Abinaki

[Kaylee]

I've been reading a lot in the paper about the Abinaki people in the North East petitioning to be recognized by the US and more recently by the state of Vermont.  I'm curious about how people in the larger Native American community perceive this issue.  The people who were against recognizing these folks as an official nation (Tribe?  I'm not sure of the best terminology.) were saying that this was just a bunch of white folks trying to get Native privileges by making up a Native heritage.  I've talked with one of the leaders of the  Abinaki legal movement and he seemed very sincere.  There's a lot of very fair skinned folks among these people, but he says this is because they've been intermarrying for a long time.  A lot of people in rural Vermont claim Abinaki heritage and this is very important to them, even when there is not money involved.  They say it has more to do with a sense of pride in their background and that many traditions were passed down through families, although no-one spoke publicly of them for generations, for fear that they would be persecuted.  On the other hand, more then once, I've come upon a person who looks white and benefits from white privilege claiming Abinaki heritage.  This doesn't seem fair to me.  The leader that I referred to earlier says that gaining legal status shouldn't be a matter of protecting an oppressed people, but simply claiming their legal rights as granted in legal agreements, before they were illegally disbanded by the US government around the turn of the last century.  This also makes sense to me.

Can some of you who have Native heritage give me your perspective on the matter?  Do you support the Abinaki movement or is does this feel like more mostly-white people trying to nudge into your territory?

edited for a couple of funny spelling errors.

[Ric_Richardson]

Tansi;

For generations, Metis people were severely oppressed and extremely poverty stricken, possibly as punishment for having lost a war with Canada, in 1885.  Many people began to deny Metis Heritage, as a matter of survival and the ability to "fit in."  Often, these people did not inform their children of their Metis Heritage.

There were also many who were Proud of our Heritage, in spite of oppression.  Some of these people continued to fight for our Rights and Cultural survival.

In 1982, the Canadian government was forced to acknowledge that the Metis are, and have been, a distinct Culture of Canada's Aboriginal people.  This led to the protection of our Rights as Aboriginal people, including language, Spirituality, hunting, gathering and Traditional land use.

This resurgence of Cultural Pride has led to many of the "lost" or "forgotten" people becoming aware of their rightful place with our Metis communities and Culture.  Unfortunately, this has also led to many others claiming Metis Heritage, in order to be able to share in our Rights.

I think that the most important issue to consider is in the continuity of Culture.  While many Metis people continue to live according to our Culture, some have not had the opportunity and are learning, since rediscovering their Heritage.  This has often led to some distortions, especially at the political level, of Metis Culture, but has also brought "home" many people who had been denied their Heritage, through no fault of their own.

Our people come in all colors, often looking Native and often looking non-native.  This has always been the case, since we are mixed blooded.

Careful attention is paid to genealogical evidence, showing that there is Metis ancestry, in order to become a member of the Metis Nation.  Especially since there was a continuity of Metis Culture, there are still Elders who can remember families and are of great assistance in helping those rediscovering their Heritage in their search.

I do not personally know of the Abenaki situation, so cannot make any suggestions about them.   

Ric

[earthw7]

As an enrolled member of a tribe I can't
say whether these people are a tribe or not.
To be a tribal nation you must have
1. language
2. culture-dance/song/life skills/
3. land base
4. genology to back your claim
5. historic record of your people-documents/treaties/state recongization/ect...

Many tribe in the east are of light color due to intermarriage.
We must always be on a look out for fakes.

[Kaylee]

Thank you for responding.  Obviously, this is a sensitive issue.  In the past, I've put my "voter power" on the side of the Abinaki people, but I don't want to be made a fool of twice, so I thought the question was worth asking.  Thanks for sharing your story, Ric.

[Defend the Sacred]

I don't know a lot about the current situation with Abenaki communities, but I know there has been at least one fraud out here, a white guy who fooled some folks into thinking he was some sort of Abenaki spiritual leader.   I think he got away with it for a while before he was exposed (who knows, maybe he's still out there).

With so many Abenaki being light-skinned, and even blue-eyed, I think there's been a disproportionate number of white frauds trying to pass themselves off as Abenaki (or one of the related tribes who also intermarried a lot).  Makes it tough for the real ones.

[frederica]

There are some I guess you can call like status Ndns, that have some rights, but otherwise need to check. I don't think the woman is a total fraud, probably stretching it,  just mixing old history fill in the blanks   with nuage.