Traditions - Vermont Abenaki Artists Association

Welcome to the official blog for ‘Alnôbakskwak: Abenaki Women Leading the Way.’ We’re excited to have you with us as we uncover, preserve, and share some vital stories of Abenaki women. Whether you’re here for history, inspiration, or to follow our progress, we’re glad you’ve joined us!

What happens to a community when its stories are no longer passed down? And what if those stories held the key to reclaiming lost traditions and leadership?

Long before colonization reshaped Abenaki society, women were healers, and storytellers who served their community in various capacities as culture bearers and leaders. Their knowledge ensured the survival of their communities. Yet somehow that changed when colonial cultures placed a higher value on men than women and forced New England Indians to follow French and English gender roles where women had little power and autonomy.

How do we rediscover and honor these roles today?

Local Native American cultural traditions suggest possibilities for change and reclaiming her lost story. Oral tradition and storytelling are traditional ways to pass information from one generation to the next.

Why does this project matter?

At a time when many Indigenous communities around the world are reclaiming traditions and leadership roles, Abenaki women’s stories offer insight into both the challenges of the past and possibilities for the future.

Stories have power—and they risk being lost if we don’t collect them now. The stories we are gathering will inform an upcoming exhibit that isn’t just a reflection of the past—it’s a call to action for the future of Abenaki culture.

What inspired this exhibit?

In 2017, VAAA curated an exhibit, called “Alnobak: Wearing Our Heritage.” The exhibit opened at Lake Champlain Maritime Museum in Vergennes, VT, and traveled to museums in three New England states. As part of the interpretive programming, we hosted library discussions around the State of Vermont. A panel discussion about the roles of women inspired our new exhibition about the respected position of Abenaki women in traditional culture.

What can I expect from this blog?

This blog will take you behind the scenes of our journey as we build a new exhibition that explores the vital, yet often overlooked, roles of Abenaki women as culture bearers, leaders, and mothers. You’ll notice our posts reflect the voices of everyone involved—sometimes reflective, other times informative, and always filled with passion for sharing Abenaki culture.

In the coming weeks, we will share updates on our research, insights/snippets from our first interviews, highlights on artifacts that inspired us, and reflections from the people shaping this project. You’ll also get a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes as we develop the exhibit.

Stay with us as we explore what it means to reclaim heritage and leadership in the modern world.

When and where will the exhibition be on view?

This will be the featured Abenaki culture exhibit in the Stone Schoolhouse at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum in Vergennes, VT, opening in 2026.

Get Involved

If this story speaks to you, share it with your community. The more people who engage with these narratives, the more powerful they become. Follow VAAA on Facebook and email us to sign up to our mailing list (please mention the email list in the subject) for updates and the announcement of our opening event in 2026.

Partners and Supporters

We are grateful to our longtime partners, the Vermont Folklife Center and Lake Champlain Maritime Museum whose expertise has helped to sustain Abenaki cultural preservation activities for decades, and help make our work possible.

The Abenaki Storytelling Project, developed by the Vermont Abenaki Artists Association, Abenaki Arts and Education Center, and Waolôwzi Health and Wellness Program is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Vermont Department of Health.

The Vermont Department of Health

Contact Us

Reach out through our contact page if you have questions or stories to share!

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 two parts over a period of two weeks. This is part one.

Annabelle Wyman 24.5 – Middlebury College

Native Presence and Performance – 1 June 2021

Melody Mackin is a wonderful finger weaver, diligent activist, ardent educator, and devoted member of the Elnu Abenaki Tribe. In March of 2021, I had the privilege of speaking with her about this work and what she believes are the important aspects of Abenaki culture and history. Melody was taught to weave by two of her community members, Linda Longtoe Sheehan and Rose Hartwell, both of whom provided her with information on different facets of weaving. She explains that Linda taught her about the value of deliberate, slow, and methodical work while Rose taught her the intricacies of the craft and helped Melody to develop her own style of finger weaving. In the Abenaki community, finger weaving is deeply interwoven with the personality of the artist. The artist who creates the project incorporates their own techniques and methods to the process that bring their own style to the piece. Weaving has not changed much over the thousands of years it has been in existence, and members of the Abenaki community continue the tradition by using the same patterns, techniques, and materials as their ancestors to create a nearly identical product. However, the projects that are completed today are often very different than the ones of the past. Many products that were originally needed are not necessary today. Instead of ceremonial sashes, modern weavers have created pieces such as cell phone cases; beautifully connecting modern needs with traditional practices.

When Melody first began learning, there were only a limited number of finger weavers left in the community. She used her new skills to teach others in her family and the community, which then helped the number of weavers to multiply. She also took the time to teach non-native people from outside of her community in schools and at gatherings (most notably the Affirming Traditions Conference) in an effort to raise awareness about indigenous art forms. As Melody began to teach weaving to other members of her community, she came to a realization: her students were creating amazing products their first or second time weaving. She explains that her ancestors showed her that she was meant to be a teacher and should use her skills to educate others about the Abenaki community.

In her book Decolonizing Methodologies, Linda Tuhiwai Smith introduces twenty-five indigenous projects that serve to help Native communities in their attempts to conduct research and renew their tribal identities and culture. She explains that Protecting is a project used to ensure the continuation of oral and cultural tradition. Melody exemplifies this project by using her knowledge and passion for teaching to share her skills with her community and thus protect the art of finger weaving from extinction. As she began to explore her passion for teaching further, Melody worked at Johnson State College where she taught Abenaki history, culture, and spirituality, and Native American history and culture. After Johnson State College, she taught a class called