Hosted by Sullivan County Conservation District and Upper Valley Land Trust.
- Lionel Chute, Director
- Dawn Dextraze
- Education and Outreach Specialist
- Sullivan County Natural Resources
- Sullivan County Conservation District
And
- Ko’asek (Co’wasuck) Traditional Band of the Sovereign Abenaki Nation
- with Chief/Elder Paul “Gwilawato” Bunnell (New Hampshire)
- War Chief David Nepveu (Vermont)
- Koasek Basket Makers, Valerie, Megan and Emily Boles (Vermont)
- Gary & Donna Lessard (New York)
- Cynthia (Nebi) Waring (Massachusetts)
And
- Tyler Sheaffer, the professional Black Ash Log Pounder
The Eco Center greeted over 65 visitors who came out during this warm July day that was surrounded by 2200 acers of a beautiful conservancy, a large flower, herbs, garden overlooking a calming pond covered by colorful butterflies in flight. The day was perfect and our Koasek Boles family was the center of attention as they made baskets for all to see. At our Koasek tent, Chief Paul and all the above tribal members took part in a blessing and smudging ceremony, and Gary Lessard led in an Abenaki song, and Nebi Waring and Donna Lessard sang the sacred Water Song, as other drummed. Chief Paul provided an outline and introduction flyer of our nation for all to take. Here is that message:
Koasek Introduction
Though we have been here for 15,000 years and before, our written colonial records go back to the 1500’s. Our detailed documented recorded history begins in the 1800’s and increases in accuracy by 1900. Our Abenaki cultural habits consisted of seasonal nomadic travels for food and medicines. Our villages on the waterways gave us fishing and the meadows, our three-sisters gardens, and ways to travel. The mountains were for hunting and gathering, and the ocean gave us fish, and shell fish. We never abandoned these villages, but always returned to them. We traded as far away as Pennsylvania, and the Great Lakes, to Northern New Hampshire and Maine, and Southern Quebec, and Northern Massachusetts. During the Ice Age we travelled south to the Mid to Southern Atlantic territory, and lived with the Lumbee, and other tribes. We then returned to our Homeland after the Ice receded.
Today, our center is at Alstead NH, but we were donated land from the Bascom/Kennedy Family in Claremont NH where we will build our cultural center and nature preserve on our 10.37 acers there. All are welcome. Today our nation is 463 tribal members and we accept new members every day. We welcome you to apply as we do not accept government controls over blood quantum’s because that is a form of genocide to our people. We also accept a small amount of non-Abenaki to our nation as our past traditions accepted adoptions or kidnappings to improve our bloodlines. Today, we do it legally…lol. You can get our applications at our website: http://koasekabenakination.com/ or Contact Chief Paul at his above email.
Our Traditional Abenaki Territory includes, New Hampshire, Vermont, Northern Massachusetts, Southern Quebec, Maine, and the Maritimes where other related tribes overlap in this large homeland.
Our policy is to reach out to all groups and develop friendships and relationships to promote peace, love and harmony in a non-racial environment. Building bridges is our number one goal. We have gatherings and ceremonies on our land and on Zoom (Computer), along with a monthly “Talking Circle” ceremony on Zoom by Chief Paul where all subjects are open for discussion or education. All Peoples Are Invited. Contact Chief Paul for the Zoom address.
Come and support, join, or just sit in on our open meetings. Understanding each other is very important in todays troubled world.
A’ho & Wliwni, Chief/Elder Paul “Gwilawato” Bunnell, and the
Ko’asek (Co’wasuck) Traditional Band of the Sovereign Abenaki Nation
Note: We thank the Sullivan County Natural Resources Dept., and Upper Valley Land Trust for all their support.
