Posted onMarch 15, 2011|Comments Off on April Merrill’s Next Cruise: Straight to a Prison Cell?
Dearest “Gluscabi”, I’m so sorry that you missed me. I had no idea that you adored me enough to become concerned when I did not post any new updates. Did I break your little black heart? Fear no more because your friend, April, has just given me more ammunition for my blog. Now stop goading me because you’ll be joining her on her next cruise.
P.S- You want to talk about ethnic cleansing? Webster’s defines it as the following:
Ethnic Cleansing : the expulsion, imprisonment, or killing of an ethnic minority by a dominant majority in order to achieve ethnic homogeneity
Next time, read a dictionary before you accuse someone like this. I have not killed, imprisoned or expelled anyone. The Abenaki Alliance on the other hand, have expelled people who didn’t toe their line and they are attempting to re-write Abenaki history in THEIR favor. How’s that, my illiterate little rival?
Sincerely,
The Admin
Now, on to some serious business with the latest on April Merrill’s legal issues, courtesy of the Burlington Free Press:
April St. Francis Merrill, chief of the Missisquoi Abenaki tribe based in Swanton, pleaded not guilty Monday in Franklin Superior Court to a felony charge of exploiting a vulnerable adult by manipulating his financial records.
Franklin County State’s Attorney Jim Hughes alleged that Merrill, 42, of Highgate Center used money belonging to a man in her care from Sept. 1, 2008, to May 2, 2010.
Merrill rang up $30,697 worth of bank and credit card charges that did not benefit Louis P. Lafrance, who was a member of the Abenakis, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department said in court papers.
Lafrance recently died.
Wow, $30,000? Wonder where that money went? More details below:
Detective Kevin Bushey said Lafrance became suspicious of some bank and credit card charges and mentioned it to his family. The family obtained a full printout and marked those that did not benefit Lafrance, Bushey said in a court affidavit.
Bushey said the government has strict rules about a second party who handles money for another person. The money must be used only for that individual’s care and not for the second person, Bushey said.
Merrill, when confronted by the Sheriff’s Department, initially denied taking any money, but later acknowledged some purchases, Bushey said.
Merrill said some purchases were for Lafrance, but the investigation revealed he was in either Northwestern Medical Center or Franklin County Rehab on the days the purchases were made, Bushey said.
He said among the suspicious purchases were car washes when Lafrance did not own a vehicle and an ATM withdrawal at the Swanton Veterans of Foreign Wars post, where Merrill — but not Lafrance — is a member. There also were ATM withdrawals in the Rutland area, where Merrill has family, Bushey said.
Aha! Car washes? Special family trips to Rutland? Don’t tell me, is this what I think it is? We won’t know for sure unless this case goes to trial. I wonder if any of this money went towards her recent cruise? Or did she rip off Burton DeCarr this time? (edit: Mr.DeCarr confirmed that this is not the case. Regardless, we all slip up from time to time.)
“On several occasions it is noted that withdrawals from Mrs. Merrill’s account were deposited in Mr. LaFrance’s account to keep the account from going into overdraft,” Bushey wrote in the affidavit.
Bushey also said he located a May 2, 2008, check to the town of Highgate for $150 with a notation in the memo line “April’s boundary line adjustment.” It was signed by Merrill, he said.
Merrill was released on conditions following Monday’s arraignment.
If convicted, Merrill could be imprisoned up to 10 years and fined up to $10,000.
Merrill is the daughter of Homer St. Francis, the longtime chief of the Missisquoi band who fought for federal and state recognition. He died in 2001.
I see that she really slipped up when she wrote that check to the town of Highgate for $150. Whoops. Probably wasn’t supposed to happen.
You see people, if the state of Vermont recognizes April and her cronies (Fred Wiseman, Luke Willard, Donald Stevens Jr., Roger “Bad Haircut” Sheehan and Nancy Millette-Doucet), this is what is going to happen to the grant and loan money that they’ll be eligible for.
Car washes, cruises and much more!
It’s too bad that she wasn’t held on bail because then her cronies could start up a bottle fund for her bail money.
She’ll need money if she goes to jail so they should get to work on that fund, pronto!
Comments Off on April Merrill’s Next Cruise: Straight to a Prison Cell?
Posted onFebruary 25, 2011|Comments Off on VCNAA Meeting Minutes 2/15/11 (with added commentary)
It’s that time of the month where I critique yet another set of minutes from the biased, fraudulent VCNAA. Original minutes are in the link below with commentary below that as well:
Luke gave a briefing on the status of the bills regarding the State Recognition of the Elnu and Nulhegan tribes. The two House bills have passed and crossedover to the Senate.
This was done by a voice vote after the House claimed that they had poured over all of the documentation. I don’t believe it. Neither application should have passed.
Peter Thomas was recognized by the chair. He asked if scholars from the Review Panel would be testifying in regards to pending applications (ie Missisquoi). Luke explained that the legislative committees had taken testimony from Review Panel scholars during the Elnu and Nulhegan committee hearings. Presumably, the committee will do the same with future recommendations.
I assume that both David Lacy and Dave Skinas will not be able to give any more testimony, which makes sense considering what they did.
3. Public records redaction process
After requesting clarity on the process of redacting information that is exempt from the public record (ie Archeological site locations, Genealogy) from recognition applications and reports from the Commission and Scholar Review Panels, legal counsel from the Division for Historic Preservation is helping to develop a process.
When was genealogy made exempt from the public record? These people just do not want anyone pouring over their genealogy because it does not line up with what they are trying to do!
Luke has made it clear to legislators and Historic Preservation that the Commission does not have the resources to perform legal redactions. Luke suggested that the Commission consider adopting a policy that instructs applicants that this information can’t come to us.
He could ask his pal, Mr.Illuzzi, to pull a few strings. Illuzzi’s already at it, helping these people to obscure the truth about themselves.
Dawn mentioned that it would be difficult for us to establish the kinship criteria in our reports without the genealogical references. Luke noted that the Scholar Panels would still be able to access the information and we can reference their responses in our reports.
Fred moved to make it policy from this point on that applications may not include genealogical information that identifies specific living individuals or archaeological site locations. This information may be included in the Expert Review Panel packets.
Only these “review experts” will have access to this information. And, if they are connected to the members of this commission? You can bet your bottom dollar that the public will not hear or see this information.
