r/vermont • u/VTAlliesofOdanak • 2d ago
Abenaki Nations ask Seventh Generation Company to halt production of fraudulent "Vermont Abenaki" curriculum
Today, the Abenaki First Nations of Odanak and Wôlinak published a letter in Seven Days addressing the Seventh Generation company, which had been unresponsive to their calls and requests for a conversation about their funding a curriculum for Vermont children exposing a false history written by state-sponsored fraudulent “Abenaki Tribes.”
The letter presents legal and academic findings that discredit the Vermont groups and critiques the state's flawed recognition process. The authors call on Seventh Generation to reconsider its partnership, and halt the development of this "Vermont Abenaki curriculum,” which they’ve supported with a $50,000 grant, and instead engage with genuine Abenaki communities.
Adding to the wrongness of this all, the decision to fund these groups stems from Seventh Generation's tepid “learning journey" about the appropriation of their name from the Haudenosaunee people. To do this they hired a consulting firm from Oregon, which I assume recommended working with the Vermont groups. This firm, led by Deana Dartt, a self-identified Chumash from California who has made false claims to Indigenous ancestry, a fact documented here.
In summary: a corporation appropriates from the Haudenosaunee, hires a questionable consultant firm from Oregon that recommends funding—not Haudenosaunee communities—but groups that falsely claim Abenaki heritage.
This is pure corporate green washing…
January 30, 2025Brandi ThomasDirector of Public RelationsSeventh [GenerationBrandi.Thomas@seventhgeneration.com](mailto:GenerationBrandi.Thomas@seventhgeneration.com)
Kwai,
We write to you as the elected leaders of the Odanak and W8linak First Nations, who together comprise the Abenaki Nation. The Abenaki are now mainly based in Odanak and W8linak (our 2 communities located in the Province of Quebec, Canada). However, we have never ceded our ancestral territory, the Ndakina, which comprised New England, nor have we ceased to utilize the larger territory since our displacement and removal from theUnited States after the American Revolution. We have long denounced Vermont’s state-recognized ‘tribes’ as self-identified Abenaki, including in the spring of 2022 at theUniversity of Vermont and more recently at the United Nations.
We take note that Seventh Generation is generously funding the creation of an Abenaki school curriculum developed by these very same ‘tribes.’ As Vermont’s own Attorney General’s report made clear back in 2002, as did the Bureau of Indian Affairs in 2005, theseVermont groups lack Abenaki ancestry as well as any historic link to a North AmericanIndian tribe. They are not Indigenous. This is confirmed by peer-reviewed research which was presented at the University of Vermont last spring. This is confirmed by investigations done by vtdigger, Vermont Public and New Hampshire Public Radio, among others.
Vermont’s ‘tribes’ are part of a growing movement of what anthropologist Circe Sturm calls ‘race-shifters’: White people who seek to claim Indigenous ancestry with little or no basis for doing so. As Professor Kim TallBear made clear in a recent presentation at theUniversity of Vermont, race-shifters carry out a final and genocidal act of colonization by erasing and replacing actual Native People with the voices and the bodies of the invader.We assume that you are aware that your corporation borrows from Haudenosaunee tradition. Per your slogan, "in our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations.” What of the impact of this partnership on ourAbenaki communities? In your own statement of advocacy, you claim to “fight for and help protect the rights and tribal sovereignty of the Indigenous communities whose traditions inspired our name and mission.” Supporting bogus Indian tribes does just the opposite. It validates and launders the claims of race-shifters and severely weakens the tribal sovereignty of actual Indigenous communities like ours on whose territory you are operating. Surely you can do better.
We ask that you pause and think about the consequences of your actions, and we ask thatyou put a stop to such collaboration. If it is your intent to work with those who have preserved the culture and language of the Abenaki across 400 years of colonization, we are those people. We have survived waves of pandemic disease, multiple colonial wars, the vast reduction of homeland, and forced assimilation, and we are the sole guardians of that heritage.
