“I recently have retired from the Commission on Native American Affairs. The commission is staffed with, in my estimation, a whole room full of white men pretending to be native,” said Beverly Littlethunder, a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.
The oldest of these would-be "tribes" is almost 50 years old. Most are much younger. The real Abenaki Nation? Our historically known families have been in this land since time immemorial. And we can prove it.
Vermont's Governor Scott attempts to deny our rightful home, territory, and nationhood demonstrates a shallow grasp of the illegal and unethical process by which the State of Vermont granted State Recognition to Pretendians without genealogical evidence, credible or serious expert review, or any sort of transparency or accountability. Furthermore it was riddled with conflicts of interest. State recognition is unconstitutional regardless.
One of these groups did apply for Federal Recognition and failed miserably according to the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Similarly the VT AG also found evidence that the group isn't Abenaki.
The Chief of Odanak should be heard and will be heard in Vermont, as should other elected Abenaki leaders and citizens of the Odanak First Nation.
Shame on VT politicians for their ignorance and incompetence!