Nathan suggested that we use the word “must”, rather than “may” in the last sentence. Fred amended his motion to replace “may” with “must”. Takara seconded Fred’s motion. Luke stated the motion with the exact wording, “Applications may not include genealogical information that identifies specific living
individuals or archaeological site locations. This information must be included in a separate packet that only goes to the expert review panelists.” All agreed.
This whole process is comical. Only in the state of Vermont, can you invent a tribe, join a commission and make your own rules. What about transparency in government? Are these people really afraid that others are going to harm them if their genealogical information is out there?
4. Review draft Commission Report re: Koasek of the Koas
Dawn began by noting that the addendum satisfied any concerns from the initial review but voiced a concern about some names and addresses that were not included in the application. Luke mentioned that the Commission has already voted unanimously to recommend recognition of Koasek to the General Assembly. He noted that Nathan had originally brought up the fact thatthere were Koasek members whose names and street addresses were left out for privacy purposes. Luke confirmed it as 17 members and that their Band ID numbers and town/state of residence were listed in the roster to document their existence. This is detailed in the Commission’s draft report to the legislature. Luke asked how we interpret Criterion 4.
Despite the fact that some of the scholars expressed doubt as to the legitimacy of this incorporation (mainly Lacy & Skinas), they approved the application.
This is totally not a surprise at all. Anyone who thought that these people were going to do the right thing, obviously had no clue about their true purpose on this commission.
He mentioned that, fundamentally, the criterion is to establish the existence of the applicant’s “organizational structure” and how the fact that a tribe keeps a detailed census of its members
supports that. He said that although some names were left out for privacy purposes, the Commission was still able to confirm that the applicant maintains a census of its members. Fred mentioned that the criterion did not specify that ‘all’ names and addresses be included. Discussion continued around the purpose and intent of the names and addresses. Nathan voiced
that his concern is that we will set a precedent. Luke mentioned again that we must look at the criteria. We use the names and addresses for two purposes: To establish that a majority of the
applicant’s members currently reside in a specific geographic location within Vermont; and to support that the applicant maintains an organizational structure that exerts influence and
authority over its members. We’ve seen this.
It seems to me like Nathan was right to ask questions. It’s too bad that Luke and Fred aren’t interested in listening. Nope, can’t have Nathan rocking the apple cart.
Chief Nancy Millette-Doucet was recognized. She explained that this particular family would not permit the publishing of their personally identifiable information for reasons of privacy. She
said that Koasek is a tribe, not a dictatorship, and she cannot force them to be public or expelthem from the tribe for exercising their own right to privacy.
It’s not a tribe, it’s an incorporation. The “Queen Bee” makes yet another appearance. The funny thing is, no one has said just who this “family” is.
Nathan said that the law needs to be changed.Luke said that there is definitely a gray area in the law, however, we already voted to unanimously to recommend Koasek for recognition. No one brought this up at the public hearing or any of the other meetings we have had since Koasek’s application was submitted on November 16th of last year. We need to provide a report to the legislature and that is the item at hand. It can be amended to say anything we want but we need to provide the legislature with a report.
Just because no one brought it up, doesn’t mean that there wasn’t opposition to it. Also, who writes these minutes?
Nathan moved to not approve the draft report. No one seconded.
See what I mean? They were going to approve it regardless of what Nathan and others said. This is why this commission should be disbanded.
Fred noted that he is fine with the report because we noted in it that the 17 names were redacted for privacy purposes. We are up front about it in the report and we explain our decision.
Nathan brought up how Chief Roger Longtoe asked about the names and addresses in Newport and we told him that they have to be included. Everyone should have to do the same thing.
Luke said that Koasek did provide names and addresses and that he told Chief Nancy the same thing that he told Chief Roger. Luke said we may be forgetting that Eloise Beil, Bill Haviland,
and David Skinas all provided detailed reports of approval, that include the fourth criterion.
Everyone should do the same thing, unless their name is Nancy Millette-Doucet. See what I mean? I figure, if you’re going to hold one of these groups to a standard, you might as well hold all of them to the same standard.
Nathan brought up that he hadn’t received the tribal rolls until recently. Luke brought up that it is up to Historic Preservation to provide you with handouts if you are absent from a meeting.
Actually, Luke should have copies of these handouts on him at all times. He is the Chair after all.
Takara said that we each have the personal responsibility to request the handout if we don’t have it. All handouts are recorded in the agendas and minutes. Fred said that we drafted this report based upon what we were given. We’ve done our job. Takara said we need to get back to the report and moved to approve the draft report and forward to the legislative committees. Fred seconded. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
After they finish brow-beating Nathan, they decide that it’s more important to get a crock report to the Legislature instead of fleshing out all of the details.
What’s the hurry? You’ll find out below.
5. Missisquoi Application Review
The Commission looked at reports from the Scholar Review Panel (Peter Thomas, Kevin Dann,and Bill Haviland). All were positive. Nathan mentioned that he did not have a copy of the
Missisquoi application because he was absent from the January 19th meeting when they were passed out. Melody has excused herself from the Missiquoi review because she is a former
member and because she is mentioned in the application, so she offered her copy to Nathan.
Dawn had positive remarks about the Missisquoi application but has an issue with the names and addresses because there are people listed who are not members of the tribe anymore. Dave
mentioned that the tribe has procedures that members must file to be removed from the tribe’s rolls. Luke noted that he understands that but having Don Stevens, who is Chief of the Nulhegan Tribe listed, is a conflict. It is common knowledge that Chief Don is no longer a member of Missisquoi. These names conflict with other applications that have already been checked for accuracy. It looks like an older list that just needs some updating. No harm done. We can work with Chief April when she returns from vacation to amend the list. We must do this so that wecan accurately determine the percentage for the first criterion.
Do the Feds know about April’s little vacation? Also, if your family tree is held at the Missisquoi Building on Grand Ave. in Swanton, you may be on the list for Missisquoi. Unless you specifically request to have your records removed, they WILL use it to try and get recognition.
Also, it’s true that Donald Stevens should no longer be on the Missisquoi list. I’ve heard rumblings about how these people “jump” from one incorporation to another in order to try and get recognition.