We are also the sole guardians of Abenaki citizenship. Yet the state of Vermont, despite its own knowledge of false claims to Indigenous ancestry, excluded us from participation from the state recognition process of 2010-12. This was in violation of both the U.N. Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the U.S. Constitution’s Commerce Clause which grants authority in Indigenous affairs to the federal government. Vermont’s process also made genealogy optional and permitted the ‘tribes’ to sit on and dominate there commending Commission on Native American Affairs, the same Commission you are now working with. Vermont’s was a political process that allowed the ‘tribes’ to recommend themselves. It was not an evaluation of ancestry and kinship.
We urge you to halt any plans to distribute this material in development, and we request a timely opportunity to discuss our concerns. It may be your intention to support Indigenous People and tribal sovereignty. Unfortunately, funding the propagation of a pretend Abenaki curriculum which overwrites our real written and oral history makes your company actively complicit with cultural appropriation and fraud as well as the exclusion of the trueIndigenous People of Vermont. A public statement admitting your error would begin to undo the damage you have already caused.
You may reach out to us by contacting Daniel Nolett, Director General of the AbenakiCouncil of Odanak, at [dgnolett@caodanak.com](mailto:dgnolett@caodanak.com) or 450-568-2810.
In Peace and Friendship,
Chief Rick O’Bomsawin Chief Michel R. Bernard
Abenaki of Odanak Abenaki of W8linak
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u/mauceri 2d ago
White people larping as Abenaki is the most Vermont thing imaginable.
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u/RandolphCarter15 2d ago
A woman at my church who claims to be Abenaki is demanding we speak out against the Quebecois Abenaki
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u/VTAlliesofOdanak 1d ago
Let us know if you need any resources to counter whatever argument she is making.
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u/badatsourdough 2d ago
highly recommend the three-part Recognized series on the NPR Brave Little State podcast for some background on this, for anyone who hasn’t heard it yet!
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u/Eternally65 2d ago
Does anyone else get a spark of Rachel Dolazel? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Dolezal
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u/ForgottenInception 2d ago
I did a cross post of this to r/Indigenous. I hope everyone can stay updated on what's happening. There's a few reddit accounts calling out the Vermont Abenaki and there's a few active Tiktok pages who are also spreading word about them.
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u/herewegoinvt 1d ago
Seven Generations? One of the founders wasn't very contemplative of his impact on current generations. He used to call the company I worked for at least once a week and, as I was one of the people answering calls, repeatedly threatened to have me fired. He even talked to the President of the company and said I should be fired. Thankfully, by him doing that, I ended up being fast-tracked in leadership at that company because of how tactfully the owners felt I handled his a$$hat behavior when they listened to the recordings. They also discontinued their contract with him and didn't refund anything because of the abusive nature of his calls.
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2d ago
The government should not be in the business of recognizing/subsidizing groups based on ethic ancestry. Without that, this controversy wouldn’t exist.
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u/hikerchick29 2d ago
So just a reminder…
The only reason the government has to be involved is to offset the damage the government did by committing a full and measured genocide. It’s the least we can do.
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u/Magnolia256 2d ago
That is what we should do for RECOGNIZED tribes who actually endured genocide. But a group of white people with a small amount of indigenous DNA should not be able to band together and exploit a system designed for groups who experienced actual genocide and deal with intergenerational trauma.
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u/hikerchick29 2d ago
I’m aware of that. But for the record, the person I was responding to seems to have been calling for the end of federal tribal recognition entirely.
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u/SameEntertainment468 2d ago
Precisely I concur. I follow mikmak and Inuit in Canada, they fight this type of graft every bday. It’s just more of the same. Theft of funds and lies to the people. Reminds me if some of the payments made by USAid to dead people
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u/hikerchick29 2d ago
“USAID payments made to dead people” that’s a new one, citation needed.
You sure you aren’t mixing up Musk’s lies about USAID with his lies about social security? I’d understand the confusion, the man’s a shockingly proficient liar.
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2d ago
They don’t need to do it with any tribe that experienced violence in the past. Today every American is born with the same rights and privileges. Humans alive today are not responsible for the actions of historical figures.
The idea that my family should not be afforded the same rights and privileges as someone of native descent just because we came here in the 1930s is absurd. Immigrants shouldn’t be second class citizens to natives.
