Post by blackcrowheart on Oct 3, 2007 14:05:10 GMT -5
Go to the FILES section of this message board and read the article I
am responding to. The fact are the facts and what has been said by
Nancy Millette Cruger Lyons who now goes by the name of Millette is
exactly what I am addressing. The Koasek Website states that
their "history" is "under construction". The Incorporated names of
the Koasek/Cohass/Cowasuck etc operate like as if the Koasek Abenakis
are an offshore bank account for some illegal activities of some
corporation playing a "shell game". So even if you other Abenaki
descendants out there may or may not agree with my conclusions out
there regarding these various groups etc I myself had to say
something in defense of my ancestors integrity, responsibilies and my
own accountability. I am not a negative minded person by nature but I
am very upset and concerned about the state of the Abenaki
Descendants when we have so-called representatives who claim to be
elected chiefs etc who clearly are bastardizing and butchering our
heritage. culture, and language in their drive to inflate their
ego's. In their endeavors to gain more power and control. The truth
hurts, and for this I am sorry if I offend anyone with this posting
of my words but someone has to say something against all this
nonsense happening in the name of my Coos ancestors! Kind regards to
all, Douglas Lloyd Buchholz in Lancaster, New Hampshire. (My contact
information is public)
How many abenaki songs you think were sung at this event she called
Nawihla? How many folks could or did have the awarness of even
alittle bit of the abenaki language to where they could hold a simple
conversation with someone else? How many abenakis out there attending
this event know how to subsist as our ancestors have done for
geneations, from this land? Nancy Millette stated that this event was
a reflection of, a sharing of Abenaki culture, heritage; etc. Thats
why she had Mohawk folks singers, drum groups that did not sing
abenaki songs of this area, and aztec dancers....so much for abenaki
heritage and culture. It was a "Nancy on her pedestal" horse and pony
show, all of which was an insult to all of us, and a mockery of our
abenaki ancestors. This is why I did not attend and subsequently why
I wrote the following. The b.s. never seems to stop. Where is the
integrity, the honesty, the responsibility, and the accountability?
The Caledonian-Record Online Edition · Monday June 4, 2007
www.caledonianrecord.com
Contact:
Mike Gonyaw
190 Federal Street, PO Box 8
St. Johnsbury, Vermont 05819
gonyawm@caledonian-record.com
Phone: 802-748-8121
Setting Abenaki record straight
- To the Editor:
In regards to the article published by The Caledonian-
Record, "Nawihla" Abenaki Cultural Celebration, is "for the birds."
Literally speaking, I mean this. Contrary to the so-called Koasek
Band's Co-Chief Nancy Millette stating that it means "to return home"
in Abenaki, it actually means "to fly home."
Just as with her previous endeavor to name the Pow-Wow up in northern
Littleton, N.H. "Sagakawa," she retrospectively concluded that this
word Sagakwa meant "to rejoice in or with excitement." What Nancy
Millette obviously didn't know was that this word Sagakwa was really
meaning to rejoice in ... well, let's just say that when one rejoiced
or shouted out with excitement one would hope that the kids were at
Grandma's house at the time and that the walls were insulated. More
or less Sagakwa was in reference to a "bedroom" word within the
Abenaki language.
Nawihla, when broken down into its basic constructs or root form, if
one has an awareness of the language, one would quickly realize that
nawa- means "to come" and -wihla means "to fly." Using the Gordon Day
Abenaki dictionary we see this -wihla in the word for night bird,
thrush or very likely a hermit thrush. In Abenaki it would
be "wlogwihlas" (singular) and in plural form, would
be "wlogwihlasak." One will see the -wihla within the word for this
bird. To say in Abenaki "to fly by, or go by" within the Abenaki
language we would say Tojihla.
Actually, -wihla is an add-on word in which to denote that something
was flying home. To say that nawihla means to return home is
incorrect because it is a descriptive of what particular method of
movement one is taking to get one's self home, in particular or
specifically a bird who is coming from one place to another by way of
flying.
