"The Accomac Business Model" (2009) by Melissa Tantaquidgeon Zobel
description: Melissa Tantaquidgeon Zobel (b.1960)* grew up on Occum Lane on Mohegan Hill, on the homestead of her legendary ancestor, Samson Occum/Occom. She learned Mohegan traditions from her great-aunt, Gladys Tantaquidgeon. Zobel holds multiple academic degrees, including a B.S.F.S. in History and Diplomacy from Georgetown University, and M.A. in History from the University of Connecticut—the school from which both her mother and great-aunt received degrees. Initially, Zobel was preparing to attend Harvard University as a history major. However, in meeting with the department chair, she was told that a Native American focus in History was not allowed, as it was considered "ethnohistory," and that she could major in anthropology. She chose UConn instead. In 2012, she also earned an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Fairfield University; and in 2013, she began a Ph.D. in Adult Learning and Teaching of Native American Studies at Lesley University. In the Mohegan tribal nation, Zobel is both Medicine Woman and Tribal Historian. She also serves as executive director of the tribe’s cultural and community programs department. In her capacity as tribal storyteller, Zobel has traveled all throughout New England. Her goal has always been to provide a greater understanding of Native American history. In a recent interview, Zobel stated, “We are the keepers of the original ancient stories of New England.” Writing Zobel has long written history for her tribe, but she was motivated to get serious about her writing in 1991, when she was panned by critics at a Connecticut Humanities Council Conference. In 1992, her manuscript, The Lasting of the Mohegans, won the first annual Non-Fiction Award from the prestigious Native Writers’ Circle of the Americas. Zobel’s non-fiction publications provide in-depth information and an unparalleled understanding of Mohegan culture, granting readers a glimpse at traditional practices. In Medicine Trail: The Life and Lessons of Gladys Tantaquidgeon, for insta…
creator: Zobel, Melissa Tantaquidgeon
source: Alaska Dispatch News November 4, 2009
date: 2009-11-04
contributor: Parker Winslow, UNH '13
format: jpeg
language: English
type: Still Image

Vera Francis
description: Life and Career Vera J. Francis is a Passamaquoddy educator, environmental activist and performance artist rooted in Wabanaki traditional storytelling. She resides in Perry, Maine, on the Pleasant Point (Sipayik) Reservation. Francis writes and speaks frequently about environmental issues and tribal politics in newspapers, at conferences, and on websites. On April 19, 2013, she was interviewed by Parker Cavallaro (UNH '13) for this article. As part of the nonprofit Ntulankeyutmonen Nkitahkomikon—NN “We Take Care of Our Land”, Francis has advocated for the environmental preservation of Pleasant Point-Passamaquoddy ancestral territory. Because Passamaquoddy ancestral homeland is now divided by the U.S.-Canadian border along the St. Croix river, Francis has been involved with legal proceedings concerning both federal governments, including litigation between the Bureau of Indian Affairs, members of the Passamaquoddy-Pleasant Point (Sipayik) Reservation, and various energy companies seeking leases for land in trust. In addition to work with NN, Francis’s second activist group, The Schoodic Riverkeepers, has dedicated its work to more recent issues involving the St. Croix River alewife (a migratory species of herring) and glass eel. The group has called for these two species to be restored through measures such as unrestricted spawning runs, traditional resource management such as catch limiting, and increased support for an indigenous economy through export of fish products ("Vera Francis-Personal Interview"). Part 1: The Story of A Fish A History of Turmoil For over 600 generations of Passamaquoddy ancestry, the St. Croix River alewife (Siqonomeq in the Maliseet language) has traveled from the brackish tidal waters of Passamaquoddy Bay to upstream spawning grounds in the river's 1,650 square mile watershed ("8.0 St. Croix River Basin" 1-2). With eight independent tributary streams and lakes, the St. Croix River basin provides the freshwater environment necessary for th…
date: 2013
contributor: Parker Cavallaro, UNH '13
format: jpeg
language: English
type: Still Image

