Abenaki Tribal Garden
What a pleasure and a privilege to deliver the latest of my Abenaki carvings to Shirly Hook, one of the Council of Chiefs of the Koasek Traditional Band of the Koas Abenaki Nation.
This is the fifth carving I’ve done and donated to the Abenaki people, whose language is one of the most endangered in the United States.
I drove down to West Braintree where, in a fold in the hills so beautiful it takes the breath away, Doug Bent and Shirly farm a series of gardens, many of which raise and perpetuate heirloom seeds.
They pointed out Koasek of Koas corn, Morrisville sunflowers, and skunk , cranberry, cattle, yelloweye, Dolloff, Norridgewock, and marfax beans. They also grow tobacco for ceremonial smoking, and refused to let me leave without a handful of firm, healthy Kennebec potatoes Doug lifted from the dark, rich soil.
Those interested in traditional means of Abenaki agriculture might want to go to the Ethan Allen Homestead in Burlington, Vermont on September 14th, where Shirly and Doug will be running a workshop on pit baking for the harvest festival.
The gorgeous cherry wood of the sign was a gift from David Yandell of Williston. Custom Abenaki font designed by Alec Julien.
My time and work are subsidized by donations to the Endangered Alphabets Project. We would love it if you would help us at https://www.endangeredalphabets.com/how-to-support-us/.