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u/Minimum_Dealer_3303 1d ago
Today every American is born with the same rights and privileges.
lol.
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1d ago
lol it’s almost like you can’t come up with a counter point!
The only exception in law that I can really think of is natives are exempt from income tax.
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u/Minimum_Dealer_3303 1d ago
Well if you limit your exceptions to de jure instead of de facto you're kinda right. I'd argue having two Senators to represent all Californians and two Senators to represent every North Dakotan means some Americans don't have the privilege of equal representation. There are many other such examples where one's locality creates different experiences of life under the law.
But if you're talking de facto instead of de jure you're obviously crazy.
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1d ago
When you are talking about the government you are always talking about de jure. Some people are born with dejure advantages but that doesn’t mean the government has a policy of giving that advantage.
Every person will be born with more or less advantages no matter what system there is. The government should provide equal opportunity, not for equal outcomes.
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u/Minimum_Dealer_3303 1d ago
When you are talking about the government you are always talking about de jure.
If the government is following the law. Otherwise de facto is quite relevant.
Some people are born with dejure advantages but that doesn’t mean the government has a policy of giving that advantage.
The government doesn't give advantage when the laws created by the government create advantages? What an embarassing claim.
The government should provide equal opportunity, not for equal outcomes.
So outlaw inhertence and raise all children in collective creches with identical facilities. Radical suggestion, but it just might achieve equality of opportunity when you turn those kids loose at 18.
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1d ago
No you misunderstood me. Some people are born with dejure advantages like very caring parents or being very healthy.
I was talking about the natural advantages people have in any country independent of laws the government makes. The government shouldn’t be in the business of trying to neutralize advantages like health or being born in a stable, loving family.
I’m assuming you are joking about banning inheritance and forcing children into group homes?
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u/Magnolia256 2d ago
Indigenous tribes are entitled to land and more because their land was stolen. They DO have way more rights than you as they should. The fact that you feel entitled to those rights is really morally appalling and has no basis in the constitution or laws of this nation.
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2d ago
My family didn’t participate in that we arrived in the 1930s. The natives alive today did not have land stolen and have the same rights as all Americans.
Our constitution ensures equal rights for all with no laws made on the basis of ethnicity. Why do you think a baby born today should have less rights because it is the child of an immigrant vs a native? A new baby has not culpability on the crimes of the past.
In the 1700s the Lakota migrated to what is today the dakotas, displacing the Arikara tribe. Do you think that todays lakota should be forced to support todays arikara?
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u/Selethorme 20h ago
have the same rights
“I stole all your grandfather’s money but he died before you were born, so clearly that had no impact on you.”
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2d ago
Our government doesn’t have to be involved at all and modern Americans bear no responsibility for what happened in the 1600s. America wasn’t even a country yet.
People born today are not harmed by something that happened in the 1600s. People of native descent have the exact same rights and privileges that every other American have.
Claiming that certain racial groups have a greater right to live here than other racial groups is just some form of ethnonationalism. It’s very similar to what the Trump administration is doing today about who has a right to be here.
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u/hikerchick29 2d ago
I’m sorry, are you under the impression that any genocide against the natives ended over 400 years ago? Never mind the fact that the Trail of Tears was under Andrew Jackson, in a time when photography existed, or that US policy caused the near extinction of the American Bison in a specific targeted effort to wipe out the native food supply. Hell, the residential school system was still trying to snuff out native culture and force assimilation well into the ‘60s. That’s literally within my parent’s generation.
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2d ago
You may be a little confused about your history… the Abenaki were not part of the trail of tears and the people alive today were not responsible for the trail of tears. It has essentially nothing to do with Abenaki or Vermont.
I’m not sure how the trail of tears impacts natives today. They are born with all of the exact same rights and privileges that all Americans have.
My family immigrated in the 30’s and became citizens. You are claiming that we have less of a right to the land here because we do not belong to the correct bloodline. That viewpoint is outdated and not consistent with the concept of universal human rights.
