INSIDE THE KINGDOM September 27, 2017 the Chronicle Section B – 16 Pages College student’s app helps Abenaki art by Tena Starr was a great fit for me.” Vera Longtoe Sheehan is the director of the Dustin Lapierre of Barton knew a long time Abenaki Artists Association. She said that when ago that he was deeply interested in computer Vermont recognized four Abenaki tribes in 2011- science. His second interest, and his minor at 2012, she organized the association to “promote Champlain College where he’s a senior, is Japan. our artwork.” He’s been studying Japanese and hopes to work “That has kind of blossomed,” she said. in that country after graduation. A member of the Elnu Abenaki tribe, she “I’d kind of like to go live there and work for said that “clothing is really an entryway to talk a couple of years,” he said. “I really like the about our culture.” people and atmosphere.” For her part, she does “twined weaving,” a But it’s not Japanese culture that his work skill passed down over thousands of years, she is benefitting from at the moment. Far from it. said, and one she’s discovered that aboriginal It’s Abenaki culture. cultures in Australia share. Mr. Lapierre has collaborated with “When I was setting up the exhibit from Mt. Vermont’s Abenaki Artists Association to Kearsarge, there was this couple from Australia. develop an app that enhances the association’s She saw the textile dress. Her people did it as traveling exhibit of Abenaki art and artifacts, well.” primarily clothing. The main idea, Ms. Longtoe Sheehan said, is The exhibit, called Alnobak: Wearing Our to provide more than a historical exhibit; it’s to Heritage, “brings before audiences in New connect the past with the present and England a group of objects and images that acknowledge present day Abenaki culture. document the way in which garments and Along that line, she also thought that accessories that reflect Abenaki heritage have Dustin Lapierre of Barton, a senior at Champlain teachers might want to get involved and have College, has created an app for the Vermont Abenaki been, and still are, made and used to express tools available to them to teach Abenaki history Artists Association that can be used to enhance the Native identity,” says the Abenaki Artists and culture. association’s traveling exhibit. Association newsletter. “It can connect teachers with not just Photo courtesy of Dustin Lapierre In a phone interview, Mr. Lapierre said his Abenakis in the past, but also Abenakis in the interest in culture definitely made the project present,” she said about the exhibit and Mr. Melody Brook works in residential life at Lapierre’s app. “For instance, there’s a study Champlain College and said she recommended guide for really young kids. It talks about the Mr. Lapierre to work with the Abenaki Artists milkweed plant and how we use it — it’s not just Association. relevant in a historic fashion.” “He’s worked our front desk since, I think, This reporter does not have a smart phone his first or second year,” Ms. Brook said by e- and barely knows what an app is. But mail. “He saw a flaw with one of our card apparently, Mr. Lapierre’s work has transformed systems and built from scratch a process the the exhibit from something static to a multi- company had not even included to batch upload layered experience that provides back story, photos. We’ve used it for a while. illustration, and elaboration. “He’s so great to work with. He’s humble, “Basically, I made a phone app for Android thoughtful, and gifted. He was the only person I devices, a type of phone that you can use to get actually asked. I’m looking forward to what he extra information about the Abenaki tribe of will do in the world.” Vermont and their art exhibits,” Mr. Lapierre For his part, Mr. Lapierre said he’d never said. worked on mobile apps before, but was happy to “I did it over the summer. I was really be engaged in the project. looking for some kind of project in my field. I’ve The exhibit includes much. “It’s definitely always had an interest in programming and informed by history,” Ms. Longtoe Sheehan said. computer science.” “But it’s not just historical.” He said that when he was a kid he was Besides clothing, the exhibit includes interested in programming computer games. artifacts and photographs. His interest has expanded now. “There’s one of a gourd artist,” Ms. Longtoe He does remain fascinated by Japan, an Sheehan said. “There’s a Native wedding, and interest, he said, that started with television there’s an image of the tattoos on Anthony shows, and has a general interest