Feature Language of the Land: Abenaki Roots in the Monadnock Region

"We are at a remarkable time when the story of the Abenaki, who long survived by becoming invisible to the dominant society, is being told and shared in a way it has never been before," describes Robert Goodby, Ph.D. &emsp;For 30 years, Goodby, a professor of anthropology at Franklin Pierce University, has conducted fieldwork at archaeological sites across the region, uncovering tools, pottery, stonework and other artifacts of Abenaki culture. &emsp;In 2021, his book A Deep Presence: 13,000 Years of Native American History shared an incredible look at what he's learned about the indigenous people of the Monadnock Region, including how his historical findings tie into the story of Abenaki culture today. &emsp;"There is not one Abenaki past, but a complex, dynamic story, as their culture changed and adapted as much as that of any people," Goodby notes. &emsp; &emsp;Those living in Southern New Hampshire and the surrounding regions are often surprised to learn that Native people have been here for so long. &emsp;"The oldest site in New England radiocarbon dated to 12,600 years before present, is right here in Keene," Goodby says. &emsp;Parts of Swanzey were continuously populated by Native people from the end of the ice age through the 18th century. &emsp;"It's also surprising to people that this ancient history is all around them, in sites they routinely walk over, drive by, or work on," he notes. &emsp;Many areas most important to the Abenaki have been completely developed, like Bellows Falls, Vermont, which was once a major fishing site, village and burial ground. But Goodby says, "You can go there and look at the rivers and waterfalls that were — and are — so important to the Abenaki." &emsp;Place is deeply embedded in the indigenous culture here, and you need only look to the Western Abenaki language for better understanding. Rich Holschuh is one of the people invested in reviving this language, which was near extinction with only a handful of speakers in existence. &emsp;"Now it's in strong recovery because of the commitment of many people," he explains. &emsp;Holschuh is co-director of the Atowi Project, "an Elnu Abenaki community initiative to affirm relationships to the Land and All of Our Relations, raise Native voices, and foster inclusion with understanding in place." &emsp;A great example is the Snow Snake Workshop and Games they held earlier this year in partnership with Retreat Farm. Participants had the opportunity to craft their own wazôasisa (snow snake) and compete for distance records as part of this traditional winter pastime. Looking toward the future, Atowi is calling on this type of local engagement, as well as the power of language, to propel the nonprofit's work forward. &emsp;Holschuh explains that, as with any language, Western Abenaki holds keys to the culture itself. "The language comes from the land; it's rooted here," he says. &emsp;It's also built around concepts of spirit and relationship, being in relationship with not just other humans but all around us. &emsp;For instance, think of the common beech tree. Though Holschuh admits it may sound fanciful to English speakers, he gives this example: "If you wanted to understand and get to know the beech tree better, if you wanted to go meet a beech tree and make its acquaintance … it would be helpful to know what the name of a beech tree is in Abenaki. It will tell you something about the tree." &emsp;In this case, the word is wajoimezi, which loosely translates to "mountain tree" and tells where you can find it. Each component of the word can be further plumbed for other clues. &emsp;"It's about building a relationship and moving beyond the tree being an object to being your relative and the complexity that it carries," Holschuh says. &emsp;While nouns form the largest category of words in English, verbs have the largest presence in the Abenaki language. &emsp;"That sort of statistical difference is telling," Holschuh says. "Current patterns of behavior, speaking broadly on a global scale, are not sustainable by nature, and the planet is on a trend away from sustainability." &emsp;He believes within the Western Abenaki language, there are answers. &emsp;"It's all in an effort to move toward balance, toward doing things in the best way possible, toward being a good relative, showing up," he says. &emsp;But Holschuh emphasizes that the language he's learning is "not the same language that would have been spoken 150 years ago. It's dynamic." &emsp;He emphasizes that the conversation continues to evolve in the face of honest questions like, "Why is it that we only speak English now and not Abenaki? Why is it that the indigenous people aren't known in their homelands anymore?" &emsp;"Many people are unaware of the uglier aspects of the history, such as the pandemic of 1616-1617, in which a disease of European origin killed more than 90% of all the Native people or the fact that for much of the 18th century, the New Hampshire legislature paid bounties for the scalps of Abenaki men, women, and children as an incentive to clear the land for European settlement," Goodby says. &emsp;Despite all this, the Abenaki survived and have never really left this area. &emsp;"Abenaki