Nemikwaldamnana Let's Remember
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W8BANAKI PILASKW Odanak Abenakis Newpaper Volume 9 Number 3 October 2015 NEMIKWALDAMNANA LET’S REMEMBER Today, the Abenaki people commemorate in their way this sad event which has marked their history. They remain proud to proclaim their existence as a Nation. For the occasion, an event was held on October 4 to honour those who perished in the attack, which occurred 256 years ago. o s t a VIGIL FOR MISSING OR MURDERED W a s ABORIGINAL WOMEN e r During the same event, in collaboration with e h T Aboriginal women from the Abenaki Nation of : t Odanak, an event was organized in support of i d e missing and murdered Aboriginal women. The r c o event is part of a national movement while most t o h activists are asking the federal government to hold P a public inquiry into these murders and disappearances to better understand the factors that lead to the fact that Aboriginal women experience violence in a higher proportion than the rest of women in Quebec and Canada. For nearly 30 years, more than 1,200 Aboriginal women have Nicole O'Bomsawin, Mathieu O'Bomsawin Gauthier, Mandi Thompson and Helen Watso. disappeared or have been murdered in Canada. Proportionally, this number would equal 8,000 October 4 th is a significant date full of emotions and contingent of Abenaki warriors then established in Quebeckers and 30,000 Canadians. memories for the Abenaki community of Odanak. the Saint-François village, now called Odanak. 256 years have passed since the infamous event History tells us that at this time of year, the majority While several vigils were held across the country, recognized today as Rogers’ raid. of warriors normally present in the village were the community of Odanak also took part in the absent and military surveillance was at its event, inviting the local and regional population to minimum. Thus, at the dawn of October 4, 1759, participate and express themselves. People were A LITTLE HISTORY... Rogers’ soldiers arrived in Odanak, taking by invited to come and share their concerns regarding By stepping into the past, it is important to surprise the villagers while women, children, and violence towards women, children and even men or remember the different alliances with the French elderly men were killed during the massacre. to honour the people who have experienced and the establishment of Abenaki warriors near the Almost all the houses were burned and the same violence or who have fought back. A candlelight Saint-François River in the late 17th century. Many occurred to the Catholic Church and its treasures vigil ended the evening, to honour their memory, raids carried out by the Abenakis ensued in New were looted. while nearly 50 people came to show support for England on several English villages. During this this cause. period, and even since the beginning of the colonial Upon his return to New England, Major Rogers wars, the Abenakis were perceived by European reported having killed at least 200 Abenakis. colonizers as fearsome warriors. Because of these However, it is likely that he greatly exaggerated the conflicts and the reputation of the Abenakis, actual number in order to justify his own casualties. Mathieu O'Bomsawin Gauthier General Jeffrey Amherst ordered Major Robert He would have likely killed around 30 people, most Assistant Manager Musée des Abénakis d’Odanak Rogers and his rangers to destroy the largest of them women and children. Word from the Chief initiatives often spearheaded by community can have a hand in building a better future for our members. Many of these activities help us connect community as well as for the larger First Nations our current reality to invaluable threads from our community. Moreover, Kiuna has recently crossed history’s rich heritage. Our services and programs borders in welcoming their first students from our have already begun to reflect our values in their American Abenaki community. At the local level development and implementation. We must not give this possible expansion also means more up on this important process. The culture opportunities for both employment and self- committee is a perfect example of the change that development. can be achieved with the investment of our members. As you can see our community is continuing to grow Another very important initiative is taking place in and develop. However this has not been without its our family house where members of our community growing pains. We have encountered some hurdles Kwai fellow band members, are providing educational support our children, in building a sustainable economic base, the current thereby improving their chances for academic council is very careful in taking the next step Let me begin by wishing you all a very happy new success. Keep up the good work! concerning the Calumet restaurant. We are exploring year. Also, I would like to thank you for your support, In an initiative that has bridged a regional project our options. Rest assured that we are working hard giving me the opportunity to represent you as Chief with our community, Kiuna Institution the First on salvaging what we can from this initiative, both for yet another term. As we embark upon this Nations College, is now talking autonomy and economically and socially. coming mandate we do so taking into account, the expansion. This talk encourages many of us at the issues and concerns raised by you the members of Chief’s table who continue to defend our children’s We can celebrate our successes and learn from our our band throughout the electoral process, the main rights to a quality education. failures. The biggest gifts we take from our thread being our Nation’s unity. experiences are the lessons that help us keep building As a strong believer in this project I will continue to our community stronger. With your support, we can In the last term we experienced a movement which highlight and support the successes of this initiative. continue to work hard on achieving a strong, is beginning to redefine our priorities. Community The relentless efforts of all involved will, without a sustainable foundation for the generations to come. based models, in their embryotic stages, are replacing doubt through its successes, influence other old models developed by strangers, unfamiliar with governments to remain partners in this project. This In peace and friendship, our community needs. We are proud to support these project not only promises but has also proven that we Chief Rick O’Bomsawin 2 Word from Management on a five (5) year lease with an option of five (5) and Northern Development Canada on May 14. DANIEL G. NOLETT, additional years. The Grand Conseil will occupy A little history: in the weeks following the Executive Director the premises as of January once the renovations destruction of the CN bridge after the fire in KAwbeanï amkzisi wofi! Odanak are completed. 1974, the Council at the time had taken steps Council with the CN so that CN lands be returned to Regarding the challenge of Section 6 and its reserve land. The CN had officially abandoned discriminatory impacts, we obtained a favourable the idea of repairing or rebuilding the bridge in In my last article, I ruling from the Honourable Justice Chantal 1989. It was only starting in 1992 that steps taken wrote that the Masse of the Superior Court of Quebec over the by the Council actually progressed. Due to the construction of the summer. As expected, the government of Canada presence of hydrocarbon contamination, administrative office has appealed the decision. We are waiting to negotiations dragged on. building was over. As know the exact moment when the Federal Court of July and August, only the parking lot work of Appeal will hear our case. This is because the Council decided in 2012-2013 remained, i.e. installing streetlights, benches and to decontaminate the CN land and therefore the garbage cans. This was completed in September. All seven (7) commemorative bronze plaques, case could move forward and finally become The parking lot work was carried out by Danis which had been stolen in the fall of 2014, were reserve land again over the summer. Construction in September. The parking lot work installed on the grounds of the Catholic Church amounted to $250,000. We received a $28,000 and the Anglican Church. Restoration work had Finally, following the recent elections to the Council grant from AANDC for LED streetlights. to be carried out on the monument located next held on November 28, and following the Council to the Odanak Chapel, which was built in 1961. meeting held on December 21, 2015, it was decided Starting in the winter of 2015-2016, our public Due to its condition, this work was essential prior that the elementary school project for Odanak works employees shall be responsible for snow to installing the three (3) new plaques. I remind would be abandoned. It could not be shown that the removal operations, spreading de-icing salts and you that replacing these plaques has totalled project was financially feasible and viable. abrasives on our streets and sidewalks. With the nearly $40,000. A large portion of these costs help from a funding program from Aboriginal will be covered by our insurance. With the Education Partnerships Program (EPP), Affairs and Northern Development Canada, we which was finally renewed until 2020, we can were able to purchase the necessary equipment Finally, I would like to announce that the lands continue our partnership approach with the La order to carry out these operations. that were owned by the CN during a certain Riveraine school board and with our elementary As for the former administrative office building, period have officially become reserve land again.