Larry Spotted Crow Mann
description: Larry Spotted Crow Mann is a Native author and musician belonging to the Nipmuc tribe. At an early age, Mann developed a strong interest in his tribe and has since worked to educate the public about Nipmuc history and culture (Sacks). On his role of promoting Nipmuc traditions and history, he states: “I’m somebody who is dedicated to my culture and tradition, and through that I hope to bring forth the intrinsic connection we all have as human beings. I love to learn new things and from other cultures” (Volain). His writing and music are shaped to not only honor traditions, but also to reach out to uninformed audiences and teach them about his tribe, which has been long part of American history. Music As a musician, he is a member of the Quabbin Lake Singers, along with his three sons Anoki, Nantai, and Manixit. The group has a focus on upholding and honoring culture with their music: during performances, the four wear traditional clothing to honor their ancestors. Mann holds the role of Drum Keeper in the group, a role that requires him to “ensure the Drum is being honored and played in a manner for the particular ceremony taking place.” The Drum is a sacred object in Native American culture that must be respected, as it is “the heartbeat of Mother Earth” and “allows us to pray and communicate with the natural elements of the world and beyond” (Volain). Writing Nowadays, the Quabbin Lake Singers do not perform as often as they used to, but Mann devotes the majority of his creative energies to writing. His writing career began in his youth when he wrote letters to the government in order to draw attention to issues that the Nipmuc people face. Additionally, he has been writing prose and poetry since his teens. He wrote his first book, a collection of short stories and poetry titled Tales from the Whispering Basket, because he wanted not only to acknowledge Nipmuc history, culture, and contributions to the foundations of America, but also to explore his ability to wri…
contributor: Thomas Lusted, UNH '14
format: jpeg
language: English
type: Still Image
coverage: Springfield, Massachusetts

John Christian Hopkins
description: John Christian Hopkins is a Narraganset journalist, author, poet and public speaker who resides in Tuba City, Arizona. Hopkins was born in 1960 in Westerly, Rhode Island. In 1983, he enrolled at the University of Rhode Island, where he graduated with degrees in journalism and history in 1987. Journalism Endeavors Hopkins spent time as a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist for the Gannett News Service, and also has written for USA Today, The News-Press, The Pequot Times, The Westerly Sun, Indian Country Today Media Network, News from Indian Country and Native Peoples Magazine. His work has received recognition from the Gannett Awards and the Native American Journalists Association (NAJA) Awards. In 2003, he became the first member of the NAJA to receive awards in four different writing categories during the same year (news, features, sports and columns). From an early age, Hopkins knew exactly what he wanted to do and made it happen. “I’ve never wanted to do anything other than write,” Hopkins said in an interview. “Through journalism I saw a chance to write, tell stories of interesting people and things and get paid for it!” From Journalist to Author The field of journalism has brought Hopkins from Rhode Island to Massachusetts, New York, Florida, and now Arizona. While he has been in the reporting business for twenty-plus years, he also delved into writing fiction novels over the past decade. Hopkins has published five books: Carlomagno in 2003, Nacogdoches in 2004, The Pirate Prince Carlomagno in 2011, Twilight of the Gods in 2011, and Rhyme or Reason: Narragansett Poetry in 2012. Hopkins doesn’t shy away from trying out different genres, whether it be historical fiction, fantasy, science fiction, or even poetry. “I can’t sleep at night because my mind won’t turn off; I spend time thinking of things to write about, genres I want to try,” said Hopkins. “I feel some need to create.” His first book, Carlomagno, is based off King Philip’s War, fictionally elabor…
date: n.d.
contributor: Steven Robert, UNH '13 Oliver Thomas, UNH '14
format: jpeg
language: English
type: Still Image

New familiar Abenakis and English dialogues (1884) by Joseph Laurent
description: Joseph Laurent (1839-1917) was chief of the Abenaki village of Odanak in Quebec, Canada from 1880 to 1892. He was a teacher and leader in the Abenaki community, and Odanak Nation throughout his life. Laurent, also known as Sozap Lolô, is best known for the publication of his book New Familiar Abenakis and English Dialogues. The book, a first of it’s kind, is a dictionary that translates Abenaki to English. When one begins their journey of learning about Indigenous people a noticeable trait is the selflessness that exudes from so many of the texts and cultures. Future generations are kept in mind in almost all actions, and it was the driving force behind the creation of Laurent’s New Familiar Abenakis and English Dialogues. The Algonquian-speaking nation was verbal, and in need of being preserved in writing. New Familiar Abenakis and English Dialogues was vital in taking the number of one hundred plus speakers, to the rest of the Abenaki population and it is still widely used today. New Familiar Abenakis and English Dialogues begins with the Abenakis alphabet, and then goes into the vowels, diphthongs, and syllables. The pronunciation key gets you ready to delve into the vocabulary that is broken up into sections; the first being “Of God’s Attributes” with words like Deity, Mercy, and Spirit. From the heavens, to the winds and seasons the reader is brought down from what is bigger than any single human to the very words used to describe the kinds people who inhabit this earth. The sections of words continue to take the reader back out of their own skin and into the very soil they walk on, and all the gratitude it deserves. The more difficult verbal translations and conjugations are at the end of the dictionary. The structure of Laurent’s dictionary is also what widely sets it apart from others. His translations are set up as a journey through their land as opposed to a standard list. He takes the reader on a trip from Quebec and throughout New England through linguis…
creator: Laurent, Joseph
date: 1884
contributor: Kelly Dalke, UNH '15
format: pdf
language: Abenaki, English
type: Document

