An Introduction to Abenaki Spirituality
Spring, 2020
First Wednesdays of the Month (except January)
6:00-9:00 PM
Introduction
In a recent poll, this course has been requested by members of the Vermont Abenaki community as the most important remaining element needed for their cultural revitalization.
There is so much more to the glorious 12,000+ year Indigenous Vermont ritual and spiritual tradition than smudges, drums and pipes. It is an all encompassing, deep-time understanding of one's place in the cosmos and the proper behavior necessary to maintain that place and balance. Given the range of spiritual practice in the contemporary Vermont Indigenous community, and the necessity for respect for treating religion in a thoughtful and respectful way in a public, intercultural venue, these gatherings are not designed to teach doctrine, or suggest that one way of knowing the world is any better or more just than another. But there are underlying facts and legitimate knowledges that may be shared with anyone who wishes to understand the traditional science of living in the world as practiced by the Abenakis and their neighbors -- a non-western science that is undergoing a much needed revival. This tradition began simply with elemental geographic and ecological relations between the ancient Abenakis and their hunted quarry, that were followed by waves of spiritual influences from the south and west; mediated by deep-time local seafaring traditions. About a thousand years ago, the arrival of corn/bean/squash agriculture from the great civilizations of Mexico and accompanying religious elements, made a profound change and set a path of religious evolution that was augmented 400 years ago by doctrine from across the Great Sea. Lastly, beginning a little over 100 years ago, religious influences from the Midwest and Great Plains almost eclipsed the ancient Abenaki strain. Join the Vermont Indigenous Heritage Center as it explores this magnificent tradition through teaching, discussion, demonstration, performance, and video and audio presentations.
January 8 (Postponed from New Years' day) Native Spirit
The Abenaki Spirituality course begins with an introduction to the ecology of Native North American Spirituality and how it is different from, and similar to other world spiritual traditions. Using guided discussion, objects and slides, we then proceed to examples of Piscataway, Lakota, Hopi, Yaqui and Maya religious practices to illustrate the diversity, commonalities and complexity of Indigenous belief systems. We conclude with a brief introduction to the Abenakis and their neighbors of the far Northeast.
February 5 The Way of the Animal Spirits
In this second gathering, we explore the fundamental Abenaki doctrine of Animism and the nature of the self, "all my relations," and the spirit in life and death. We then explore metaconnections that unite all of living creation and how they sometimes assume an independent spiritual essence. We then discuss Power. Finally we try to grasp how medicine people of the Abenakis and their neighbors traditionally use these elements of animism to understand, heal and restore balance to people, communities and ecosystems.
March 4 The Way of the Seeded Earth
For well over a thousand years, the Abenakis and their neighbors have been a farming people, raising rather than tracking down their food supply. Agriculture's two places of origins, in Southeastern North America and Mexico, developed new relations with the soil and waters below, the world of people, plant and animals, and the sky above. The evolution of these traditions required fresh understandings of the primacy of the sun and rain; and how people can ask for and receive their benefit through calendrical, astronomical and meteorological music, prayer, dance and ritual. In this gathering, we examine agricultural ceremony as a lens through which to come to the margins of an indigenous Abenaki understanding of food systems' spirit. Music, videos and demonstrations supplement lecture, discussion and slide presentations regarding ancient, historical and contemporary agricultural spirituality.
April 1 No Class; Spring break
May 6 The Way of the Fire: The Wabanaki Wampum Laws
The Coming of Indigenous War: origins, development and dispersal. The politics and spirituality of Ritual Warfare. The spiritual and political essence of the Abenaki Warrior. Village and Nation-scale military spirituality. The Grand Solution: The Great Council Fire and the spiritual diplomacies of Condolence and Consolation. The alliance wampums, spatial diplomacy and international ceremony. Is this ritual spirituality or political science?
June 3 The Way of the West: The Pan Indian Strain
Abenaki/Roman Catholic syncretism and the origins of modern spiritual beliefs. A problem in Oklahoma and the origin of the Pan Indian Movement. Upper Midwestern and Great Plains spiritual influences on the young movement. Harpers Weekly, Buffalo Bill, Ernest Thompson Seton: the Euroamerican media and the spread of Pan-Indian Identity and spirituality. The "Cut-cloth Fringe Era," a late 19th century manifestation of Pan Indianism in the Wabanaki area. The Wabanaki adoption of Pow-wow traditions in the 20th century: eagles & owls, drums & circles, sweats & smudges, the four directions & pipe ceremonies. Is there reconciliation between Wabanaki spirit and Pan Indianism? Possibilities and problems. The Future of Indigenous Northeastern Spirituality. Conclusion to the course.