Keeping a cultural heritage alive is the goal of many non-profit organizations. For Ndakinna Cultural Center a non-profit Native American education organization, that goal is at the top of the list. The state of Vermont was first the homeland to the Abenaki Indians. The Abenaki called their home Ndakinna meaning our land. The Abenaki endured many struggles to keep the culture alive. The most recent was less then 100 years ago when The State of Vermont ran a Eugenics program that targeted the Abenaki. The Eugenics program endured forced sterilizations on The Abenaki. The law that was passed in 1931 was called “A Law for Human Betterment by Voluntary Sterilization” and the Abenaki were the biggest target. During this period the Abenaki were forced to fit in with other families around them. Many learned to play the violin or guitar because drumming would summon the police and you would more then likely end up in jail. Many Abenaki were forced to become “French-Canadian” in order to avoid the mysterious miscarriages that happened after a doctors visit or the removal of children from the family. Due to the fact that the Abenaki were in hiding, many Vermonters still believe that there were never Abenaki people that lived in Vermont. It is also due to the underground lifestyle that Vermont Abenaki could not sell their wares as authentic Indian goods.

The Eugenics program was the latest in the darkest days of our ancestors however today we can be Native American in public again and continue to teach people about our heritage through Abenaki language classes, Pow-wows, Arts & crafts and drumming. However due to the State Of Vermont’s failure to properly recognize The Abenaki we still can not label our crafts as Authentic Indian Made. We can however continue to teach our traditions and educate people that we are still here and always have been. We do this through different programs through the state including a tribal office for The Missiquoi Abenaki in Swanton which also houses a museum, Through various pow-wow’s, The historical society museum in Montpelier as well as other museums throughout Vermont. We also do this through a cultural center dedicated to teaching the Abenaki heritage through a variety of classes, meetings, school visits and seminars.

The Abenaki heritage is an important piece of Vermont history and needs to be preserved. All Abenaki in Vermont need to be proud of who they are. Some of us belong to Abenaki bands and some of us choose not to for one reason or another but the fact of the matter is that we are all related and need to pass our our heritage to our children in any way that we can. We also need to come together as one people again. The trials of the past are horrific, However we can endure in the future but first we must learn to accept each other and educate the people in the state of Vermont.

To learn more about Ndakinna Cultural Center please visit the website http://www.ndakinna.org

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