Nathan said we should look over all information first to make sure it is correct before it is sent to the scholars. Luke said that we can’t do that. The scholars examine information that we’re not even allowed to see. Addenda are forwarded to scholars. Dave said it’s up to the applicants to provide correct information. We can ask for clarity and additional information and send it along to the scholars but our job is to facilitate, review, decide, and report. More discussion followed.
I’m not sure if Nathan is truly ignorant of the processes but I will concede that they seem to be giving him hell just for asking uncomfortable (but very legit) questions.
6. Status of Active Scholar’s List
David Lacy and David Skinas were both given ethics violations by the USDA for using Forest Service and USDA letterhead on their reviews. Luke found this interesting since Mr. Lacy was given permission to conduct his review during work hours and Mr. Skinas has worked with Native American tribes for a long time. He found it even more interesting that chain of
communication in regards to these “violations” originated from the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Identical reviews (minus the letterhead) were provided for our files so that the record would reflect that the federal government does not share the views of their employees. The Commission was less than impressed and even less surprised.
Luke Willard, if you’re reading this blog, then you of all the people should know by now that both Dave Skinas and David Lacy illegally used those letterheads for their respective federal employers in their letters of recommendation. Federal law has established that by writing such letters, it gives the false impression that the agencies on those letterheads ENDORSE these groups, which they obviously do not.
If the part about letters minus the letterheads is correct, then why didn’t the commission submit those letters instead of the letters WITH the letterheads? Something isn’t adding up here and I think that by using the letters with those official-looking letterheads, that the Commission was trying to build “legitimacy”.
Peter Thomas added that BIA should have no interest in State Recognition review panels. Nathan asked if we would be issuing a response. Luke mentioned that our process and the individuals themselves have been harmed by this. Even on personal time, Lacy can’t participate anymore. Nathan asked if they are allowed to volunteer at the local food shelf or anywhere else. Takara said that this is a free country and it was even on their own time. Luke said we didn’t ask the USDA or the Forest Service for anything. Our interest is in the scholar’s experience and education and not their title. Nathan suggested we give the two agencies some extra paper for their time. Luke added that hostility from the feds is nothing new.
Actually, when you misuse Federal letterheads, it becomes the business of the Federal government.
The VCNAA willingly used these recommendation letters with the hopes that they would “legitimize” this whole process.
You know, I just find it funny that these people are just now claiming that the departure of Skinas and Lacy is “harming” them and this process.
Let’s see, they sit on a biased and compromised VCNAA in which each member is intimately connected. They voted to pass on bills to support recognition of their friends. They worked with scholars that have known them for years and would obviously approve their recognition.
They have it easy here. There’s no hard questions being asked. Their genealogy is not being addressed by the State of Vermont. They are practically cruising through without many speed bumps. Well, not anymore.
Who’s really being harmed by this process? Hint: It’s not the Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs!
It’s the Odanak people who reside in Vermont who are being harmed. It’s the people who aren’t part of this Alliance that are being harmed.
People who find this VCNAA to be a complete and utter joke! Right now, the VCNAA has the credibility of tyrants like Gadhafi, Ben Ali and Mubarak!
To the Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs: STOP PLAYING VICTIM HERE!
You are making victims out of people, not the other way around!
Comments Off on VCNAA Meeting Minutes 2/15/11 (with added commentary)
Members from two Abenaki tribes testifying before a House committee last week said that state recognition is more about authentication than land claims or building casinos.
Didn’t take long for them to raise the alarm bells with this statement. I’ll believe it when I see it. I do wish I could un-see the casino management contract and the interest in the Phillips deed.
“We are at a crossroads in history, said Donald Stevens, chief of the Nulhegan Band, one of two Abenaki tribes with petitions before the Legislature seeking recognition.
“We deserve the right to our identity,” he added, placing the Indian warrior Crazy Horse on the same historical mantle as Martin Luther King Jr.
Does anyone else find it absurd how Donald Warren Stevens Jr. sees to compare this recognition debacle to the plight of Crazy Horse? I highly doubt that Crazy Horse would approve of the recognition quandary in the state of Vermont. He’d probably scoff at it. Again, this is to be expected from these people.
Chief Roger Longtoe Sheehan, who testified later in the day on behalf of the Elnu Tribe — the other band seeking recognition, said that in the hierarchy of the Indian world a card is needed to validate one’s identity as a Native American.
“The most hateful thing one Abenaki can say to another is that you’re not an Indian,” he said. “And that is what’s going on now.”
Except that the evidence doesn’t agree with Mr.Sheehan and his claim. I have already exposed the Elnu application and Mr.Sheehan has ancestors who were Irish Americans that came from NYC. However, does Mr.Sheehan acknowledge this anywhere in his application?
Again, the Alliance has tirelessly worked to discredit their enemies by pulling out the hate card. Nevermind the fact that members of this Alliance have thrown their share of mud over the years. Nevermind the fact that they have probably told other people to “get bent” when those people came to them to seek legitimacy.
Along with bills for recognition before the House Committee on General, Housing and Military Affairs, the Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs is also taking testimony on recognition for each tribe.
The bills come to the Legislature as the final step in a process that began a year ago with the creation of the Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs. The commission was empowered by the Legislature to initiate a step-by-step process by which each Abenaki tribe in the state could apply for recognition as Native American.
As defined by the bill, the process would be supervised by the commission and require each tribe to submit documentation, approved by three independent scholars, to validate its claim. Once that had been accomplished, it would be left to the commission to review the claim and petition the Legislature for recognition on a tribe-by-tribe basis.
One of the caveats in the bill that created the process stipulated that if the Legislature did not act on the petitions, a tribe would be recognized two years after its petition was received.
I’m sure the Alliance is hoping that the Legislature doesn’t act on their petitions. That’s the only way they’re going to get anywhere at this point.
Representative Helen Head of Burlington, a Democrat who chairs the House Committee on General, Housing and Military Affairs, said the Legislature should act on the petitions.
“I would rather be pro-active,” she said last month.
And I hope she’s listening since she is the representative for the area where I live in, which means that I can choose not to vote for her again in 2012.
For the Abenaki, whose struggle for recognition goes back to the 1970s and includes a rejection by the Vermont Supreme Court, it has been an arduous ordeal.
“I’ll never subject myself to this process again,” testified Stevens, who said that he knows Indian blood flows through his veins, no matter what happens with his tribe’s petition.
