NAFPS Forum
Odds and Ends => Etcetera => Topic started by: Kestrel on February 14, 2011, 07:32:38 pm
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I am pleased to find a source for exposing Native American frauds. We have a very difficult situation in Vermont where at least 5 quote "Bands" and/or "Tribes" are attempting to obtain state recognition so they can obtain funding and sall as native artist. Unfortunately less than 1% of them have any Indian lineage by genealogy and none of the Chiefs have any. It is misappropriation of culture and fraud pure and simple. Ffollowing this I am including the statement Of the Legitimate Chief Richard Obomsawin Bernier( whose genealogy dates back to 1640 ) of the Western Abenaki Tribe. The state of Vermont has been encouraging these non-Indians to get recognized obviously because the state also gains FUNDS. The state has said that they do not want the legitiment Abenaki recognized because it would lead to a land claim and casinos. What they do not understand is that the law allows land claims without recognition which has become very expensive. We are fund raising to obtain the neccessary funds to file for federal recognition. It is slow going in the current economy. This is an opportunity to really fight fraud by helping a legetimate Tribe acheive federal recognition. Now follows the chiefs statement;
Statement
Statement by Chief Richard Obomsawin Bernier, an Abenaki, to the state legislative breakfast in Newport VT on Jan 24th 2011 and to the Vermont legislature.
"First the state has taken the position that it will not interact with the Western Abenakis, that have genealogy, linking back to the 1600s, and has shut them out of the process. As well as not considering that what they are doing by recognizing non Indians is that they dilute native identity and denigrate all native peoples.
Second the state has no genealogical criteria for the state recognition. It says in the legislation, “determined by genealogy or some other method”. So you can have no ties to the Abenakis by lineage and still be recognized as an Abenaki. How can that be? What makes an Indian is Indian blood and lineage first but not just culture, (as mistaken as it may be), otherwise everyone who wanted could be an Indian for state recognition, which is in fact what is happening. You can misappropriate culture but not blood or genealogy.
Third the state commission has only one member that is genealogically tied to a known indian tribe (not Abenaki) the remainder are all members of the groups seeking recognition with no Abenaki Indian genealogy or have worked with them for many years. One member, of the board, has a relative that says they are European and have NO Indian blood.
Fourth the experts as selected by the commission are not impartial. Some are members of the groups being evaluated and others have had working relationships with the groups for many years.
Fifth the historians/writers have presented revisionist histories of the period that are not widely accepted as being accurate historically by other scholars. They have also used specious arguments regarding genealogy, according to what they presented to the BIA. It is not my opinion but the BIA’s, which took great exception to what was presented.
Sixth the group, Missiquoi/Sokoki, were turned down by the BIA for federal recognition because less than 1% of their members have ties to any known indian tribe, let alone Abenaki, and that they were trying to RECONSTITUTE a tribe.
Seventh that these are only incorporations that are attempting to manufacture tribes and tribal lineages’ for funding and Indian Arts and Crafts, if you are not an Indian by any of the traditional measures why would you then be allowed to present yourself as a Indian artist? Money is not a valid reason to recognize a “tribe”, “band” or Indian artist.
Eighth that the groups they are recognizing, if they were the real ones, were never “tribes” but “bands” of the Western Abenaki Tribe.
Ninth there are relatives, of some of the “bands” members/Chiefs and commission members, that are saying they are not Indian. They are European by descent and are frauds. We have done genealogies of many members including their chiefs and find minimal evidence of Indian lineage, let alone any ties to the Abenaki.
Tenth it is one thing to have some Indian and be the equivalent of the Canadian Métis but not recognized as a tribe or band.
Eleventh it is appropriate to be a Métis but not if ones ancestors are only Europeans, and even less so, to be claiming to be a tribe."
Chief, Richard Obomsawin Bernier
Western Abenaki Tribe
P.O. Box 73
Coventry, Vermont 05825
Richard-bernier@peoplepc.com
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Skippy's a bit off on what it means to be Metis.