I would like to address this business regarding the Koasek Band
which "claims" to be from the historical peoples who were identified
by non-natives as being Coos, Koasek, Cowasuck, etc. Again, obviously
Nancy Millette doesn't know about Abenakis because the Abenakis would
not call themselves these geographical place names. They were
descriptives of an area but they were not the people. We call
ourselves Aln8bak (plural). The "8" is a old way of representing the
nasal "O" sound. We are human beings. I would not say to someone,
Abenaki or not, in my language "Kwai, N'koasek" but rather more
correctly I would say, "Kwai, Nd'elewizi Douglas Buchholz. Nia
ojihila Koasek." Meaning Hello, My name is Douglas Buchholz. I come
from the Place of the Pines. We never call ourselves as Aln8bak, the
geographical places names we happen to live at. To do so would be
incorrect linguistically. The same rule applies that as Abenakis we
never call each other the names of animals. More correctly we would
call a person with the name, such as "Nolka mkasawigidjik abaziikok"
which translates into English, meaning to say "Deer of the Black
Trees." It is a descriptive of the animal by way of its geographical
place of birth and/or residence.
Sadly said, as an Abenaki descendant I have seen alot of
blatant "distortions" and untruths being created by various
individuals and groups who claim to be "representatives" of their so-
called claimed-to-be "Bands, Communities, and/or Tribes" and
truthfully said, they have made a mockery of the Abenaki Culture. In
simple words, there are too many "Chiefs" and not enough Abenakis.
To the point, all I am saying is that as Abenaki descendants we ought
to take the time to learn our historical familial past and cultural
ways, which I think we have not done. We have way too many folks out
there claiming to be elected chiefs but when one looks deeper at
their truthful histories it all boils down to illusions, distortions
and just plain ol' b.s.
For example, the two genealogists listed on the Koasek Band's Web
site don't even reside in Vermont. Karen Mica, who resides in West
Warren, Mass., has claimed that to be "real" Abenakis all one needs
to do is pick up Southwest Indian teachings; and Pam Brostean lives
in Dandridge, Tennessee! Even their Public Relations Officer Raymond
W. LeMay lives in Watervliet, in upstate New York! Co-Chief Brian
Chenevert resides in Mass. who was once a member of Paul Pouliot's
Band of Cowasuck Abenakis; and even Nancy (nee: Millette) has lived
in New Hampshire, New York and now Vermont over the previous three
years. Most of this Koasek group once were members of the Cowasuck
Band situated out of Franklin, Mass., which I will mention later in
this article.
Simply said, these groups led by these people are merely trying to
get a seat at the table in their attempt to get a piece of the pie
served to them in the conjured-up ideas of what they assumed this
Abenaki Recognition Bill S.117 would provide them, for supposedly
being an Abenaki card-holding member of this group or that group,
claiming to be Abenakis.
Before the Koasek Band amended recently their so-called "history" on
their Web site, they stated that there was a meeting of the Turtle
Clan held at a private home of a Clan Matriarch, as a private family
gathering to any outsiders, on Waterman Hill in Norwich, Vt. A photo
exists of the meeting and those present, so this Koasek group claims.
Well, why haven't they publically put this photograph or the
identities of those at this meeting on their Web site? According to
these people who claim to have been in hiding for 300 years, they now
declare that they have no reason to hide anymore in The Caledonian-
Record article.
So let's see the documentation to identify the band's membership of
which were those who voted Nancy Millette and Brian Chenevert as co-
chiefs of the Koasek Band; let's see their 501(c)3 status number and
under whose name it is; let us see on their Web site the Abenaki
ancestral connectedness that Nancy Millette claims her great
grandmother Flora "Una Anna" (actually Eunice was her middle name)
Ingerson descends from, as Nancy has so publicly claimed in various
media online and in the newspapers.
