Wabanaki Beadwork 1850 – 2000, PDF Series

Image of Wabanaki Beadwork Cover.
Book cover

by Frederick Mathew Wiseman, Ph.D.

Publication from the Great Council Fire Project presented courtesy of Wôbanakik Heritage Center.

EXCERPT FROM INTRODUCTION

“This document, a preliminary classification of antique Wabanaki beadwork, has been prepared to assist Wabanaki groups and individuals in understanding the beadwork designs once practiced by their ancestors.  The time may be coming when modern or future craftspeople will need these data to resurrect the ancestral styles, and then move beyond the traditional to developing new designs and interpretations.  Unfortunately, except for early “double scroll” beadwork there is little Wabanaki Beadwork on display or in publication.  Indeed, some of it, especially the mid 20th century  “pan-Indian” styles are being scorned and even discarded by their owners as this is written.  Wabanaki Beadwork 1850-2000 is meant to showcase heretofore unpublished examples from an admittedly small collection of beaded items and imagery of beadwork being worn.  It also attempts to organize these collections in a meaningful way that offers a preliminary stylistic and, to a certain extent, temporal (dating), classification.”

Wabanaki Beadwork 1850 – 2000. Part  1, 13 pages

  • Introduction Post 1850 Wabanaki Beadwork,: Classification, History of research into Wabanaki Beadwork, Iroquoianism, Current Research, Stylistic typology,
  • Double Scroll Beadwork: Early/mid 19th century
  • Geometric Beadwork: Early/mid century.

Wabanaki Beadwork 1850 – 2000.  Part 2, 15 pages

  • The Nested Circ;e style: Maliseet / Passamaquaddy Mid late 19th Century,
  • The Miniature floral style: Penobscot (/Passamaquoddy) Mid late 19th century
  • The Radiant Leaf style: Wabanaki Mid late 19th century
  • The Sunflower Style. Wabanaki and Kahnewake (rare) Mid late 19th Century

Wabanaki Beadwork 1850 – 2000.  Part 3. 11 pages

  • The Sunflower Style. Wabanaki and Kahnewake (rare) Mid late 19th Century (continued): The flat bag
  • Passmaquoddy Beadwork (Unclassified) Mid-late 19th century
  • The Figural Style. Wabanaki / Kahnawake Late 19th century
  • Netted Beadwork With a Wabanaki Provenance Mid-Late 19th century

Wabanaki Beadwork 1850 – 2000.  Part 4. 12 pages.

  • The Niagra Style. Wabanaki / Iroquois Late 19th/early 20th century
  • The Pan Indian Style.  Wabanaki ca. 1920-late 20th century

Wabanaki Beadwork 1850 – 2000.  Part 5. 8 pages.

  • Wabanaki Revival Styles. Wabanaki Late 20th century
  • Miscellaneous Abenaki Beadwork Types. Mid-late 19th century
  • Bibliography

Back to THE HISTORIC INDIGENOUS ARTS OF  VERMONT and NEW HAMPSHIRE

Teaching Through Art Creation: An Interview with Francine Poitras Jones – Part 3

Francine Poitras Jones smiling for the camera.

By Faith Wood. Middlebury College. Class of 2024
Native Presence and Performance (First Year Seminar Course)

In spring 2021, Vera Longtoe Sheehan (Elnu Abenaki) met with the students of “Native Presence and Performance: Reclaiming the Indigenous Narrative,” a first-year seminar offered by Middlebury College. After the meeting, Longtoe Sheehan recommended the students interview and write about VAAA affiliated artists. This blog post is one of a series that were created for that project, respectfully submitted by a student who self-identifies as non-Native.

Poitras Jones believes the United States government has not done nearly enough to heal the wounds it has inflicted upon Indigenous peoples. She

Teaching Through Art Creation: An Interview with Francine Poitras Jones – Part 2

Beaded moccasins and peaked cap made by Francine Poitras Jones

By Faith Wood. Middlebury College. Class of 2024
Native Presence and Performance (First Year Seminar Course)

In spring 2021, Vera Longtoe Sheehan (Elnu Abenaki) met with the students of “Native Presence and Performance: Reclaiming the Indigenous Narrative,” a first-year seminar offered by Middlebury College. After the meeting, Longtoe Sheehan recommended the students interview and write about VAAA affiliated artists. This blog post is one of a series that were created for that project, respectfully submitted by a student who self-identifies as non-Native.

Due to the length of this narrative, it is being introduced in three parts over a period of three weeks. This is the second part.