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I am including here a link that takes you to the Cherokee Nation article they have written regarding "False Tribes". For people that are questioning this problem it is a good source of information. It is titled
"Sovereignty at Risk:
Identity Theft, Revisionism, and the Creation of False Tribes"
Here is the link: http://tribalrecognition.cherokee.org/Default.aspx?tabid=123
edited to changes post title to that of thread.
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Hi Kestral,
Can you please show Skippy's Nation's continuity for the past hundred years? Also, why has the Governor of Vermont ignored Rick Obomsawin's communications from Odanak regarding his opposition the situation? The fact that Vermont government is disregarding Odanak's sovereignty is more than a bit upsetting.
Thanks
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Richard Obomsawin Bernier is related to quite a number of people at Odanak and is known to be Abenaki by Odanak and others. Rick Obomsawin is related to Richard. His genealogy is clear. Post it on here? I think not. It can be verified for any official purposes. We have CDs with all the genealogies. We could arrange for you to see them but not retain copies. We have no fear of showing that we are Abenaki. It is a unforgivable to not recognize Odanak and shows how little the whitest state (Vermont) knows about Indian affairs. The states policy has been to never recognize the Abenaki that are documented because of fear of a land claim and casinos. That and the attempts to recognize non-Indians it is racist as best and has been used to muddy the waters to prevent a legitimate claim. That was also stated clearly in the state attorney generals report. We are preparing the case for federal recognition and will do so as soon as we have the funds to pay the Tribal attorney's. Kestrel
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Kestrel. In dealing with tribal recognition the most worrisome part to deal with is not genealogical verifiability but the existence of a community existing from historic times in the same geographical area. "LittleOldMan"
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Little Old Man,
We are aware of that issue but appreciate your pointing it out. It is genealogy til current and then proven existence after that. We have continuity from many years ago. It requires settlement in an area and a group that has maintained close ties through the period and functions as a group even if not necessarily evident to the white population. There are other issues that play into it. We prefer not to go into them as it would potentially compromise our strategy. As it stands we are confident that our plan is doable and that the Abenaki will become federally recognized. Our biggest hurdle is that the feds have made the process so intricate that it has become very expensive which is just another way to avoid recognizing Native peoples. We are currently fundraising 250,000 which is an estimate of what we anticipate the cost to be.
Kestrel
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Understood!! "LOM"
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LOM, the other problem is the pending state recognition, as tribes or bands, the non-Indians that have no genealogy that ties to any known tribe. They are manufactured ( they have all set up incorporations with fancy Indian sounding names some real and some not ) and in fact are all splinter groups from the group that was turned down by the BIA for recognition. They have used many names over the past years, They now go by Missiquoi/Sokoki. They are not a nation, sovereign, tribe or even a band. It is disheartening to see the state promoting them. It is because of their fear of land claim that makes them feel it is necessary. What it does is muddy the waters in the hope to avoid federal recognition by the documented Abenakis. When in fact a land claim has nothing to do with federal recognition or state recognition. Casinos are only possible after federal recognition and if the state law allows it or makes a compact with the recognized tribe. It is their misunderstanding of Indian law that puts them in that position.
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Kestrel,
I know a number of individuals who are involved with these groups. Some of the people, who are in a position of heirarchy didn't even know the basics of conduct a handful of years ago. Then there is the whole funding issue as well as other things that I don't want to get into unless charges have actually been filed. I think you probably know the person I'm talking about, I have no respect what-so-ever for that individual.
I am very angry with the governor for ignoring communications from Odanak. Would he ignore other government to government communications?
I've said it before and I'll say it again, the whole Abenaki situation is a mess.