in other Longtoe Sheehan’s back. There’s a wall we call cultures. the wall of honor. That’s dedicated to our “I’ve been in Vermont for 21 years, and have ancestors and others who have passed on.” a pretty good idea of what Vermont is like,” Mr. And there are smaller things, like birch bark Lapierre said. earrings, Ms. Longtoe Sheehan said. He’s also been to Japan on a cultural It matters to keep the old skills alive, to experience trip through Champlain College. “It’s teach children about their heritage, and share it with others, she said. Art is one way to do that. Vera Longtoe Sheehan, co-curator of Alnobak: a completely different lifestyle.” Wearing Our Heritage, with her painted “tolba” (turtle) While Mr. Lapierre’s serious, longtime The inspiration for the exhibit emerged from jacket. interests might lie elsewhere, Ms. Longtoe a long collaboration between the Lake Photo courtesy of Diane Stevens Photography Sheehan said she has found him invaluable in Champlain Maritime Museum and Vermont’s doing what she so hoped could get done: turning Abenaki artists, community members, and tribal more appealing to him, even though there may the exhibit into an interactive experience and leaders. not be much common ground between Abenaki providing the opportunity for teachers to include The exhibit is currently at the Mt. Kearsarge and Japanese culture. it in their curriculum. Indian Museum in Warner, New Hampshire. “Culture is so fascinating to me, which is one “Dustin is amazing in my book,” she said. Mr. Lapierre’s app can be downloaded from the of the reasons I took on the foreign language “A phone app is something we’d dreamed of. Google Play Store. Here is a link: Vermont minor,” Mr. Lapierre said. “So getting a chance But we couldn’t afford to do it, and kind of gave Abenaki Artists Association - Android Apps on to learn about and help spread Abenaki culture up hope.” Google Play. IN THIS WEEKLY SECTION, YOU’LL FIND: BIRTHS l WEDDINGS/ENGAGEMENTS l OBITUARIES l KINGDOM CALENDAR l CLASSIFIED ADS l RESTAURANTS & ENTERTAINMENT l REAL ESTATE & AUCTIONS l YOURS FROM THE PERIMETER l RUMINATIONS l AND MORE! Page 2B the Chronicle, September 27, 2017 Ruminations Zombie Camp and the perfect s’more by Georgia Young I have a great backyard for kids. The lawn has a nice hill for sledding, and it’s surrounded by maple trees, so in the fall we rake all the leaves to the bottom and jump in them. There are swings in the trees and on the porch, a large picnic table perfect for playing games or a tea party, and a small woods with a campsite, better known as the zombie camp. The younger granddaughters picked a spot in the woods, partly surrounded by a stone wall (which slows down the zombies) and built a rock fire pit. Then we put tarps (to keep the wind out) and a zombie fence around it. For those who haven’t watched The Walking Dead, a zombie fence consists of cans (ours with rocks in them) or hubcaps — anything metal — strung on string around the trees, so when a zombie stumbles into it, it rattles as an alarm and we know zombies are near. No zombies yet, but the grandkids love to sneak up and shake it, startling the other people in the campsite and trying to elicit screams from siblings, cousins, and especially Grandma! Our zombie camp is furnished with a plastic bench and a couple of chairs, plus small side tables, a box with wood, and a small picnic table. And we have lots more folding camp chairs for large groups. We have fires all year long, though it takes some digging to find the fire pit after a big snowstorm. And in the summer we usually set Pictured left to right, grandchildren Abby and Lincoln Todd and nieces Maia and Zoe Young are scorching up our tent so we can sleep out. Evenings over marshmallows over the campfire. Photo courtesy of Abby Todd the campfire usually include scary stories, sometimes with zombies. perishables and we are set. Frequently we just 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar There are days when we cook all our meals roast hot dogs with canned baked beans or 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar, over the campfire. We have quite a collection of Spaghetti-Os, but we also make corn chowder packed camping pans, mostly inherited when Uncle Toph with corn bread pancakes, burgers and fresh 1 teaspoon vanilla moved to Kansas. We bought dishes and camp corn-on-the-cob, or bacon, eggs and toast for 1 egg silverware so we don’t need to use paper and breakfast. Even grilled cheese sandwiches and 1 cup Ghirardelli chocolate chips, semi-sweet plastic, as well as roasting sticks.