July 2021, vol 13
Kwai Everyone
Welcome to the 13th issue of the Ko’asek Tribal Tidbits! Today’s exciting segments are by tribal members: Chief Paul, Taylor McDade, Mary H. Doonan and GiGi Brakeville. Updates on groups and news are by Chief Paul, Stormy Davis and Steven Wright. Thank you all for your fantastic contributions!
Quotes, thoughts and news:
Today’s quote for April is from “365 Days of Walking the Red Road” by Terri Jean (Thank you Chief and Elder Paul):
Quotes for July
“One does not sell the land people walk on.” Crazy Horse, 1875
Tribal women play an important and respected role in their communities. Women and men had specific duties and their roles in the tribe are valued. Women’s duties are not degrading, nor are they considered an easier task.
Tribal News:
From Chief Paul: Here are our Ko’asek Turtle Island Inc Board of Directors:
- Paul Bunnell, Director ,)2018), Alstead NH
- Sandra Deforge, Vice Director, (2018), Fancy Farm Kentucky
- Kristina Martindale, Treasurer, (2018), Bandon OR
- Michael Byers, Board Member, (2018), La Crosse WI
- Cherie Pernaw, Secretary, (2021), Loundon NH
- Jacob Waters, Board Member, (2021(, Cotton MN
- Jo Proulx, Board Member, (2021(, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Congratulations to the newly appointed board members
Clan Agreements: Clan Agreements need to be turned in as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please contact Chief Paul.
Koasek Prayer Circle Gathering on Our Koasek Land21 June 2021 – 2 PM
Our attention is on World peace and prayer day to bring global unity and balance back into this world. We invite you to our prayer circle gathering, blessing ceremony, smudging, song and prayers where all are welcome to share and bring your drums, rattles and sticks and bells. Bring tobacco to offer gift of thanks to mother earth and to all our relations. Have a short talking circle on subject earth changes and native prophecy, cycles in the circle and the sacred hoop!Blessings: Smudging with gifted cedar from Canada, sage from Washington and Oregon, and Native Tobacco.Prayers and Comments by Chief Paul Bunnell & Daniel Duhaime & War Chief David Nepveu
Many of our Community Village friends plan to attend including their Elder/Grandmother Una Gallagher
Tribal Member Stormy Davis
My name is Stormy Davis and I am the owner of Arcadia scrunchies. We are a small company with only one employee…. me. Our scrunchies are handmade in the USA(Texas to be exact)! There are tons of colors and designs to choose from. All of our scrunchies are made with either 100% cotton 50-50 Poly Cotton or Satin Fabric. You can find us on Facebook at @arcadiascrunchies, Instagram at @arcadiascrunchies or you can go to http://www.arcscrunchies.com.
Classes and Facebook Page News
Ko’asek Drumming: Come join our Zoom Drumming and Singing class! This wonderful class was organized by Chief Paul and Daniel Duhaime. We learn Abenake and Mi’kmak songs and discuss our tribal culture. Plus we have a lot of laughter! Please email Chief Paul and a Zoom link will be sent. We meet every Sunday at 1pm EST except on the Sunday of the Tribal Council meeting. We hope to see you!
Members of Ko’asek (Co’wasuck) Traditional Band of the Sovereign Abenaki Nation Facebook Page: Our members are continuing to grow in the group! Thank you to all for sharing such fantastic articles and videos.
We have our DNA project up and running! Thank you Candy Conner for getting this all started! We continue to add more Gedmatch kit numbers to the Tribal DNA Project. Many are excited to be involved in this. Please remember it is private. No kits may be shared outside the group. This is a wonderful tool to help with genealogy and connect with others in the tribe. For more information, please contact Candy Conner, Steven Wright or GiGi Brakeville.
The Ko’asek Chatter House genealogy chat room. Here’s an update from Steven – Agma Nosok 8wdi on what’s new in The Chatter House genealogy chat group:
“At the Chatter House of late, we have been comparing notes on the heat and humidity in our respective locales. The joys of AC have been sharing space with surname research and Genealogy discussions. Always a lot to talk about around our table.”