Again, more rhetoric from Mr.Stevens. He’s certainly a colorful character.
According to its petition, the Nulhegan Band is located along the waterways of Orleans and northern Essex counties. As of September 2010, the tribe consisted of roughly 260 members, among whom 96 percent are related to one another.
The commission found that “Chief Don Stevens is related by blood or marriage to at least 160 members.”
Their biased and manufactured commission you mean? Of course! It’s not like they would actually do the research.
In making their case as an enduring community within Vermont, the Nulhegan Band says its presence can be documented by scholarly research, providing examples in its petition like how members harvested fish.
“They formed into a V with the outside canoes named the rattlers for metal nuts on the ends of the lines that rattled, and they moved down a channel between Big and Little Salem Lakes.
“The rattlers scared the walleyes to the center where they could be caught. Local anger about this practice from Euro-American fishermen shows a distinctive identity of the Nulhegan group. If the dominant culture performed this practice, they would not have been so angry.”
The petition also notes that during ice fishing, Nulhegan Abenaki kept perch eyes used for bait under their tongues to prevent the fish eyes from freezing.
One of the scholars on a three-member panel who reviewed the band’s documentation, David Skinas is an anthropologist employed with the federal National Resources Conservation Service. Prior to that he worked for the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation and, according to his resumé, he has been working with the Abenaki since 1988, helping mainly to recover Native American remains.
Skinas told legislators he had spent up to 30 hours reviewing the Nulhegan Band’s petition for recognition. He also said experts on the panel had conducted the review independent of one another, and that its recommendation for state recognition was not the result of a collaborative effort.
Not the result of a collaborative effort? What? Do you really think people are stupid enough to believe this?
Among the conclusions he offered to the committee, Mr. Skinas said he “felt very strongly” that the band has an historical cohesiveness and that its presence in Vermont has a “demonstrated continuity.”
A second scholar, testifying on behalf of the Elnu Tribe — located in southeast Vermont, said the criteria set up by the commission allowed experts to return to the historical records and examine them in depth.
A “repeating priming of the pump” has provided the Legislature a view from different angles, said Eloise Bell, a folklorist and curator with the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum.
Bell said the Elnu Tribe had met all the criteria laid down by the commission, and recommended recognition.
“The Elnu provide ample and highly detailed evidence of the presence of antecedent Native people in the Bellows Falls and Windham County area from a wide variety of sources: archaeological evidence, historical documents; citations from numerous academic and local histories, and oral traditions from families within the kinship group,” she said in a written evaluation submitted to the Legislature.
“The combination of evidence from these various sources, presented chronologically in a timeline which spans the 16th through 20th centuries, indicates the continuity of community presence in this region by the Abenaki families from whom the Elnu are descended.”
Not bad for a tribe that was incorporated only recently. Oh right, there’s no factual evidence that these tribes existed 4 centuries ago but in the name of being politically correct, they get a pass. Give me a break.
No direct dissenting testimony came before the committee during last week’s hearing. But there were indications, some outside the committee’s hearing, that recognition has become a divisive political issue among some of the Abenaki tribes.
Thanks to Vince Illuzzi, that dissenting testimony was squashed out. You see, the legislators and senators are so sick of this thing, that they’ll do anything to put an end to it, even if it means ignoring the evidence against recognition.
Stevens told the House committee that the Abenaki in Odanak, located in Quebec, oppose state recognition for the Nulhegan Band. He said he was not going get caught up “in all this craziness,” presumably stemming from challenges over whether the Vermont Abenaki are really Native Americans.
Stevens went on to attribute the allegations to a competition over land claims, saying that Odanak Abenaki want to claim the Northeast Kingdom as part of their tribal territory, with an eye toward operating a casino.
I personally have never seen evidence of this. Mr.Stevens never talked about the Phillips Deed.
A couple of days prior to his testimony, Stevens contacted the state’s Department of Public Safety by email to alert them to the possibility of violence at the State House from at least one opponent of recognition. He asked police to intervene and prevent the individual from stepping on State House grounds.
He overreacted in a grand manner because he knew that it would damage an opponent of this recognition process. When members of the Abenaki Alliance cannot win a battle of wits, they resort to such actions.
No signs of violence ever materialized during last week’s testimony, but Sheehan told the committee that there was little to be gained by trying to define who is really an Indian.
Actually, when money is at stake, you want to be 110% sure that the people you are giving that money to, ARE WHO THEY SAY THEY ARE! In an age where someone can claim to be “disabled” and use that money for things that it isn’t intended for, you have to be absolutely sure that this kind of abuse will not take place!
“I really don’t think there is a full-blood Abenaki out there,” he said, pointing to the interracial marriages that have occurred over the last 400 years.
He may not think this but it doesn’t mean that it isn’t possible.
Recognition, he added, might cut down some of the infighting among tribes and lead to a healing of old wounds.
Old wounds will not heal until the Alliance stops pouring salt into them with their actions!
“If anyone asks who you are, say French-Canadian,” testified a woman, speaking of the time she left a reservation in Oregon and moved to Los Angeles.
Charlene McManis has since moved back to Vermont, and last week she told legislators that there might be no such thing as a racial identity.
“What is an Indian? Believe it or not, even us Indians question it,” she told the committee. “It’s so diverse.”
She said her grandmother once told her that her identity as a Native American came from the heart rather than the blood. What is odd, said Ms. McManis, is “to have to get recognition from the government.”
It’s not odd. It’s standard operating procedure, since recognition gives people access to state and federal grants and other privileges. Thanks to loopholes (and there are plenty), there are “tribes” full of new-age wanna-bes in other states that have access to money that they do not deserve.
It’s bad enough that the ancestors of these new-age wanna-bes WIPED OUT the indians, stole their land and now, these people want to throw more salt into a wound and steal the identities of the remaining indian ancestors?
According to testimony, recognition will allow the tribes to apply for federal grants toward education, and enable tribal members to sell their crafts as Native American products.
Such a label, explained Mr. Sheehan, will put more money in the pockets of Abenaki craftsmen, as a Native American basket is far more marketable than one lacking the label.
It’s all about the benjamins, the moolah, the wampum, etc.
It’s like Vermont maple syrup, he said, noting that it’s the brand of choice among consumers.
Testimony before the committee repeatedly recalled how long the fight for recognition has been going on.
