Learning Journey
Thank you for taking the first step towards
teaching about Abenaki people in your classroom!
If, after reading the Educator Guide and Lessons, you still want more background information, you have come to the right place! Below is a list of articles, videos, websites etc. that has been helpful to us as we’ve developed our own confidence teaching about Indigenous Issues, and especially the Abenaki, with our students.
We have divided the resources into themed “units”. A group of teachers, or even a class of older students (HS and above) can read part or all of the included links in each unit, then use the discussion questions to generate a productive dialogue.
Creating Space for Safe and Productive Dialogue
As these can be sensitive subjects, we recommend making sure you have strong group agreements and a shared commitment to creating a safe space where people feel comfortable sharing (e.g. stories stay, learning goes, etc). Some questions ask for more vulnerability than others and may be uncomfortable for teachers and/or students to answer. Facilitators should use their best judgment to determine if students are prepared/comfortable with that level of vulnerability.
KEEP IN MIND that you may have Indigenous students/teachers in your discussion group. Make sure you are familiar with best practices for creating safe spaces for Indigenous participation so no one feels tokenized, isolated, or disrespected.
Please Note: The resources below are representative of a wide variety of sources, not all of which are in agreement with each other. Everyone will come to their own conclusions about these topics. While engaging in this learning journey we encourage you to come with an open mind, be open to changing your opinion as you learn more, and consider this as an opportunity for personal and collective learning.
Lastly, we have left out many quality resources in our effort to keep this list somewhat undaunting to educators. Apologies if we left out your favorite article. If you have suggestions on what we should add, please let us know!
Unit 1: Abenaki History
History of the W8banaki Nation (10 min read - website)
Learn about the history of the Abenaki people, in their own words.
Exploring the Wabanaki Confederacy (2 min read - article)
A short description of the alliance of Wabanaki Tribal Nations, which formed just prior to the era of colonization
Peace and Friendship Treaties (10 min read - article)
From the Canadian Encyclopedia. Learn about the history of Abenaki-British-French relations in the early colonial era.
The Creation of the World According to the Wabanakiak (book)
Great picture book with beautiful drawings for kids of all ages, with the story in French, English, and Abenaki. Available at the gift shop at the Musee des Abenakis. Our project team also may have extra copies for teachers- join our email list to hear about upcoming opportunitiesLegendes Wabanakises (book)
Also in French, English, and Abenaki, this kids book includes a handful of delightful Abenaki stories and legends for kids of all ages. Also available at the Musee Des Abenakis (see above).
Discussion Questions
Has anything surprised you or challenged your preconceived notions about how Vermont was founded, how the United States was formed, or how the Abenaki have been present in Vermont throughout and up until the present?
Learning about recent (post 1600) history of the Abenaki cannot be done without also learning about the early colonial period. Was there anything about the colonial powers of France, England, or the nascent USA that were interesting to you?
How does the Abenaki Creation Story differ or relate to other creation stories you may know about?
How might this new knowledge change how you think or talk about Indigenous topics in your classroom and/or in daily life?
Unit 4: Abenaki Identity Controversy in Vermont
A select few articles from a wide variety of sources to help inform discussions about this issue. While not the goal of this project, we recognize that questions about Abenaki Identity is a current hot topic, and something we get asked about a lot from teachers. So, we have prepared some key readings and suggested discussion questions to help a cohort of educators, and/or older students, should they want to learn and discuss together.
Keep in mind this is just a VERY short list of articles in no way intended to give a comprehensive understanding of the issue. If you want to go deeper, many of the links below contain suggestions for further reading. We strongly recommend waiting to engage with unit 4 until your group has successfully completed read and discussed units 1-3.
Facilitators, please keep in mind the notes at the top of this page about creating a safe space for dialogue, emphasizing collective learning and growth, understanding, and respect for all. This unit could get more personal and complex than the previous 3 units. While it may be approachable by upper-level HS students and above, we strongly encourage teachers to make sure their students are ready for a more controversial tropic.
Recognized An 3-part award-winning Vermont Public podcast series about Abenaki Identity
State Recognition and the Dangers of Race Shifting: The Case of Vermont (Peer-reviewed article by Darryl Leroux). To date the only peer-reviewed paper focusing on Vermont’s tribal recognition process. Connects what is happening in Vermont within the broader context and history of Native representation and Identity.
Unsettling Vermont Website for Vermonters and beyond on Abenaki identity claims, compiled by scholars and Indigenous People
Abenaki Heritage Website created by the W8banaki Nation to advocate for Abenaki recognition and Identity, including genealogical research into the leaders of the State-Recognized Tribes.
Abenaki Curriculum Should Reflect the Complexity of the Current Moment The Education Justice Coalition of Vermont’s take on the ongoing discussion of Indigenous Identity in Vermont.