If this Abenaki corn is really legit, then let's see the proof of
this as well. If the Abenaki corn was in hiding for 300 years I have
to ask the why of this as well. I mean corn is corn, eh? What were
the Koasek Abenakis of Haverhill, N.H., and Newbury, Vt., doing all
those 300 years? Must have become potato farmers claiming to be Irish
is all I can figure out. Neither a 501(c)3 status number nor a New
Hampshire governor's proclamation is going to make these people
claiming to be Koasek Abenakis any more Koasek than John F. Kennedy
was Koasek Abenaki Indian! We really do have to take a deeper look at
what is really going on here.
It all started in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Supposedly they can
show a "timeline" going back to the summer of 1934 and then jumps to
the spring of 1947. Then there is a big black hole. But somehow they
leap across this timeline's glack hole, and suddenly into the early
1970s.
On Nov. 4, 1977, Chief Noel St. Aubin issued a Resolution for the
Abenakis of Wolinak in support of all Abenaki People in the United
States. But this was an illusion. A distortion if you will. Why?
Because it was not "ratified" by Wolinak nor the Odanak's Council of
the time.
Two people, Richard Phillips and Joe Pero, had started up two groups,
and by the spring of 1980 decided to bring the two groups together,
calling themselves the Northeast Woodlands Band of Cowasuck Abenakis
of Vermont.
By that spring of 1981 Phillips is out (because he disappeared) and
Pero is in, thus Pero became the band chief. Also Howard F. Knight
Jr. becomes "acting" Band Chief of the group.
After Pero passed away in 1983, Howard Knight became the band chief
of the group.
In the winter of 1992 and the spring of 1993, Howard resigned because
of supposed illness, he elected Paul Pouliot to be Chief of the
group. Paul Pouliot then relocated to Franklin, Mass.
In the spring or summer of 2000, Chief Howard Knight had a near fatal
heart attack and he again stepped down.
By the summer and fall of 2005, with the Recognition Bill for "all
Abenaki peope" in Vermont on the horizon, Howard who said he worked
on the Recognition Bill throughout 2005 with the approval of his VA
doctors and cardiologist, was elected to the "reorganized" Cowasuck
group after some distention, with the understanding that new
leadership would need to be eventually found due to his supposed
medical situations.
On March 10, 2006, Brian Chenevert was voted in by the Band as
Associate Chief, by a vote of 7-1, with training to begin
immediately.
By April 18, 2006, Howard Knight stepped down once again due to
supposed health issues. He selected Associate Chief Brian Chenevert
to fill in as acting chief until the Council could elect a new
permanent chief. Nancy Lyons (nee: Millette) is made acting associate
chief. Nancy Lyons (her surname at the time) requests so-
called "Abenaki Unity Meetings" but some Abenakis "smelled a rat" and
did not attend.
By May 3, 2006, Gov. Jim Douglas of Vermont signed into law, S.117
State Recognition of all Abenaki People, which was a nice little hand
wave across the land without the state having to clarify who was and
who wasn't being recognized within these various groups who were
suddenly claiming to be Abenakis today.
On May 5, 2006, Chief Nancy Lyons and Brian were voted in by
electronic proxy vote to two-year terms.
By June 25, 2006, they changed their band name to Koasek and
somewhere along the line, Nancy Millette becomes chief for life.
On September 13, 2006, supposedly an original strain of Abenaki corn
was returned to the Koasek Band by Charles and Sarah Calley of
Newbury, Vt. Not until Nancy Lyons came to the area did the Calleys
feel it "safe enough" to give the corn to the Abenaki descendants.
Assuredly there were other kind-hearted Abenaki descendants within
Vermont and/or New Hampshire that the Calleys could have given this
supposed Abenaki corn to. What were they afraid of, to be seen in
Swanton, Vt., and scared they'd be kidnapped and "taken to Canada,"
like the good ol' days of Robert Roger's lifetime?!