“People have fought this battle longer than I have been alive,” testified Luke Willard, the 30-something-year-old chairman of the commission.
Normally, I’d just dismiss this article as another example of the Alliance folks and their brand of discrediting their opponents. However, there’s a lot to be said for people who plant moles such as “Gluscabi” on this blog and then use such a thing to tip off others.
By the way, if you want to contact “Gluscabi”, his/her email address is rbarbacane@hotmail.com. That’s right. You mess with me on my blog and your information becomes public record.
I don’t appreciate what Mr.Stevens did. I’ve already explained that I have no interest in violence. However, the Alliance will take this ball and run with it because they have nothing of substance.
For that, I have an Youtube clip that fits this whole sham perfectly.
Comments Off on VT Digger article on Abenaki Recognition
House Committee on General, Housing and Military Affairs
AGENDA
Room 44
January 22, 2011 – January 30, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
10:00 AM FLOOR
15 Minutes after Adjournment Commission Discussion
TBA
12:00 – 2:00 pm Lunch & Caucuses
2:00 PM Budget Address
3:30 PM Veteran’s Service Organizations
Committee will mee with representatives from Veterans Service Organizations in Room 10
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
9:00 AM H. 85 – An act relating to recognition of the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nation as a Native American Indian tribe
Don Stevens, Chief, Nulhegan Band of the Coosuck Abenaki Nation
David Skinas, Expert Review Panelists
Melody Walker Brooks, Vice Chair, Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs
12:00 PM Lunch
1:00 PM H. 86 – An act relating to recognition of the Elnu Abenaki tribe as a Native American Indian tribe
Roger Longtoe, Chief, Elnu Abenaki Tribe
Eloise Biel, Expert Review Panelists
Luke Willard, Chair, Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs
3:30 PM Overview and Goals
Alan Yandow, Executive Director, Vermont Lottery Commission
If you care about the truth, please try and attend the meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday regarding recognition. It’s your chance to show the Vermont Legislature why these people should not be recognized.
This is a call to arms. Please heed the call.
Comments Off on Show Up, Speak Up: Hearings on Abenaki Recognition
They’ve really been on a blitz lately, turning to their allies in the Vermont print and broadcast media to prop them up every time someone challenges their little world.
MONTPELIER — Two Vermont Abenaki tribes are ready to have the state Legislature decide whether to grant them official recognition, and two more appear headed that way under new rules the tribes hope will end a long and frustrating process.
The Nulhegan band based in Brownington and the Elnu based in Jamaica won the recommendation of the Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs, which has turned the applications to legislators.
“We are finally reaching the apex,” commission Chairman Luke Willard said Wednesday at a Statehouse news conference announcing the applications. “I do believe 2011 is the year.”
“This gives us our identity,” said Don Stevens of Shelburne, chief of the Nulhegan band.
The bands are seeking official state recognition they say will allow members to apply for scholarships set aside for American Indians and to meet federal rules for selling arts and crafts as native-made. Legislators established this new process for recognition last year.
Two more Abenaki bands aren’t far behind in seeking recognition.
The Koasek of the Koas based in Newbury won the commission’s recommendation, and the state’s largest band, the Missisquoi, filed its application with the commission Wednesday afternoon. The commission will prepare a report and forward it to the Legislature on the Koasek and will appoint a panel of experts to review the Missisquoi application, Willard said.
April St. Francis Merrill, chief of the Missisquoi Abenaki based in Swanton, handed out bound copies of the application to commission members. For her, it was an emotional moment. Wednesday would have been her father’s 76th birthday, she said. Homer St. Francis was the fiery longtime chief of the Missisquoi band who fought for state and federal recognition. He died in 2001.
“If it weren’t for my father, none of this would be happening,” Merrill said of the state recognition effort.
Efforts during the past 17 years to attain state recognition have run into repeated roadblocks. Abenaki were granted recognition in 1976 only to have it rescinded the next year over fears that it would lead to federal recognition and land claims. Legislation in 2006 simply granting overall recognition failed to meet federal guidelines for recognition.
That led lawmakers last year, through tenuous negotiations, to set up a new process by which bands would apply to the commission for recognition with detailed information about the bands’ members and links to Vermont. Three outside scholars then review the information and decide whether it meets specific criteria. The commission then decides whether to recommend recognition to the Legislature. Lawmakers then vote whether to grant the band recognition.
The law specifies that recognition does not allow the bands to make land claims and establish casinos, as American Indians have done in other states.
Although four bands acted relatively quickly to seek recognition, handing over tribal information for public perusal also gave members pause. Vermont Abenaki long have been wary of making the names of their members public.
In the late 1920s, Vermont Abenaki were subjected to a state-sponsored eugenics campaign that promoted the sterilization of Abenaki as an undesirable population, and for tribal members to deny their heritage.
Mistrust also runs strong among bands of American Indians, some challenging the authenticity and motives of others, with malicious comments spread on the Internet.
The Missisquoi withdrew an application for recognition in the 1980s rather than publicly list its members, Merrill said, but she hopes times have changed, and the information won’t be used against anyone.
Merrill said she had mixed feelings as she submitted her band’s application Wednesday. “We’ve been through this process and had it taken away so many times,” she said, but she added, “We have a good feeling about it.”
Stevens, a former member of the Missisquoi band who joined the Nulhegan after research showed his family had roots there, said receiving recognition will be worth it. He pointed to a silver bracelet on his arm made by a member of his tribe who would be able to sell such jewelry legally as Abenaki-made — likely earning a higher price and generating more demand — if the band earns recognition.
“This process has been bittersweet, because we’re the only people on the face of the earth that have to prove who we are,” Stevens said.
Of course, they call comments like mine “malicious” but the only thing that’s malicious here is the way the VCNAA deals with this recognition issue
They submit applications with Frederick Matthew Wiseman’s “criteria” to a commission that contains members or allies of each incorporation, who then proceed to “rubber-stamp” their approval. The application goes to a committee chaired by one of their allies (honorary Clan of the Hawk “chief”, Vince Illuzzi), who will most certainly send it along its’ way to the rest of their cronies.
Yeah, nothing malicious to see here people. Move along.
The Burlington Free Press wouldn’t know the truth if it landed on their pages. That’s what they get for being a Gannett publication, only interested in publishing PR fluff. They’ve completely forgotten how to be actual journalists.
