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| By Margery Sharp |
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Four Governors have had input into the Abenaki Nation’s quest for sovereignty in Vermont. In 1976 Gov. Thomas Salmon signed a document granting recognition to the Abenaki Nation. It was revoked in 1977 by Gov. Richard Snelling although later Gov. Howard Dean appointed a Native American “Advisory” Committee. One year ago (May 2006) the present Governor, James Douglas, signed Legislative Bill S117 declaring the Abenaki Nation a Sovereign State. To achieve sovereignty the Abenaki, meaning “People of the Dawnland,” traced back seven generations to the 18th century to prove with maps, artifacts, heirlooms, clothing, food utensils, fishing implements, canoes, and some birth records their continuous presence in Vermont. After a great flood (1790) it was rumored most Native Americans in Franklin County either died or moved to Canada. This was not entirely true. Many Abenaki remained and adapted the “white man’s” ways while they kept secret their culture and their Algonquin language.
The Eugenics Movement of the 1920’s-30’s also forced many indigenous people to hide their heritage fearing sterilization by proponents of the Movement, led in Vermont by UVM Zoology Professor Henry Perkins. Among those targeted were retarded, mentally ill, Native Americans and others deemed “unfit” to live by Perkins’ disciples. Many Abenaki quietly lived on in Franklin County essentially hiding from the likes of Perkins. In the late 1950’s the Abenaki reasserted their Vermont existence. Championing this renewed interest was Homer St. Francis, Grand Chief of the Abenaki Nation. For generations his family held leadership positions in the Nation. “I would sit at the kitchen table and hear (my father) talk to other tribal leaders about claiming the Nation’s sovereign rights,” April St. Francis Merrill, Homer St. Francis’ daughter, recalls. At sixteen St. Francis faked his age to join the U.S. Marines. Chosen a member of President Eisenhower’s White House Honor Guard, “He was decorated for stopping a person attempting to enter the White House grounds by climbing over a fence,” Merrill says. Later he joined the U.S. Navy and still later the Army National Guard. He served in Korea. Determined to gain Abenaki sovereignty he read law books and knew what his rights were. But Homer St. Francis, patriot, often wasn’t treated kindly by the media. April St. Francis Merrill always was interested in her father’s work. In 1991 she was appointed “Acting Chief” when her father contracted cancer. In 1996, she took over all duties as Chief of the Missisquoi —St. Francis Band-Sokoki Tribe. (The Missisquoi are a tribe within the Abenaki Nation and the name, Missisquoi, means “Crooked River.”) Homer St. Francis died in 2001 without seeing his Nation achieve sovereignty. Today Chief Merrill’s mission is to preserve the ethnicity of the Missisquoi and help members take advantage of opportunities including education, jobs, housing and healthcare. “Education is the main key,” she says. “When there was no kindergarten for our five year-olds, we started our own. When kindergarten was mandated for Vermont schools our children went to public school.” She adds, “In the 1980s the Abenaki high school student dropout rate was 80 percent. Today it is three percent. We continuously remind our people they are not dumb, they can achieve and have careers.”
“Let me make this point, we don’t want to build a casino!
But we do want to gain economic stability.” Another key is better health care. “We have many health problems including alcoholism and diabetes. A new trend is diabetes in our youth which (of course) is happening throughout America.” “Let me make this point,” she says. “We don’t want to build a casino!” But we do want to gain economic stability.” Recently the tribe members developed a juice drink recipe. “When we wrote a development grant for the drink, it was coupled with a St. Albans grant. Ours was scrapped because it would ‘compete’ with St. Albans.” In 2000 Merrill led the fight to stop excavation of an ancient Abenaki burial ground on the Bushey property on Monument Road along the Missisquoi River in Swanton-Highgate. For several weeks Merrill and tribe members blockaded construction vehicles while Abenaki, UVM archaeologists and volunteers sifted through disturbed dirt for human remains. Yes, there were curiosity seekers, security and, of course, the media. “This was not just a bunch of bones,” she says. “Even Deborah Blom, UVM Archaeologist, could identify some fragments as that of a child, a woman etc. It’s part of our heritage only the older women bury the dead. No woman who is of child-bearing age may take part,” Merrill explains. The remains were wrapped in a customary way. When the landowner refused to allow the women onto the land to ‘wrap’ the remains in preparation for reburial, April asked, “How would you like me to dig up your grandmother?” He relented. The reburial ceremony was held November 2000. Missisquoi-Abenaki headquarters is located at 100 Grand Avenue (Route 7) south of Swanton Village. Inside, the room is lined with office cubicles opposite a bank of computers—a gift from IBM. All tribe members, especially children, use the machines. (The day of this interview, a five year-old worked a computer.) The Department of Labor (Unemployment and Training) meets there and occasional meetings and lectures also are held there. The headquarters shares space with the tribal council and Abenaki Museum next door (set up by Johnson College Professor Fred Wiseman) and ASHAI (Abenaki Self Help Association, Inc.), Vermont’s first non-profit organization which formed in 1977 to help get federal/state funds to meet community needs. In 1981 ASHAI built a Section Eight Low Income Housing project. ASHAI also runs Operation Santa, a food shelf, and gives vocational support to tribe members, funds social/educational programs, addresses prejudice toward Abenakis and promotes pride in the Abenaki heritage. When Gov. Douglas signed S117 in 2006, a directive to form a Governor’s Commission on Native American Affairs was included. Douglas appointed seven commissioners—all Native Americans—to each serve two years. Commissioners meet each month in the National Life Building in Montpelier. Mark Mitchell is chairman. Besides recognition of the Abenaki as a Sovereign Nation, there is language in S117, Section 851 titled “Findings” (2) which reads, ” There is ample archaeological evidence that demonstrates that the Missisquoi Abenaki were indigenous to and farmed the river floodplains of Vermont at least as far back as the 1100s A.D.” The commission’s goals include: making use of communication tools including websites, the education of Native American children and housing and health care for both the elderly and all tribe members. The commissioners also want to ensure protection of sacred sites and unmarked Native American burials. They also want to clarify the regulations for Native American artisans to sell native crafts. Some Vermont officials believe the commission should decide who is qualified to sell native crafts on an individual basis. The commissioners disagree and say anyone could declare himself a Native American in order to sell crafts. They prefer to set up criteria by which they would recognize whole tribes and known artisans in the tribe would qualify to sell the crafts. The commissioners also want to guarantee the study of the Abenaki experience in Vermont schools and compile a permanent record of Vermont’s Quadricentennial Celebration in 2009. Professor Wiseman is a member of the Vermont Quadricentennial Committee. Each Memorial Day a Heritage Festival is held in Swanton. There is dancing, music and ceremonies. Many Native American tribal chiefs attend the festivities. The general public is invited. Margery Sharp is a reporter/freelance writer living in Hinesburg, Vermont. |
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