Though so much of Francine Poitras Jones

Teaching Through Art Creation: An Interview with Francine Poitras Jones – Part 1

A woman hitting a hand drum with a wolf painted on it.

By Faith Wood. Middlebury College. Class of 2024.
Native Presence and Performance (First Year Seminar Course).

In spring 2021, Vera Longtoe Sheehan (Elnu Abenaki) met with the students of “Native Presence and Performance: Reclaiming the Indigenous Narrative,” a first-year seminar offered by Middlebury College. After the meeting, Longtoe Sheehan recommended the students interview and write about VAAA affiliated artists. This blog post is one of a series that were created for that project, respectfully submitted by a student who self-identifies as non-Native.

Due to the length of this narrative, it will be introduced in three parts over a period of three weeks.

Even at 72 years old, Francine Poitras Jones of the Nulhegan Abenaki tribe plays an active role in teaching through creation. Dressed in her traditional regalia, she often volunteers to visit the classroom to teach students about Abenaki games, songs, culture, and language. Her BlueWolfCrafts Etsy page boasts over 170 items of Native American hand-crafted items, from jewelry made with Wampum shells she herself gathered, to leather pouches and moccasins. Francine does not limit herself with just one or two mediums.[1] For example, in two-dimensional works, her art spans from acrylic painting, to sketches with India ink, to creating with watercolors. For as long as she can remember, Francine has loved and been naturally inclined to creating.

Lori Lambert, PhD, DS

Enrolled Citizen of the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nation

Juried Artist since 2014
Image of Dr. Lori Lambert.
Lori Lambert, PhD, DS

Lori Lambert is a scriptwriter, photographer, writer, and researcher. In her spare tine she follows her passion of beading.  She has been beading for over 20 years. She learned her craft from the elders on the Flathead Indian Reservation, especially Rachel Bowers and Edna Finley, and from the great granddaughter of Wooden Legs, a Cheyenne Warrior.

She believes that anyone can learn to bead and that anything can be beaded. It takes patience, and a good sense of what the colors can express. She says, “It is important to have a peaceful heart and calm mind otherwise the work will have bad karma.” At Salish Kootenai College, where she is a professor and the Head of the Native American Studies Department, she has taught students to bead stethoscopes, medallions, dance dresses, and even moccasins. In addition to beading, Lori loves doing research, writing, traveling, and hosting television programs for KSKC-TV. She lives on the Flathead Indian Reservation in western Montana with her husband, Dr. Frank Tyro and their band of sled dogs.

 Artist Statement

Although I enjoyed drawing and writing since I was a child, I never thought of myself as an artist.  To me artists were musicians, painters, dancers and their work was shown in museums or theaters. After I married my husband Frank, I paid more attention to Native cultural arts and took courses in reservation arts at Salish Kootenai College, where I teach.  Many of my friends are amazing bead workers and I continually aspire to their level of perfection.

 I have written and published six books.  They are all on amazon.com.  My latest book is entitled “Research for Indigenous Survival: Indigenous research methodologies in the behavioral sciences.  

 My husband Frank is filmmaker and broadcast engineer. As the scriptwriter, we have collaborated on several projects all of which won various awards from “Best Documentary Short” “Aurora”  “Aurora Platinum.” 

 Over the years I have learned that art is writing, bead working, powwow dancing, and script writing and doesn’t necessarily have to be shown in a museum or a theater. 

My most recent book, Children of the Stars: Indigenous Science Education in a Reservation Classroom was written in coordination with Ed Galindo. It is the story of students and a teacher, courage and hope. Written in a conversational style, it’s an accessible story about students who were supported and educated in culturally relevant ways and so overcame the limitations of an underfunded reservation school to reach great heights.

Contact

Email: [email protected]

Image of beaded keychains by Lori Lambert.
Beaded keychains
Image of beadwork by Dr. Lori Lambert.
Beadwork
Image of detailed beading on dress by Dr. Lori Lambert
Detailed beadwork on dress

 Exhibits

 2017

Alnobak: Wearing Our Heritage. Traveling Exhibit. Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. 