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I am aware of the individuals and issues. There is certainly no respect from this quarter. What has been done is to diiminish the documented Indians. It is really a mess however we have been chasing down the pieces. We talked today with former Gov Douglas and has indicated that he received NONE of the correspondance, emails or documents that had been sent to him. He has a new look on the issue but that does not explain his ignoring Odanak as a sovereign government. We may yet be able to turn this around. There has been discussion regarding a lawsuit covering various aspects of the process. I did want to clarify a piece of what LOM said. It is only necessary to show continuity from 1900 to the present according to the BIA's own documentation. Fortunately we do not have to go the BIA route. Have you seen the BIA report or the 2 reports from Atty general Sorrell? I would be glad to sent you copies. They are long prolly to much for email but I might be able to find the link for the BIA report. I am not a lover to say the least of the BIA however they were very thorough in their review of the Missiquoi?Sokoki. They have a record of genealogy that would amaze most people. they knew all the names, all the families etc. and the time frames. They have tapped many pots of money including some very very large private donations not withstanding the federal monies. They have outright stolen from documented Indians with their phony western plains, movie glitz Indian presentation and act with no known genealogy! What is even more disconcerting is that the press has bought it hook line and sinker. I just had a battle with the AP about the fact that all their articles are pro the non-Indians.
Kestrel
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Kestrel please check your PMs regarding that issue.
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I am so sick of people hijacking what is right fully ours, when is all going to end? why did the Governor ignore the Watso's? why were they denied to speak?
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Ok so I started to poke around about what is going on in Vermont and this crap is crazy....I found this about this Skip guy I am starting to think all you Abenaki's are just alot of angry WHITE People parading around pointing fingers saying he's white, your white, she's white,I'm Indian your not indian....sounds like the cold up there has your brains frozen!!!!
My curiosity was raised recently when I saw an old newspaper article that had a quote from Richard “Skip” Bernier who stated he was “100% Abenaki”. I’ve known many Abenaki and Wabanaki people through the years and very few of them have ever said that they were “full blooded”, or if they did, upon further conversation they would admit historical intermarriages with other tribes and Europeans.
Let’s take a look at “100% Abenaki” Richard Bernier’s public Vermont vital records.
Per Richard Bernier’s birth certificate he was born in Barton, Vermont. His race is listed as “WHITE”. His father was Elias Bernier and he is listed as “WHITE”. His mother was Malvina Roberts and she was listed as “WHITE”.
Per Richard Bernier’s marriage certificate, he was married in 1961 at Newport,Vermont. He signed the following oath on this marriage document: “ I hereby certify that the facts given within are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief”. He self identified as WHITE and swore to that as a fact. Hiding in plain sight perhaps? Where was all that pride then in being “100% Abenaki”?
Malvina Bernier married Joseph Elias Bernier on November 22, 1926 in Derby, Vermont. Her color was listed as WHITE. Her 1923 Vermont border crossing card lists Malvina as “FRENCH”. The 1930 US census listed Malvina, her husband and child as WHITE.
Melvina Bernier’s Vermont issued 1982 death certificate was completed by Richard’s sister, Carol. She identified their mother as WHITE.
Richard’s grandfather was Frederick Robert, AKA Frederick Obomsawin. The Obomsawin name is an old Abenaki name, so no doubt that Frederick was Abenaki, but why did he take the last name “Robert”? Perhaps to hide Indian identity just as succeeding generations did (specifically in this case, his daughter and grandson), to protect themselves and their children from discrimination.
Once we look to Canadian records, proof of Indian heritage is revealed. The 1911 Census of Canada indicates Frederick Robert as Indian, his wife Celine Duperron as FRENCH and the children-which would include Richard Bernier’s mother Malvina as “METIS FR.”. Note that US Census reports have no such designated term as “Metis”, which is unfortunate. On these old US census reports, one is either “white or Indian” and the same person might appear as one or the other depending upon the whim of the census taker.
So it appears that Richard is one quarter Indian. This is the requirement set in place by Odanak to be put on tribal roles. If one subscribes to this restrictive definition of “Abenaki”, succeeding generations of Richard’s family are not Abenaki.