So, in conclusion to my own thinking on the matter, it's all about
what these groups who are claiming to be Abenaki communities, bands,
and tribes can get for being Abenaki descendants supposedly (as they
have claimed they are) rather than what they can give to their
children. They can't be satisfied with merely "being Abenaki
descendants" and solidifying their language awareness or their
subsistence abilities from this land, but now they all have to be
paid "to be Abenaki."
All one needs to do is look at the so-called history of this band
(that they now have taken off their Web site, for legal reasons I am
sure) and in Nancy (nee: Millette) Lyons own publicly spoken words
via various media outlets, Web sites, and the various newspapers. The
math doesn't add up. How many Abenaki "teachings" can a 7-year-old
girl retain from her supposed great-grandmother, whose great-
granddaughter now claims was an Abenaki medicine woman, etc., simply
by combing this woman's hair with the ktichen door closed?
In The Caledonian-Record, Nancy Millette sent up her written diatribe
on this Nawihla event. If the Koaseks were "hiding" for 300 years as
she claims and had never left the area, then why would we have "to
return home" as she puts it?
This Nawihla event is a pow-wow. This has absolutely nothing to do
with truthful Abenaki culture, language, heritage or life ways of our
Abenaki ancestors. In truth, this event is more of a three-ring
circus with the disconnected, distorted Abenaki clowns coming to a
town near you. Robert Rogers didn't have any wars, nor were the
Abenakis in "hiding for 300 years!" So let's see some substantiated
proof of what this woman and this Band claims to be their "history."
As my grandmother said, "Don't go believin' everything you read in
the newspaper!"
Wliwini Kchi Niwaskwom wji linasa pm8wiz8w8gnek which translates
to "Thank you, Great Spirit for the Breath Of Life." Now, that is
Abenaki!
Anyone who wants to review the documentation for what I have said
here and "why" of what I have said, can communicate with me
personally, by phone or by mail whether one is Abenaki or not.
Douglas Lloyd Buchholz
Lancaster, N.H.
am responding to. The fact are the facts and what has been said by
Nancy Millette Cruger Lyons who now goes by the name of Millette is
exactly what I am addressing. The Koasek Website states that
their "history" is "under construction". The Incorporated names of
the Koasek/Cohass/Cowasuck etc operate like as if the Koasek Abenakis
are an offshore bank account for some illegal activities of some
corporation playing a "shell game". So even if you other Abenaki
descendants out there may or may not agree with my conclusions out
there regarding these various groups etc I myself had to say
something in defense of my ancestors integrity, responsibilies and my
own accountability. I am not a negative minded person by nature but I
am very upset and concerned about the state of the Abenaki
Descendants when we have so-called representatives who claim to be
elected chiefs etc who clearly are bastardizing and butchering our
heritage. culture, and language in their drive to inflate their
ego's. In their endeavors to gain more power and control. The truth
hurts, and for this I am sorry if I offend anyone with this posting
of my words but someone has to say something against all this
nonsense happening in the name of my Coos ancestors! Kind regards to
all, Douglas Lloyd Buchholz in Lancaster, New Hampshire. (My contact
information is public)
How many abenaki songs you think were sung at this event she called
Nawihla? How many folks could or did have the awarness of even
alittle bit of the abenaki language to where they could hold a simple
conversation with someone else? How many abenakis out there attending
this event know how to subsist as our ancestors have done for
geneations, from this land? Nancy Millette stated that this event was
a reflection of, a sharing of Abenaki culture, heritage; etc. Thats
why she had Mohawk folks singers, drum groups that did not sing
abenaki songs of this area, and aztec dancers....so much for abenaki
heritage and culture. It was a "Nancy on her pedestal" horse and pony
show, all of which was an insult to all of us, and a mockery of our
abenaki ancestors. This is why I did not attend and subsequently why
I wrote the following. The b.s. never seems to stop. Where is the
integrity, the honesty, the responsibility, and the accountability?