Something sure smells rotten in the State of Vermont and the stench is coming from Montpeculiar.
But, the process will play out as it may. If these incorporations get exactly what they want, the state of Vermont will be left with a huge PR disaster, once the corruption reaches the noses of the Federal government.
I’m sorry if I come off as crass and rude here. If you read a newspaper 50-60 years ago, you would see articles with content similar to what I write, criticizing each of these incorporations and their motives.
Instead, the Burlington Free Press rolls over and plays dead while these people bring their circus antics to their front pages.
Disclaimer: I am not, nor will I ever claim to be a genealogist. I am merely reading through this application and picking it apart in my own way. Feel free to point out any inaccuracies in my analysis. Thank you.
Application analysis begins below:
853 (c)(1) A majority of the applicant’s members currently reside in a specific geographic
location with Vermont.
The Elnu Abenaki Tribe presented a list of members with names and street addresses. Currently,Elnu has 43 enrolled members. 23 of those members live in the towns of Jamaica, Townsend, and Westminster in southeast Vermont. This qualifies as a majority residing in a specific geographic location.
Seems like an awful small band of people. I can think of bands with more members than this that have been around longer.
853 (c)(3) The applicant has a connection with Native American Indian tribes and bands that have historically inhabited Vermont.
But, this is an incorporation, NOT a tribe! They have a connection with the other Alliance incorporations (Nulhegan, St.Francis/Sokoki and Koasek).
For example, Vera Schulmeisters’ 3rd Great Grandmother, Julia Patnode-Loncto (“an old Indian woman”) lived some of her life at Missisquoi. Elnu, Missisquoi, and Koasek all have members who descend from the Patnode/Patenaude line. Some Elnu and Missisquoi members also share Charles Partlow as an ancestor. He was listed as one of “four Indians” in the October 1863 Civil War conscription list from the Alburgh, VT Land and Miscellaneous Records Book. Alburgh is only a few miles from Missisquoi. Charles Partlow’s sister, Eliza, had a daughter, Jenny Covey,who had a son, Herbert Hilliker, who had a daughter, Doris Hilliker, who had a daughter, Betty Reynolds, whose daughter, Cathy Cline, is the mother of Melody Walker Brook.
Hmm. To verify these claims, we need to go and look at the genealogy of Charles Partlow. Luckily, there are a few good resources for this information.
“Indeed, this is the document page out of the Alburg Town history, of which Carollee Reynolds refers to, in the above bit. The Bureau of Indian Affairs OFA dept. actually addressed this document, its merits and foundation. The conclusion was that this document mean absolutely NOTHING. The document was concluded to be dubious, questionable and it was determined that the document may NOT be referring to these four men “as Indians” nor were they identified as “Abenakis” or “Native Americans” or “Indian” (these four Indians could have been an additional 4, to equal the 8 of the four men that were mentioned by name). [121]A Civil War pension record for Charles H. Partlow of Alburgh, Vermont, marrield to Sophia (nee: Blair/ Blain) Partlow, was located by OFA. It does NOT identify Charles Partlow as an Indian. Page 131 of the Proposed Findings on the St. Francis/ Sokoki Band of Abenakis of Vermont group. Dated November 09, 2005.”
Here’s a link to the document in question in the last line of this paragraph:
“Family: Partlow
Date Arrived in Swanton: 1900
Former Location: New York
Source: Charles Partlow was born in Alburg, VT, but he married Sophie Blair in Clinton County, NY, and all their children were born in New York. Only two family lines are provided for the subsequent generations. Their son George married a woman from Massachusetts and they moved to Swanton before their first child was born in 1902. Charles and Sophie’s son Frank married a woman from New York and their first two children were born in New York. Charles Partlow Chart.”
To understand this part of the Elnu application better, it’s a good idea to provide links to genealogical records of the Partlow line.
Birth record of Patsy Partlow (mother of April Merrill, married to Homer St.Francis, parents were Clifford Partlow (son of ) and Marion Friot, both listed as White):
It clearly shows that both Patsy Partlow, Carollee Reynolds and even Melody Walker-Brook are related through that same line (this list shows that Ms.Reynolds is actually descended more closely from James Partlow than Charles Partlow while Melody Walker-Brook is descended through the sister of Charles Partlow, Eliza Partlow.), though the list makes it difficult (at least to my eyes) to put together the relations. Unless further evidence is presented, one has to cede the authority to the BIA in their conclusion on Charles Partlow. If you scroll back up and read the document from the Alburg history books, you’ll notice that even though 4 men are listed and the line “four indians” is underneath them, it’s possible that the document was referring to these 4 men AND 4 additional indians (whose names were not listed). Regardless, unless any corroborating evidence can be shown, it appears that the BIA’s conclusions are correct.
Also valuable to this section is a piece of oral family history handed down to John Sheehan who recounted the story of an Indian village that came under attack, “…The village our family lived inwas attached because we are Indians. Everything was being burned and people were getting killed. Our grandmother, your grandmother and her brother were put down in a well to hide.They must have been too small to run. They tried to stay quiet and clung to each other. They could smell the smoke from everything burning and hear the cries and screams of their family and friends. They didn’t know for how long [they were in the well for]. Time passed, the screams quieted. Your grandmother and her brother slowly came out of the hole. Their home and village was destroyed, ashes smoldered; many people were killed. The ground and rocks near the river was stained with blood. There was more but I don’t remember…” (John Sheehan,
2010). This main very well be a memory, passed down through generations, of the Missisquoi raid or possibly the Roger’s Rangers raid on St. Francis.
This incident with Rogers Raiders has been well-documented, even to a point where it was in the Swanton History book. I don’t understand the 2010 reference though. Was this story recently recounted? Recently recorded?
The language of this criterion, “The applicant has a connection with Native American Indian tribes and bands that have historically inhabited Vermont”, is very broad. Elnu undoubted has political, familial, social, and/or cultural ‘connections’ with Missisquoi, Koasek, and Nulhegan
This incorporation certainly does have a connection but mainly with the Alliance tribes. Do other native tribes in/around the state of Vermont recognize the Elnu? Up until the S.222 process, I personally had NEVER heard of the Elnu people and I grew up in the Swanton area! If they do not, are we to assume that the Elnu are still legit? This part is too vague and unfortunately, it shows a poorly-worded attempt by Mr.Wiseman to create standards for criteria and to meet those same standards.