I use the example of Richard’s genealogy to point out the pitfalls in depending upon Vermont or NH vital records or census reports for proof of “Indian/Abenaki” blood . For different reasons, Abenaki people appear as “white” on such documents as evidenced by this one example. Other Odanak descendents who were born in NH also have “white” indicated on their birth records. If Richard’s grandfather had not been a part of a French Catholic mission village where the church and the government kept track of “their“ Indians in a paternalistic way, he would not be able to ‘prove” his Abenaki blood by genealogical evidence. If he did not have this “evidence”, would it make him any less of an Abenaki Indian? Then it should be apparent that the Abenaki whose families chose to remain in their homeland of Vermont and New Hampshire are no less Abenaki than those who chose to live in a refugee village populated by many varied tribes.
To say that the only Abenaki are from Odanak or must have ties to Odanak, is ignorant and misguided. There were thousands of Abenaki in NH and Vermont, yet there were only a few hundred at Odanak. And those thousands of Abenaki who were here in the 1600’s have been reproducing all these years. Do the math, there are thousands of Abenaki descendants in Vermont and New Hampshire today, no less entitled to call themselves Abenaki than their Canadian cousins. :o
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I know Skippy, we may not agree 100% on things but I can verify that he is enrolled at Odanak, and I believe he has permission to speak on Rick Obomsawin's behalf. I will contact another poster here and have him come verify. If you take issue with his enrollment I would suggest contacting Rick Obomsawin who is the current Chief at Odanak. I'm pretty sure they are also related so you would also be questioning Rick's enrollment.
ETA - so, am I understanding you correctly to be saying that the folks in VT and NH who have had no ties to community, do not know the language, the songs or even the basics of culture, are you saying that these people are Abenaki? While I will agree that there are descendants I personally would not call them Indian.
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The article above was lifted from another blog "Vermont native justice abenaki" I would not accept another blog quote as being accurate. The issue is about the genealogy of the quote bands that are pushing for state recognition. Nobody is claiming that white on a birth certificat by itself proves anything. The records for prior Indian family names is quite extensive through the area. There is Robertsons lease, Fort St Frederick, Odanak and all the Canadian pay lists etc. It is interesting if you read The BIA OFA from Missiquoi. It raises more questions and does not provide any answers with the documentation of genealogy. All anybody has said that if you have about 1500 Abenakis that can tie back to the prior name sources that others should be able to also. There is a lot of BS being put out, along with misinformation
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It is interesting if you read The BIA OFA from Missiquoi. It raises more questions and does not provide any answers with the documentation of genealogy.
What the fudge! I read the same BIA report on the Missiquoi and the question was, are these people Abenaki Indians? And the answer was a clear and emphatic NO. Actually the BIA found no Indian blood in any of them what so ever. Out of 1700 people only 8 had some minuscule Indian blood. The rest were found to be from immigrants.
What kind of questions do you have? What part of the BIA report don't you understand?
Lim lemtsh,
Diana
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That was recommended for the doubters. I have no problem with the BIA report. It was concise, thoughtful and well done. It makes it perfectly clear that this is no Indian tribe by any definition. The other groups primarily broke off from the Missiquoi. There is not a doubt that there are some with Indian descendency but certainly does not make tribes or sovereign nations. Recognized tribes are not happy. There are approx 1500 genealogically documented Abenaki that are not part of this. How is it they have genealogy and these others don't. Hiding in plain site does not do it. Lame excuse.
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I have been reading this with interest since I have family stories of Abenaki ancestors. However, no one could prove that we have any. While I was trying to figure all this out, I ran into the "fake" groups or at least people who had little idea of what Abenaki culture was. I think that it is easy to confuse genuine Indian ancestory with perhaps being French Canadian or something else. What I did find out at least in my family's case, they were hiding the fact they were French Canadian and not really Irish. And certainly not Abenaki.