The Caledonian-Record Online Edition · Monday June 4, 2007
www.caledonianrecord.com
Contact:
Mike Gonyaw
190 Federal Street, PO Box 8
St. Johnsbury, Vermont 05819
gonyawm@caledonian-record.com
Phone: 802-748-8121
Setting Abenaki record straight
- To the Editor:
In regards to the article published by The Caledonian-
Record, "Nawihla" Abenaki Cultural Celebration, is "for the birds."
Literally speaking, I mean this. Contrary to the so-called Koasek
Band's Co-Chief Nancy Millette stating that it means "to return home"
in Abenaki, it actually means "to fly home."
Just as with her previous endeavor to name the Pow-Wow up in northern
Littleton, N.H. "Sagakawa," she retrospectively concluded that this
word Sagakwa meant "to rejoice in or with excitement." What Nancy
Millette obviously didn't know was that this word Sagakwa was really
meaning to rejoice in ... well, let's just say that when one rejoiced
or shouted out with excitement one would hope that the kids were at
Grandma's house at the time and that the walls were insulated. More
or less Sagakwa was in reference to a "bedroom" word within the
Abenaki language.
Nawihla, when broken down into its basic constructs or root form, if
one has an awareness of the language, one would quickly realize that
nawa- means "to come" and -wihla means "to fly." Using the Gordon Day
Abenaki dictionary we see this -wihla in the word for night bird,
thrush or very likely a hermit thrush. In Abenaki it would
be "wlogwihlas" (singular) and in plural form, would
be "wlogwihlasak." One will see the -wihla within the word for this
bird. To say in Abenaki "to fly by, or go by" within the Abenaki
language we would say Tojihla.
Actually, -wihla is an add-on word in which to denote that something
was flying home. To say that nawihla means to return home is
incorrect because it is a descriptive of what particular method of
movement one is taking to get one's self home, in particular or
specifically a bird who is coming from one place to another by way of
flying.
I would like to address this business regarding the Koasek Band
which "claims" to be from the historical peoples who were identified
by non-natives as being Coos, Koasek, Cowasuck, etc. Again, obviously
Nancy Millette doesn't know about Abenakis because the Abenakis would
not call themselves these geographical place names. They were
descriptives of an area but they were not the people. We call
ourselves Aln8bak (plural). The "8" is a old way of representing the
nasal "O" sound. We are human beings. I would not say to someone,
Abenaki or not, in my language "Kwai, N'koasek" but rather more
correctly I would say, "Kwai, Nd'elewizi Douglas Buchholz. Nia
ojihila Koasek." Meaning Hello, My name is Douglas Buchholz. I come
from the Place of the Pines. We never call ourselves as Aln8bak, the
geographical places names we happen to live at. To do so would be
incorrect linguistically. The same rule applies that as Abenakis we
never call each other the names of animals. More correctly we would
call a person with the name, such as "Nolka mkasawigidjik abaziikok"
which translates into English, meaning to say "Deer of the Black
Trees." It is a descriptive of the animal by way of its geographical
place of birth and/or residence.
Sadly said, as an Abenaki descendant I have seen alot of
blatant "distortions" and untruths being created by various
individuals and groups who claim to be "representatives" of their so-
called claimed-to-be "Bands, Communities, and/or Tribes" and
truthfully said, they have made a mockery of the Abenaki Culture. In
simple words, there are too many "Chiefs" and not enough Abenakis.
To the point, all I am saying is that as Abenaki descendants we ought
to take the time to learn our historical familial past and cultural
ways, which I think we have not done. We have way too many folks out
there claiming to be elected chiefs but when one looks deeper at
their truthful histories it all boils down to illusions, distortions
and just plain ol' b.s.