2014

  • All of my Relations: Faces and Effigies from the Native World –  Invitational Group Art Exhibit.  Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum, Warner, NH
  • Western Montana Fair: Blue Ribbon for Katiya’s beaded harness
  • Art show at the Sand piper Art Gallery in Polson Montana
  • Salish Kootenai College Art exhibit/ Faculty Art exhibit

 Selected Publications

  •  Lambert, L. (2014). Research for Indigenous survival: Indigenous research methodologies in the behavioral sciences. Pablo: Salish /Kootenai Press
  •  Lambert, L. (2011). Two-Eyed Seeing: Indigenous Methodologies in Psychology. Paper accepted: International Congress for Qualitative Research
  • Lambert, L. (2011). Two-Eyed Seeing: Indigenous Methodologies in Psychology. Paper presented for the Eberhard Wenzel Oration. Australian Health Promotion Association Conference, Cairns, Qld, Australia
  • Lambert, L. (2011). Historical Trauma and Environmental Degradation as Health Disparities for Indigenous People. Keynote paper presented Health Promotion Association of Australia, Cairns, Australia
  •  Lambert, L. & Toby, R. (2009). Gungalu Warrior Dreaming: The biography of Robert Toby senior. Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia (Unpublished Manuscript at the Request of the Family)
  •  Lambert, L (2008). In Our Own Voice: 12 Narratives focusing on culture and health for Grades 8-12. Seattle, WA: University of Washington
  •  Lambert, L.,Wenzel, E. (2007). Issues in Indigenous Health in Critical Issues in Public Health. Ronald Labonte and Judith Greene (Eds). Routledge
  •  Lambert, L. (2005). Paper presented at the Canadian Aboriginal Science and Technology Conference, Cape Breton, Canada: Distance Education Providing College Courses for Remote Aboriginal students
  •  Lambert, L (2005).Cheyenne Daughter. Bloomington, IL: Authorhouse
  •  Lambert, L & Walsh, C. (2002). Heart of the Salmon, Spirit of the People: Ethnicity, Pollution, and Culture Loss. Bloomington: Author House
  •  Lambert, L.A. (2001). International Union for Health Promotion and Education Journal: Promotion and Education. Vol. viii/2-4. American Indian Partnerships: Historical and contemporary
  • Lambert, L. (2000). Keepers of the Central fire: Issues in Ecology for Indigenous Peoples. New York: National League of Nursing Press
  • Lambert, L. (1996). Through the Northern Looking Glass: Breast Cancer Stories told by Northern Native Women. New York: National League of Nursing Press


Awards & Honors (select list)

2014: Conference Chair: American Indigenous Research Association Conference

2013: Conference Chair: American Indigenous Research Association Conference

2013:

  • Founder and member: American Indigenous Research Association
  • Member: Indigenous Studies Research Network. Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland
  • Tapestry Institute, Longmont, CO: Board President

2013: The International Women’s Leadership Association: Woman of Outstanding Leadership.

2012: American Indian College Fund Faculty of the Year for Salish Kootenai College

2011: American Indian College Fund Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Fellowship Award for Faculty Research

2009 Award: Outstanding Contribution to Distance Learning and Adult Education. The North Carolina State University

2009 Fulbright Scholar: China (6 weeks)

2005: Aurora Award- Platinum Best of Show Cultural Documentary: Lambert, L. & Tyro, F. (2003) Sacred Salmon. Documentary Produced by Salish Kootenai College Media Productions. Frank Tyro, Director, Lori Lambert, Script Writer.2003: Faculty Fellowship Award: United States Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agriculture Service 2002: Faculty Development Award: Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences

 2002: Faculty Development Award: Canadian Embassy

 2001: Sloan –C National Award for “Excellence in Asynchronous Teaching”

 2001: Nominated for Outstanding Employee of the Year: Salish Kootenai College

1999: Course Award: Center for Theology and the Natural Science, Berkeley, Calif.: Science and Religion : Environmental Science and Indigenous Religions.1995 American Society for Canadian Studies in the United States: Nominated for the Distinguished Dissertation Award

1996: Canadian Embassy Research Grant

1995 The Union Institute: Nominated for the Sussman Award for Distinguished

Dissertation

1994: Canadian Embassy Graduate Student Fellowship

1988: The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, Philadelphia, PA: Board    Award.

1982: Montgomery County Community College, Blue Bell, PA: Outstanding Graduate Award.

1980: Temple University, Philadelphia, PA: Outstanding Graduate Award 1980

1979: Gladys Pearlstein Humanitarian Award: Montgomery County Community College, Blue Bell, PA

Affiliations

Vermont Abenaki Artists Association

A note to our visitors

This website has updated its privacy policy in compliance with changes to European Union data protection law, for all members globally. We’ve also updated our Privacy Policy to give you more information about your rights and responsibilities with respect to your privacy and personal information. Please read this to review the updates about which cookies we use and what information we collect on our site. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our updated privacy policy.