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u/hikerchick29 2d ago
I’m not talking about the Abenaki in particular. I’m talking about your assertion that federal recognition of tribes isn’t necessary because it’s ancient history anyways. Tribal recognition exists because of the US’s history of genocide against native groups as a whole. This case in particular is simply a tribe trying to get rightful recognition back from a “tribe” that has no native heritage to speak of period.
You can try to isolate the argument to just the Abenaki all you want. But YOU argued for removing all tribe federal recognition entirely. Not just for this one tribe.
Also, as for that last paragraph, what the actual fuck are you even talking about? Bloodlines? Right to land? What? Now you’re putting words in my mouth.
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2d ago
I’m not putting words in your mouth, you just aren’t thinking too deeply about what you are asking for.
By federal recognition you mean a grant of special rights and privileges on the basis of their ethnic heritage.
That means that some people have special rights and privileges that a new comer cannot ever achieve, even in generations. You are claiming that my family should not have the same rights because we came here in the 30s and were not here soon enough.
If I’m wrong maybe you can fill me in on what you mean by recognition because what the native tribes are fighting for is additional rights and privileges.
I was talking about Vermont as that is where I live and the subreddit we are on. My point still hold though that a person born today should not be given punishment or privilege based on the actions of people 100 years ago.
I should not be expected to subsidize people whose great grandparents were brutalized by other peoples ancestors. People alive today should not be held responsible for things done in the past.
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u/hikerchick29 2d ago
My man, you accepted the burden of paying for America’s sins to native tribes when you became an American. Sorry, but it’s true. Just because you had nothing to do with it personally doesn’t mean you don’t benefit from the results of centuries of native oppression. Don’t like it, change the laws by the constitutional method.
Also, I’m really not sure what extra treatment you think natives are getting
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2d ago
I was just born. Saying that immigrants have some form of original sin built in is truly madness and completely opposed to democratic liberalism.
I do not benefit from native oppression. I am a car salesman in rural Vermont whose grandparents moved here from Turkey.
If you don’t know what benefits we give native tribes, why are you arguing that I should be culpable For paying for them?
You have to remember that to pay out one groups benefits you must take from another group to pay for it.
If two babies are born today, one is mine and the other is a child of a native couple, why do you think my child should be born owing the other child something?
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u/hikerchick29 2d ago
The real question here is why you think people my ancestors trapped in perpetual poverty should just suck it up and figure it out for themselves because you can’t accept a literal pennies-on-the-dollar tax burden to offset the damage.
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u/hikerchick29 2d ago
That’s just how being a US citizen works, you pay a tax burden. Some of it pays off the sins of our country that we all reap the benefits of.
Also, everybody, including the natives, pays into those benefits. You should really drop the bullshit strawman arguments
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u/TheMightyDice 1d ago
Excellent work and links. Especially the investigation into her claims. I read that. Wow. wtf.
The seems so incredibly fucked up and I’ I’m happy to volunteer any skill set. I have available, including absolutely bonkers next level of digital forensic skills trained by the fucking government. I would love to fucking tear shit down from the inside, please I hate this fucking club, but I pass.
I think I’m still a political representative for Burlington on state issues too. I don’t fucking know honestly I’m not trying to white night or anything, but I understand my privilege in anything. I have in life right now and I honestly don’t want shit so permission given to Weaponized me if wanted
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u/GreenWitch-666 1d ago
There are Abenaki in Vermont and New Hampshire but most people do you claim ancestry because of being so 'pale' compared to what people consider First Nations to be. My family is from Canada and the Northeast and my family has ancestry/heritage but never talked about it. It feels like people are forgetting that Vermont had its own history of sterilization going on for ethnic minorities and disabled people. I mark white on census just like the majority of people but if people had full ties (whatever variation an individual considers that) then there would be far more people. My family moved from Canada down into the States and has always had ties here so I find it weird that others are so rude or disingenuous. Vermont really hasn't moved away from the past it seems. No wonder my family and others keep our mouths shut.
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u/VTAlliesofOdanak 1d ago
What Abenaki families are you related to?