853 (c)(4) The applicant has historically maintained an organizational structure that exerts influence and authority over its members that is supported by documentation of the structure, membership criteria, the names and residential addresses of its members, and the methods by which the applicant conducts its affairs.
Ok, please define “historic” in the context that applies to this application. Does “historic” mean 50 years? 100 years? 30 years? 25 years? The Elnu incorporation has not been around long enough to be considered “historic” in any measure. Keep in mind that anyone can form a group, call themselves indians and then fill up a list of people who they then try to pass off as their “members”. The Elnu did exactly this and for that reason, the historic part should be struck from this record.
According to Wikipedia, “In anthropology, bands are the tiniest societies, consisting typically of 5-80 people, most or all of them close relatives by birth or by marriage. In effect, a band is anextended family or several related extended families.” Bands are organizational structures. There is no question that Elnu is a Band.
This is a part that simply does not pass muster in my eyes. Using Wikipedia as a source implies laziness and poor research skills. As an UVM student, I can attest that Wikipedia is not considered to be a serious source by most academic scholars. If I were to cite it, even for something similar to this, my professors would certainly remove points for using it as a citation. Mr. Wiseman should be ashamed of himself.
The tribe’s membership criteria and the names and residential addresses of members are presented. Acceptable forms of documentation for membership include a combination of genealogical, adoption, historical, DNA, and other records; family and oral traditions; pictures and artifacts; etc. Also detailed in the membership criteria are various reasons for denial or revocation of membership.
This clearly shows a maintained organizational structure that exerts influence and authority over its members.
If you scroll back up, you’ll find that the genealogy of some members is dubious, especially those related through the Partlow line. If the Partlow line itself is up for question, then how can the Elnu use it as part of their genealogical basis? The document “Decolonizing The Abenaki” does not count as supporting evidence as it is an amateurish document. No dice.
853 (c)(5) The applicant has an enduring community presence within the boundaries of Vermont that is documented by archaeology, ethnography, physical anthropology, history, folklore, or any other applicable scholarly research and data.
Lyman Simpson Hayes pointed out in some detail in his ‘History of the Town of Rockingham, VT 1753-1907’, that there was a large ancient Indian town in the area. Especially important to local history was a “large Indian village of wigwams extending from the south end of Mount Kilburn, where the Fitchburg station of Cold River now is, nearly a quarter of a mile south, and that it was a sub-tribe of the great Abenaquis…” A village almost a quarter mile long would have
been home to hundreds of indigenous people. Recently, Robert Smith noted, “Reliable sources indicate that dozens of Abenaki skeletons and graves have been unearthed in downtown Bellows Falls, along with many times that number of Native artifacts.”
Sure, “Abenaki” skeletons, not Elnu skeletons. How can this be used as evidence? There is no reference to these people being the Elnu people because they were not incorporated at the time! The mention of native artifacts is also vague. I’m sorry, but to my eyes, this is NOT proof of the existence of the Elnu people!
Above is just an example of the mountain of evidence that Elnu has presented to satisfy the antecedent Indian presence of the 1600’s and 1700’s. The identity of the people who inhabited Elnu’s region and also to the south, are what historians would call the Sokokis (named for the Squakeag Village at Northfield, MA. Calloway noted that “They (the Sokokis) occupied the region … to the great rapids at Bellows Falls.” Elnu’s M’Sadoques family has direct family tradition of a Sokoki connection and also a connection to the Longto line through the Patenaudes. Norman M’Sadoques was told by his grandfather that his surname meant the “big river people” in the Abenaki, a direct reference to the Connecticut River. In addition, he was told that he was of the “turtle clan” from the old Sokoki region. In Colin Calloway’s book, his research uncovered the “return from Canada” of Sachem Sadochquis and 156 men, women, and children
to Schaghticoke in 1685.
Are you telling me that you’re using evidence of the SOKOKIS as evidence of the Elnu people? How does this work again? Why don’t these people try to apply for recognition as Sokokis instead? I’m sure that these events did take place but in the context of the Elnu people using them as evidence, it does not hold water. I have seen the words “turtle clan” bandied about by many different people but I have yet to see a clear explanation of just what the turtle (or tolba) clan is. Howard F. Knight Jr. has also used the term. My mother has used the term. Just who ARE the Turtle (Tolba) Clan?
This community also used material indicative symbols of ethnic destinctness. Julia Patnode-Longto was described as wearing “Indian clothes” and accessories with beaded and ribbon detail. A close look at Julia’s daughter, Nellie Longto, in an image presented in Elnu’s application
reveals a necklace shows a long thin claw. Nellie’s photo (ca 1873) leaves little doubt to her ethnicity.
Wearing “indian clothes” does not make you an indian. Actors wear indian clothes. From what I have been told, the only time that people wear headdresses is for ceremonial purposes. With the arrival of missionaries, one would assume that indians would not wear “indian clothes” for fear of repression. I don’t personally think that this picture counts as evidence. Just look at the Elnu and other incorporations and their insistence on dressing as indians. Is this a sign of their insecurity?
Elnu referenced more recent (late 19th and early/mid 20th century) examples of “enduring community presence” in their region such as miscellaneous records, census’s, and gravestones of relatives in the area which is archival evidence of local residency. Memories of John Sheehan pounding ash to make basket splints, memories of relatives conversing in the “old language”, and memories and photos of Elnu ancestors in Indian apparel are presented in great detail from multiple sources
Ok, here’s where the logic gets fuzzy. Take a look at the image and text below (from the Reinvention of the Alleged Vermont and New Hampshire Abenakis blog). You may have to zoom in but you will clearly see the following:
12.Frank Lawrence Sheehan-renter-“white” age 44 yrs-married-Chaffeur-Taxi driver
13. Leona nee: MacDonald-wife-“white” age 38 yrs-married-born Connecticut
14. Edward B. Sheehan-son-“white” age 10 yrs-single-born New York
15. John F. Sheehan-son-“white” age 12 yrs-single-born New York
Ok, so, if all members were listed as White, then why would John be “pounding ash to make basket splints?” Surely, ANYONE can make a basket, whether they are white, native or whatnot. I’m just not buying the idea that the Sheehans had native ancestry. When I imagine the Sheehan name, I imagine a working class Irish family (as the Sheehans listed above certainly seem to be) and not an Abenaki family.