artists were selling their baskets in Putnam Park in Peterborough in the 1850s and at Lake Sunapee in the 1920s," Goodby says. &emsp;Abenaki language courses, art exhibitions, and scholarly lectures at local schools, colleges and culture centers are evidence of a shift. &emsp;"This is not an extinct culture but one that is experiencing a remarkable renaissance," he says. &emsp;This was recently illustrated in the inclusion of Abenaki voices in a long-awaited documentary about the region called "Monadnock — The Mountain that Stands Alone." Monadnock is itself an Abenaki word meaning "the mountain alone" or "the mountain apart." &emsp;For filmmaker Daniel J. White, the Abenaki voice felt "conspicuously absent" in the story of Monadnock that has been presented over the last many decades. &emsp;"But we rightfully need to pay respect to these people who have been here before us," he says, pointing to local lines of descendants from families like the Sadoques. &emsp;Goodby encourages people to "visit the square in downtown Keene and look at the Abenaki mural, thinking about the millinery shop established there by Margaret Sadoques, part of a large and well-respected Abenaki family living in Keene in the late 19th and 20th century. This presence is all around us." &emsp;Illustrating that continued presence became a significant goal of the Monadnock documentary for White, who says during interviews, members of the Abenaki community expressed they often feel like "people see us as being stuck in amber, but we are still here." &emsp;He refers to the film as a "distillation" of stories surrounding Monadnock and the many people who have stewarded the mountain and been drawn there for solace and healing throughout history. The documentary is intended to spark curiosity and encourage people to perhaps look more deeply at their own relationship to the mountain and the land around them. &emsp;"Maybe the best way to show respect is to be good stewards of this land — taking care not only of the ancient sites of the first people but of all the land that they and their descendants cared for so well for 13,000 years," Goodby says. SIDEBAR: For Further Exploration: "A Deep Presence: 13,000 Years of Native American History" by Robert G. Goodby. The award-winning story of Native Americans in the Monadnock Region, available at toadbooks.com/book/9781942155409 Abenaki Educational Posters. Beautifully illustrated by local artist Miranda Nelkin, these educational posters were produced with the support of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation and the Historical Society of Cheshire County and distributed to schools throughout the Monadnock Region. Learn more at mirandaillustrates.com/portfolio The Abenaki Trails Project. The Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki is working to create a trail of Abenaki historic and cultural sites in central New Hampshire, including the Contoocook River valley. Learn more at abenakitribe.org/abenaki-trails-project. The Atowi Project. Through collaborations with other local entities, centered upon Wantastegok Mskodal (West River "Meadows"), the Project will provide a place-based center to engage with the broader community while enhancing capacity and creating awareness for future dialogue. Learn more at atowi.org and facebook.com/AtowiProject Historical Society of Cheshire County. Walldogs Murals in downtown Keene, including the Abenaki mural. Learn more at hsccnh.org/walldogs-murals/abenaki-mural Indigenous New Hampshire Collaborative Collective. A grass-roots community that includes local Tribal leaders, Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, staff, and faculty at the University of New Hampshire, local community activists and volunteers, local artists and filmmakers, various researchers, and high school students. INHCC began as a small collaboration between the Cowasuck Band of the Abenaki-Pennacook Tribal Leaders, UNH faculty and undergraduate students. Learn more atindigenousnh.com The Kchi Pôntegok Petroglyph Project. With funding from the National Park Service, a team of historians, archaeologists, and Abenaki leaders are working to study and bring to light the story of the petroglyphs, or rock carvings, at sites on the Connecticut River. Learn more at rockinghamvt.org/kchi-pontegok Millyard Museum of the Manchester Historic Association. Abenaki artifact collection. Learn more at manchesterhistoric.org/millyard-museum "Monadnock: The Mountain That Stands Alone." Live cinematography, original music and historical archival imagery tell the story of the region's original inhabitants and the writers and thinkers who were inspired by its iconic peak. Watch via NH PBS: nhpbs.org/schedule/series.aspx?progName=Monadnock%3A+The+Mountain+That+Stands+Alone The Mount Kearsarge Indian Museum in Warner, NH. Abenaki artifact collection and cultural center, with performances by native artists and musicians, cultural workshops and presentations, and an annual summer powwow. Learn more at indianmuseum.org Vermont Abenaki Artists Association. Public programs, cultural events, and museum exhibitions that educate the public in understanding Abenaki art and culture at abenakiart.org Wandering Bull, based in Washington, New Hampshire. Events calendar at wanderingbull.com/events