Discussion Questions
When did you first become aware of the question of this controversy? What was your initial reaction? Has your opinion changed as you learned more? If so, how?
After listening to the Recognized podcast, what are some key takeaways for you? What questions remain?
How does engaging in this topic make you feel?
Have any takeaways from the previous three units in this learning journey helped you interpret this issue?
Should discussions of ancestry and genealogy be talked about, or should it be considered taboo? Why or why not?
Do you think the Vermont State-Recognized Tribes should have to prove their legitimacy to the Abenaki Nation? Other Tribal Nations? The State of Vermont? The Federal Government? Why or why not?
What does the W8banaki Nation mean when they say that Indigenous identity fraud is a threat to tribal sovereignty?
Discuss the work of the Vermont State Recognized Tribes to promote housing, education, and food security initiatives for their communities. Does their identity as Abenaki matter, or should this work be supported regardless?
What lingering questions do you have about the Abenaki in Vermont?
Unit 2: Abenaki Foodways
In the Gardens of the First Nations (article)
Caribou Magazine, featuring Abenaki chef, author and educator Lysanne Obamsawin talking about Abenaki agriculture, including the Abenaki style of growing the ‘Three Sisters’, i.e. corn, beans and squash.How this traditional soup is healing an Abenaki community ‘one bean at a time’ (article)
Jacques Watso and his passion for using food to bring people together, support his community, and celebrate the rich culinary heritage of the Abenaki.Introduction to Medicinal Plants with Abenaki specialist Michel Durand Nolett (article and video) Michel Durand Nolett, a member of the W8banaki community in Odanak, is incredibly knowledgeable about medicinal plants. As part of his work to pass on Indigenous knowledge, Mr. Durand Nolett kindly agreed to tell us about the history and uses of different medicinal plants that can be found on Mont Saint-Hilaire, which is located on the Ndakina, the traditional territory of the W8banaki Nation. In these videos, he introduces us to 10 medicinal plants and their properties.
Eating for Generations to Come: Wabanaki Lessons on Gathering Wild Edibles (article)
By Ann Pollard Ranco, Penobscot, on the intersection of food and Wabanaki culture, and how food traditions are one of the binding values that connects across Native American cultures.
Discussion Questions
What role does food play in Abenaki culture? How does that compare to other cultures?
How does the Abenaki way of farming appear similar or different from other ways of farming?
Did you know that common foods such as corn, beans, squash, etc. are actually Indigenous foods? What else did you learn?
What questions remain for you? What else do you want to know about Abenaki foodways?
Educational Resources we reccommend
Wabanaki Studies Education Program
A collaborative effort between the Wabanaki Nations, Indigenous and non-Indigenous educators, and the Maine Department of Education. Geared towards Maine K-12 Teachers. Led by Brianne Lolar, Panawahpskek Citizen, who helped us develop the Abenaki Foodways Project, and has been a continued inspiration for this kind of work in our region.Haudenosaunee Guide for Educators (Native Knowledge 360)
A beautiful guide designed to give educators a better understanding of Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) people of the past, present and future. Tailored for the New York State-mandated curriculum, this guide, which was an inspiration for our project, is also important reading for Vermont educators, because the history of the Haudenosaunee and the Abenaki are closely intertwined.
Tend, Gather, Grow
A K-12 curriculum that focuses on native and naturalized plants of the Pacific Northwest region. Created by a team of Native and non-native educators. While the lessons are place-based and very tied to to the PNW, the overall approach and structure of this program is top-notch, and is well-worth the time to explore for any educator wishing to learn appropriate methods of teaching about Indigenous peoples.American Indians in Children’s Literature (website)
Managed by Dr. Debbie Reese, citizen of Nambé Owingeh
Unit 3: Indigenous Sovereignty & Identity
Understand the UN Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples through oral history
Article, plus lesson plans for older students to explore the issue of Indigenous sovereignty and identity
Tribal Sovereignty — An Explainer (article)
Karin Leuthy, November 8, 2023, Maine Center for Economic PolicyNative “Identity” Fraud is not Distraction, but the Final Indian Bounty (article)
Dr. Kim Tallbear is a worldwide leading scholar on the topic of Indigenous identity (though she doesn't like using that word) and sovereignty. This article explores what led to a proliferation of the race-shifting/pretendianism phenomenon, and how it furthers the goals of colonialism and genocide being perpetrated against Indigenous Peoples.
Discussion Questions
How do Indigenous notions of identity and belonging differ or align with European concepts?
Discuss the idea that tribes are sovereign nations, who each have their own membership criteria. How does that impact how you feel about who gets to call themselves Indigenous?
Why did Indigenous Nations petition the UN to adopt UNDRIP? What is the significance of Indigenous Nations having or not having the right to protect their unique cultural heritage?