For example, the two genealogists listed on the Koasek Band's Web
site don't even reside in Vermont. Karen Mica, who resides in West
Warren, Mass., has claimed that to be "real" Abenakis all one needs
to do is pick up Southwest Indian teachings; and Pam Brostean lives
in Dandridge, Tennessee! Even their Public Relations Officer Raymond
W. LeMay lives in Watervliet, in upstate New York! Co-Chief Brian
Chenevert resides in Mass. who was once a member of Paul Pouliot's
Band of Cowasuck Abenakis; and even Nancy (nee: Millette) has lived
in New Hampshire, New York and now Vermont over the previous three
years. Most of this Koasek group once were members of the Cowasuck
Band situated out of Franklin, Mass., which I will mention later in
this article.
Simply said, these groups led by these people are merely trying to
get a seat at the table in their attempt to get a piece of the pie
served to them in the conjured-up ideas of what they assumed this
Abenaki Recognition Bill S.117 would provide them, for supposedly
being an Abenaki card-holding member of this group or that group,
claiming to be Abenakis.
Before the Koasek Band amended recently their so-called "history" on
their Web site, they stated that there was a meeting of the Turtle
Clan held at a private home of a Clan Matriarch, as a private family
gathering to any outsiders, on Waterman Hill in Norwich, Vt. A photo
exists of the meeting and those present, so this Koasek group claims.
Well, why haven't they publically put this photograph or the
identities of those at this meeting on their Web site? According to
these people who claim to have been in hiding for 300 years, they now
declare that they have no reason to hide anymore in The Caledonian-
Record article.
So let's see the documentation to identify the band's membership of
which were those who voted Nancy Millette and Brian Chenevert as co-
chiefs of the Koasek Band; let's see their 501(c)3 status number and
under whose name it is; let us see on their Web site the Abenaki
ancestral connectedness that Nancy Millette claims her great
grandmother Flora "Una Anna" (actually Eunice was her middle name)
Ingerson descends from, as Nancy has so publicly claimed in various
media online and in the newspapers.
If this Abenaki corn is really legit, then let's see the proof of
this as well. If the Abenaki corn was in hiding for 300 years I have
to ask the why of this as well. I mean corn is corn, eh? What were
the Koasek Abenakis of Haverhill, N.H., and Newbury, Vt., doing all
those 300 years? Must have become potato farmers claiming to be Irish
is all I can figure out. Neither a 501(c)3 status number nor a New
Hampshire governor's proclamation is going to make these people
claiming to be Koasek Abenakis any more Koasek than John F. Kennedy
was Koasek Abenaki Indian! We really do have to take a deeper look at
what is really going on here.
It all started in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Supposedly they can
show a "timeline" going back to the summer of 1934 and then jumps to
the spring of 1947. Then there is a big black hole. But somehow they
leap across this timeline's glack hole, and suddenly into the early
1970s.
On Nov. 4, 1977, Chief Noel St. Aubin issued a Resolution for the
Abenakis of Wolinak in support of all Abenaki People in the United
States. But this was an illusion. A distortion if you will. Why?
Because it was not "ratified" by Wolinak nor the Odanak's Council of
the time.
Two people, Richard Phillips and Joe Pero, had started up two groups,
and by the spring of 1980 decided to bring the two groups together,
calling themselves the Northeast Woodlands Band of Cowasuck Abenakis
of Vermont.
By that spring of 1981 Phillips is out (because he disappeared) and
Pero is in, thus Pero became the band chief. Also Howard F. Knight
Jr. becomes "acting" Band Chief of the group.
After Pero passed away in 1983, Howard Knight became the band chief
of the group.
In the winter of 1992 and the spring of 1993, Howard resigned because
of supposed illness, he elected Paul Pouliot to be Chief of the
group. Paul Pouliot then relocated to Franklin, Mass.
In the spring or summer of 2000, Chief Howard Knight had a near fatal
heart attack and he again stepped down.