In this section, Elnu presented 42 pages of sourced data, oral testimony, images, and history. There is no doubt that the people of Elnu are the descendants of the Tolba (Turtle) Clan and that their small community has endured, for the most part, within the boundaries of Vermont. The people of Elnu are among the most traditional of indigenous people in Vermont. Their history and contemporary existence is deep and priceless to our state.
These 42 pages are unfortunately not public knowledge or they would be available for examination along with this application. This really doesn’t make sense and it allows the Elnu incorporation to “hide” their true intentions because if the general public does not know what is in those records, there is no way to know for sure if these people are who they say they are.
853 (c)(6)(B) The applicant is organized in part: to address the social, economic, political or cultural needs of the members with ongoing educational programs and activities.
Social & Cultural needs: The preamble (above) from the Constitution of the Elnu Abenaki Tribe addresses the social and cultural needs of members through educational programming. Elnu is well known among the greater Abenaki and Native communities as a valuable social and cultural resource at powwows, gatherings, sporting events, presentations, and celebrations such as the Lake Champlain Quadracentennial and countless others. Elnu is indisputably and actively organized to address social and cultural needs and revitalization.
To be fair, I asked a member of one of the more prominent Abenaki families in Vermont if she had ever heard of the Elnu. She had not. I could ask other Vermonters I know if they too, had ever heard of the Elnu. I guarantee you that they would reply that they had not. I have to dispute the claim above. Also, the Elnu seem more interested in garnering attention in the media, hence their participation in the Quad celebration last year. They needed to make their fabricated group “legit” in order to boost Fred Wiseman’s work on getting them recognized.
Economic needs: Elnu has made a commitment to encourage the economic and entrepreneurial aspects of Abenaki culture, especially in the craft arts, and this is accomplished by individual mentoring activities and multi-person teaching by Elnu’s elders at events as presented by various hands-on examples in their application as well as resources on their website.
They are not alone in craft-making among so-called natives in Vermont, nor are they the first ones to look for recognition to sell their crafts as “Abenaki” crafts. However, there are ways that they could make money for their tribe without formal state or federal recognition. Are grants and so forth more lucrative if you are a recognized tribe? I believe so.
Political needs: Quoted from Elnu’s website, “We limit ourselves in inter-tribal politics; however we will not be forgotten.” Since 2008, Elnu has been an active member of the Vermont Indigenous Alliance along with fellow Vermont tribes, Missisquoi, Nulhegan, and Koasek. Elnu has represented it’s citizenry at various legislative hearings and VCNAA meetings since 2007. Fairly recently, Elnu participated in an attempt to repatriate two Seven Nations wampum belts
that were held in New York City, thereby dealing peripherally with other Wabanaki Nations who are stakeholders in the repatriation.
When I was a member of the Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs (2008-2010), I don’t recall ever seeing a member of the Elnu delegation come to our meetings. They mainly stayed away with other Alliance members so they could manipulate Vermont media outlets in their favor. These people did not want to work with that commission. They wanted recognition on THEIR terms and THEIR grounds only. That is the purpose of this Alliance. As for the Wampum Belts, what was the motivation there?
853 (c)(9)(A) Submission of letters, statements, and documents from: municipal, state, or federal authorities that document the applicant’s history of tribe-related business and activities.
Included in the application are letters from Bruce Hyde, Vermont Department of Tourism & Marketing; Senator Hinda Miller, D-Chittenden; Charles Delaney-Megeso, Former Chairman,Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs; Professor Frederick M. Wisemen, Ph.D,
Johnson State College; Albert Garlick, Travis Native American Heritage Council
Here’s where it gets tricky.
A state senator has no business meddling in this application process, since it implicates their bias towards said incorporation. Hinda Miller in her own arrogance, decided that she support these people no matter what. She compared them to the Semites (Jews) as “lost tribes” and has mingled with the likes of Dwyani Ywahoo (who is a known new-age fraud, similar to “Little Grandmother” Keisha Crowther). Hinda Miller, along with Charles Delaney-Megeso and Donald Warren Stevens, were instrumental in painting the former VCNAA as “biased, hateful and unwilling to work with native people in Vermont.” This was never true. These people made it impossible for the Commission to serve native people by hijacking the agenda using the recognition issue. Also, Fred M. Wiseman is given way too much credit for his (amateurish) attempts to gain recognition for these people.
Here’s Hinda Miller making her analogy:
853 (c)(9)(B) Submission of letters, statements, and documents from: tribes in and outside Vermont that attest to the Native American Indian heritage of the applicant. Included in the application is a statement of recognition from the Vermont Indigenous Alliance; a letter from Chief Don Stevens, Nulhegan Abenaki Tribe; notes from a Haudenosaunee Standing Committee in New York City; letters from Marketa Fisher, IMST Sales Manager and Choctaw Nation member; Chief Nancy Millette-Doucet, Koasek Abenaki of the Koas;Representative Kate Webb, Chittenden 5-1, Shelburne; Former Lt. Governor, Brian Dubie, etc.
Again, allowing letters from Nulhegan Chief Donald Warren Stevens and Nancy Millette-Doucet is just another way of allowing these people to stack their support with members of their Alliance. I find it interesting that they were able to get support from the Haudenosaunee Standing Committee and a member of the Choctaw Nation. However, they are still virtually unknown to most native people in the state of Vermont (except for those part of the Alliance).
The application also contains an “evaluation” of the application data by none other than Fred M. Wiseman. Again, too much Wiseman for my liking. He admits that he’s been a participant in Abenaki recognition since 1993, having worked with the St.Francis/Sokoki band in the past, in addition to the other Alliance bands.
While the Elnu appear to have met this (shoddy) criteria, it is not and never will be enough proof (in my eyes) that they are an legitimate native entity in the state of Vermont. It’s really unfortunate that this process has been sabotaged right from the beginning and stacked strongly in the Alliance’s favor.
Hopefully, they all will be exposed and this sham stopped before it harms the State of Vermont and its’ taxpayers via land grants, casinos and other ill-cooked schemes that are sure to come. Don’t believe me? Watch and see.
Vermont Native Justice 