Today’s Bio features tribal member Taylor McDade. Welcome Taylor!
daughter Juliet Claire (Stone Talker),
son Steven Wylde (Guarding Badger)
KWAI ALLTaylor Marie McDade (formerly Chaisson…that would be me! I was born June 1, 1984 and I’m not so sure the world was ready for me! Growing up, I always felt like a part of me was missing. I felt like I was waiting for an INCREDIBLE message meant for only my soul but the time would not be right until I had children of my own. The world was now ready for me to face it as a Mother. Life had lead me in so many different directions and so many questionable situations but when I found my Tribe…my PEOPLE all of my doubt simply dissolved and was replaced with unconditional love and acceptance! I FINALLY felt like I fit and I was a PART of something. I have been lucky as I have almost lost my life a few times but my inner SELF was born out of it and my STRENGTH verified. I CAN get through ANYTHING and I WILL. Knowing that the air I breathe in and exhale feeds my lungs and my brain it opens my mind is so peaceful, so serene… I hear the voices of my ancestors in my heartbeat and I am PROUD. Proud to be me! Proud to be a Mother! Proud to be Abenaki! Proud… aimek (to BE to EXIST)A’HO
Beautiful Taylor! Thank you!!
PLANT SPIRIT MEDICINE WATER KEEPERS BY MARY H. DOONAN, HERBALIST
Plant spirit medicine Water Keepers
Whether we were gathering plants for food, fiber, fuel, or healing, plants have been at the heart of humanity’s spiritual and physical for survival. Native Americans and First Nations believe plants are our ancestors; photosynthetic organisms are the progenitors of human life. Indigenous people are intimately aware of how strongly our own lives are connected to the plant people. Plants have been the informants of our creation stories, personal plant totems aka spirit plant, myths, ceremonies, rituals, and initiation rites for millennia.
The foundation of any plant medicine practice is the acknowledgement that all plants have a spirit, an innate essence. Like people, each individual plant has its own personality, as well as community identity. In many indigenous plant medicine practices, it is understood that to connect with a single plant is to open the gateway of access to that entire species. In other words, to interact with the spirit of one plant is to interact with the oversoul of an entire community of beings.Today in my herbalist circle, we shared spirit drumming journey work using techniques brought to us by many Indigenous culture / shamanic traditions of Turtle Island. In such, we can take a journey to make contact with the spirit of plants we ask for healing and respect their power and spirit. Journeys are different from meditations in that they involve active engagement and the focus of a particular intent. While undertaking the journey with sonic driving (drumbeat, rattles, repetitive movement or chanting) to help our brainwaves to move into a dreamlike theta state. We set an intentions and offerings to meet with the spirit of our particular plant, then seeing where the journey took us, opening our understanding of our subconscious of the essence for the plant’s energy.The water memory within us all flows between Mother Earth, you, this plant I am working with, the atmosphere and returning back to Mother Earth from Father Sky to nourish all forms continuously in a perpetual cycle, beyond millions of years prior, amazing!We are all connected, Water has Memory, keep it clean for the future~Mary H. Doonan Herbalist
Nee bee Wah Bow En die EnAah Key Mis Kqee Nee bee wah bow ~
The Path Unfolds Before Me by GiGi Brakeville (Bemosa Spiwi – Walks With the Earth)
A special thank you to Chief Paul and my family for encouraging me to share the journey that I will have completed. By the age of 3, my Aunt (my father’s sister) told my father that I had special and strong abilities and to protect me as society would not welcome these abilities. In my 20s, I was still being awakened by energies, intuition , empathic energies etc. I had inherited these gifts from both sides of my family: The indigenous ancestors and the Celts.
Spirit/Creator has guided me to the path that I am on. I have now had 10+ years of training and have been chosen to offer help and hope to many. I currently completed my second level of Shamanic training and will begin my apprenticeship. This training requires extensive journey work, connecting with ancestors and Spirit/Creator, as well as healing. The energy work is fulfilling and there is much to learn as a healer. This Shamanic education will always be ongoing.
It is a way I honor my ancestors, and I will be a Shamanic Practitioner.
Blessings and light,
Bemosa Spiwi (Walks with the Earth)GiGi
Please email submissions by the 15th of each month for publishing. Also articles need to be between 100 and 120 words with 1 to 2 pictures. Quotes, pieces of history, bios, recipes and everything is welcome!
Please email submissions to: snoopy8u@yahoo.comOlwini,GiGiBemosa Spiwi – Walks with the Earth
Have you seen our new website? www.koasekabenakination.com
Our next Meeting is Sunday, July 18, 2021 at 1pm (Eastern Time). Come share your thoughts and ideas!!