By the summer and fall of 2005, with the Recognition Bill for "all
Abenaki peope" in Vermont on the horizon, Howard who said he worked
on the Recognition Bill throughout 2005 with the approval of his VA
doctors and cardiologist, was elected to the "reorganized" Cowasuck
group after some distention, with the understanding that new
leadership would need to be eventually found due to his supposed
medical situations.
On March 10, 2006, Brian Chenevert was voted in by the Band as
Associate Chief, by a vote of 7-1, with training to begin
immediately.
By April 18, 2006, Howard Knight stepped down once again due to
supposed health issues. He selected Associate Chief Brian Chenevert
to fill in as acting chief until the Council could elect a new
permanent chief. Nancy Lyons (nee: Millette) is made acting associate
chief. Nancy Lyons (her surname at the time) requests so-
called "Abenaki Unity Meetings" but some Abenakis "smelled a rat" and
did not attend.
By May 3, 2006, Gov. Jim Douglas of Vermont signed into law, S.117
State Recognition of all Abenaki People, which was a nice little hand
wave across the land without the state having to clarify who was and
who wasn't being recognized within these various groups who were
suddenly claiming to be Abenakis today.
On May 5, 2006, Chief Nancy Lyons and Brian were voted in by
electronic proxy vote to two-year terms.
By June 25, 2006, they changed their band name to Koasek and
somewhere along the line, Nancy Millette becomes chief for life.
On September 13, 2006, supposedly an original strain of Abenaki corn
was returned to the Koasek Band by Charles and Sarah Calley of
Newbury, Vt. Not until Nancy Lyons came to the area did the Calleys
feel it "safe enough" to give the corn to the Abenaki descendants.
Assuredly there were other kind-hearted Abenaki descendants within
Vermont and/or New Hampshire that the Calleys could have given this
supposed Abenaki corn to. What were they afraid of, to be seen in
Swanton, Vt., and scared they'd be kidnapped and "taken to Canada,"
like the good ol' days of Robert Roger's lifetime?!
So, in conclusion to my own thinking on the matter, it's all about
what these groups who are claiming to be Abenaki communities, bands,
and tribes can get for being Abenaki descendants supposedly (as they
have claimed they are) rather than what they can give to their
children. They can't be satisfied with merely "being Abenaki
descendants" and solidifying their language awareness or their
subsistence abilities from this land, but now they all have to be
paid "to be Abenaki."
All one needs to do is look at the so-called history of this band
(that they now have taken off their Web site, for legal reasons I am
sure) and in Nancy (nee: Millette) Lyons own publicly spoken words
via various media outlets, Web sites, and the various newspapers. The
math doesn't add up. How many Abenaki "teachings" can a 7-year-old
girl retain from her supposed great-grandmother, whose great-
granddaughter now claims was an Abenaki medicine woman, etc., simply
by combing this woman's hair with the ktichen door closed?
In The Caledonian-Record, Nancy Millette sent up her written diatribe
on this Nawihla event. If the Koaseks were "hiding" for 300 years as
she claims and had never left the area, then why would we have "to
return home" as she puts it?
This Nawihla event is a pow-wow. This has absolutely nothing to do
with truthful Abenaki culture, language, heritage or life ways of our
Abenaki ancestors. In truth, this event is more of a three-ring
circus with the disconnected, distorted Abenaki clowns coming to a
town near you. Robert Rogers didn't have any wars, nor were the
Abenakis in "hiding for 300 years!" So let's see some substantiated
proof of what this woman and this Band claims to be their "history."
As my grandmother said, "Don't go believin' everything you read in
the newspaper!"
Wliwini Kchi Niwaskwom wji linasa pm8wiz8w8gnek which translates
to "Thank you, Great Spirit for the Breath Of Life." Now, that is
Abenaki!
Anyone who wants to review the documentation for what I have said
here and "why" of what I have said, can communicate with me
personally, by phone or by mail whether one is Abenaki or not.
Douglas Lloyd Buchholz
Lancaster, N.H.