Living in "upper" Maine, my family and our neighbours did the same things living off the land, etc. However, most of us were White people who had been there a long time, and we could recite who was married to who. Those who were not White were usually Abenaki who could recite who was married to who amongst their groups. What I did find out is that everyone knows who, what, where, etc. So no one is really confused on who they or anyone else is.
Now I realise that if you have to ask about things, then perhaps you are not a part of that group. People do hide things they think others will frown upon. In our case, it was being French Canadian. So I think a lot of these Abenaki groups who are floundering about for particulars are perhaps comprised of confused (or not) White people looking for something they want and can't have.
As for me, I do support the efforts to ensure that the actual Abenaki bands are recognised and that the others are not.
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Kestrel said:
"There are approx 1500 genealogically documented Abenaki that are not part of this."
Then why haven't they applied through the native commission that VT set up? by my way of thinking they wouldn't have a problem to get at minimum, state recognition to be culturally recognized at the very least. Just seems stupid they would let others step in and pull a better rug out from under them, don't you agree?
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To apply for state recognition is not an option. It is only for those that cannot meet the requirements for federal recognition because the requirements are such that anybody could be recognized as an Indian tribe in Vermont even without genealogy. Recognition is an expensive process and it takes a lot of time. The decision to do that requires politicol decisions by tribes to effect that.
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Oh, it`s even worst then you think! The nerve of these people!
Two "whatever`s" have already been recognized and are holding off the "other two" seeking recognition as we speak. Not only are these folks the most ignorant, arrogant, greedy bunch of people you could ever meet, but now that Nulhegan have made themselves "official" by stacking the commission with their own people, to approve themselves, they think they can change rules or make up new ones as they go along!
They have barked and barked about Odanak Abenaki being "ex-patriots" since I`ve been involved in this disaster, but now they want to make "repatriates" of the Koasek and haul them over into their band!
This is because they want genealogies ( we have descendants of signatory chiefs in the Koasek) and they want a real history..since they have neither.
They will most likely go for Federal recognition if they can get this from us...
Below is a portion of an e mail floated to us after a major effort to hide all of this from the general council of the koasek, until they could make the dirty little arrangements behind the scenes and we could do nothing to stop it! (most of us would never join with them for the so called "benefits" or any other reason!!!!!!)
We were, just in the process of seeking the immediate resignation of the chief, the council, and everyone else involved in this "sell out" of the band to these frauds, but the chief beat us to it and sent in his resignation today.
I am assuming his council,etc will follow suit very soon!
This entire thing is such an outrage I can`t believe this is happening.
There is no decency whats so ever in these VT people, and I am ashamed that my own people would have had any part in any dealing with these frauds posing as Abenaki.
They intent to do whatever they want to do. see below
1) "The Nulhegans have offered to allow Koasek members a "joint" membership for any and all who wish to "reunite" with them for the purposes of the "benefits" of recognition. ( the Koasek have not filed for recognition!)
Althought the Koaseks were originally "formed" by Howard, they were originally part of the Nulhegans and separated to form a separate group, being the Koaseks.( that is an out right lie) However, although originally formed by Howard who, with his followers, separated from the Nulhegans, the present Koaseks are not "Howard's Band" as he can claim no ownership of other peoples and as he has withdrawn himself from membership with the Koaseks. Further, the Nulhegans are not requiring Koasek members to remove themselves from the Koasek band in order to join them. As stated, it is being viewed as a "repatriotization" on an individual basis. ( what a joke)
2) Some people see this as the Koaseks "breaking up". However, I do not see any words from the Chief or the Council that the Koasek band is disbanding. All that I see is the offer on the table for the option of dual membership with Nulhegans for those individuals or families that wish to exercise this option. This choosing duality will have the backing and approval of the Koasek Administrative powers.." ( good thing they are resigning!)