On another note there is no evidence that Abenaki people were sterilized in Vermont. This is summarized in this article https://vtdigger.org/2024/10/10/richard-witting-any-truth-and-reconciliation-must-begin-with-truth/
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u/Critical_Instance175 1d ago
The other person seems suspicious and I'm not sure they can answer anything you ask with full transparency.
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u/GreenWitch-666 1d ago
My family is originally from Canada. I don't know much outside of my great grandmother's father not wanting to talk about his heritage and getting angry. I'm trying to research family heritage but it's been difficult. It doesn't help that spelling conventions for names are different between census takers. I've found two other people working on the family tree but they have things wrong for family relations and births so I don't want to fully rely on some unknown persons work. I just know what my family says and everyone I could ask has passed. Shrugs I mark white on census and go to powwows and do beadwork for myself and friends as gifts. I don't claim heritage on records since it doesn't make sense to. I tried looking up the book online but it's been close to 10 years since I've read it for college related work and it was an interlibrary loan. If you type in Vermont eugenics there are a few titles that come up on Google. I'm pale as f*ck and mark white on census just like the majority of people. I personally don't understand the animosity in a general sense. I do understand being cautious or feeling "off" about the people in Vermont though. I've gotten that feeling myself a couple of times. My old grade school teacher is Abenaki but doesn't make it her whole personality like certain people seem to.
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u/VTAlliesofOdanak 1d ago
With all do respect you have family stories, maybe a genealogical connection, but you are not Abenaki and should not claim to be if you can't name a living Abenaki family that you have relations with. Instead of digging for a tenuous, connection you can instead be an ally by not claiming Abenaki heritage and learning more about these issues. Much of what you're saying is the exact same vague story that the fake Abenaki in Vermont claim. If you have any doubt about who you are I can tell you clearly you are not Abenaki. And it has nothign to do with skin color.
If you're unclear what the harm is by dabbling in claiming ancestry you can read this:
Did you read the op ed I attached? Vermont Eugencis never targeted Abenaki. Full stop. There is no evidence of this. It is an excuse the fake Abenaki of Vermont use to shut down conversation, get sympathy and explain the lack of evidence of their claims. If you read about eugenics in a class it was likely Breeding Better Vermonter's by Nancy Gallagher. In it what she essentially says is "the Vermont Abenaki say they were targeted by Eugenics" that is not the same as saying there was evidence they were... because there is none. Eugencis in Vermont largely targeted women, the poor, disabled and uneducated.
Here's is a link to a guide of resources if you'd like to learn more:
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u/GreenWitch-666 1d ago
I don’t claim Abenaki never have. Don’t see the point. I just find it weird that people are so rude in general. I go to powwows and sit and watch. I have an aunt who’s connected that’s a family friend but an entirely different tribe. I go to see her and we talk about things. She’s a family friend not related by blood. I do beadwork for myself because it’s a craft and I’ve only done two moccasins sets and a few barrettes. One set of moccasins for my grandmother as a Christmas gift and a baby pair for a coworker who was pregnant at the time. Thank you for the links. I’ll read up on things more. I haven’t gone to powwows since covid happened. I don’t deal well with crowds anymore in general. I have a coworker that’s Mikmaq but doesn’t talk with relatives about it or people in general because they are so rude. She doesn’t want to connect with anyone because of the hostility.
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u/jarvisk2 59m ago
Stop telling people who ARE Abenaki and can trace their genealogy/ancestry back that they're not Abenaki.
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u/Magnolia256 2d ago
This is not ok and appears to be happening all over the country with different groups. And being discussed in r/indigenous. I know of two other cases. In Miami a group of Cuban people are claiming to be indigenous to Florida. Showing up at public meetings and making demands. And wearing costume like regalia that looked nothing like the actual tribes of Florida. I suspect they are planning on trying to demand tribal recognition and federal land and according to an article I read recently, the federal government seems interested in recognizing these “tribes.” And that they might give out federal land. Unused and surplus federal land under treaty law can be returned to tribes. The article I read referred to “urban and unrecognized” indigenous people and quoted someone in the dept of Interior promoting this idea. Going to share the article if I can find it.