related issues nor question that our People use tobacco in ceremonial ways that most politicians are not experienced with and hence do not understand. Elders will have a more difficult time purchasing tobacco product intended for ceremonial use on a fixed income.

The solution required is one that must be sustainable over time, aligns with our cultural teaching, and educates both the dominate society as well as are own People. Recently here in Mass we have created an organization called the Nolumbeka Project. Although the name has multiple meanings and spellings we have chosen to use Nolumbeka as in the Wabanaki language tongue means a stretch of quiet water between two rapids. Our organization’s mission is a not politically motivated, we are not an activist group, and we hold no specific tribal alliances. Our goal is to serve our People through education and public awareness programming.