Abenaki Indian Legends, Grammar and Place Names (1932) by Henry Lorne Masta
description: Henry Lorne Masta was born on March 9, 1853. He was an Abenaki writer, teacher, and a scholar of the Abenaki Language. He was also a respected leader in the Abenaki community. Lisa Brooks, author of The Common Pot, wrote that Masta, “published language texts from Odanak that followed directly on Wabanaki teaching books” (Brooks, 249). Masta published Abenaki Legends, Grammar, and Place Names in 1932. He began writing the book in 1929, at 77 years of age. Abenaki is a member of the Algonquian languages family and is spoken in Quebec and neighboring US states. There are few native speakers—the language is spoken by only 3% of the current Abenaki population. Masta’s Abenaki Legends, Grammar, and Place Names is not just a dictionary, but also a dissection of an immense collection of different Abenaki words, names, and tales. Titles and stories are broken down and explained for the reader. Their origins are traced, and their importance is sketched. In constructing and compiling these extensive explanations, Masta is actively revitalizing the Abenaki language and promoting decolonization through the continued practice of the dying language. Masta is also utilizing the Abenaki language so as to carry on the myths and cosmos of the native people. Within the foreword written by A. Irving Hallowell, a professor of anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania, he explains, “While the phonetic symbols used (in this book) are not refined to the extent demanded in academic circles, a reasonable degree of systemization has been achieved” (Hallowell, 11). This excerpt is an attempt to warn the reader that the writer will be using traditional Abenaki spellings and letter combinations. Masta chose this method in an effort to encourage proper pronunciation, thus keeping all words and names as true to the language as possible. This, then, is a distinct effort from Masta towards decolonization; Masta has challenged the “academic circles,” and has successfully published a piece of oral…
creator: Masta, Henry Lorne
date: Unknown
contributor: Dean Fiotto, UNH '15
rights: Public Domain
language: English, Abenaki
type: Document

"Op-Ed" (2014) by Ruth Garby Torres
description: Ruth Garby Torres is a member of the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation (Indian Legal Program 10). She is an author, public servant, academic, and a recipient of numerous awards for her work (Charter Oak "Alumni"). A lifelong Connecticut resident, except for a brief period in Cambridge, Massachusetts while studying at Harvard, Torres is well-known in her community for her expertise regarding policy surrounding Native American tribal recognition; she has written and spoken about the issue extensively (Rodriguez). Torres received her Bachelor's degree in an online program at Charter Oak State College and her Master of Public Administration from the Harvard John F. Kennedy School of Government ("Spotlight"). Torres has been involved with public service since she was a teenager, when she was elected to the Schaghticoke Tribal Council, the youngest Schaghticoke councilor in history. She has worked for the Connecticut State police for over twenty years, in numerous capacities (Rodriguez). Torres has served on many different boards and committees, including the Yale Native American Cultural Center board ("Spotlight"). During her time at Harvard, Torres participated in the program "From Harvard Square to the Oval Office," which aims to give women better access to positions working in public policy (Rodriguez). Now that she has an MPA, Torres plans on continuing her work in public service, specifically on public policy in Indian country to improve the quality of life for Native peoples ("Spotlight"). Writing A number of Torres' works appear in anthologies, such as Dawnland Voices: An Anthology of Indigenous Writing from New England and Recognition, Sovereignty Struggles, and Indigenous Rights in the United States: A Sourcebook, and she has facilitated many formal discussions surrounding indigenous rights in America (Rose). Along with a fellow Schaghticoke tribal member, Trudie Lamb-Richmond, Torres co-edited the section in Dawnland Voices focusing on the Schaghticoke tribe. In Torre…
creator: Torres, Ruth Garby
source: CT Mirror June 3, 2014
date: 2014-06-03
contributor: Alexa Procaccianti UNH '15
rights: Ruth Garby Torres. Used with permission.
language: English
type: Document

Sipayik Bulletin (2006)
description: A Passamaquoddy Nation Newsletter
creator: Unknown
date: 2006-02-10
contributor: Passamaquoddy Cultural Museum
rights: Passamaquoddy Cultural Museum. Used with permission.
format: pdf
language: English
type: Document

Sibayik Newsletter (1971)
creator: Erne Yarmal, Editor Veronica Moore, Co-Editor
date: 1971-10-15
contributor: Donald Soctomah Siobhan Senier
rights: Passamaquoddy Cultural Heritage Preservation Office. Used with permission.
format: pdf
language: English
type: Document

"The Beaver Tale" (1975)
creator: Unknown
date: 1975-08-25
contributor: Donald Soctomah Siobhan Senier
rights: Passamaquoddy Cultural Heritage Museum. Used with permission.
format: pdf
language: English
type: Document