Other News & Events for October

There is always something happening at the Abbe, and this fall is no exception!  Please visit our online calendar regularly for more details and updates.

We have a number of exciting programs happening this October that you won't want to miss!

Bangor Daily News photo by Gabor Degre

#1. A traditional beading and ribbon work demonstration with Gal Frey and Leon Sockbeson, Passamaquoddy, at the downtown Abbe on Monday, October 1 from 11:00 - 3:00.

#2. The first film in the 4th Annual Native American Film Series at the downtown Abbe on Thursday, October 4 from 7:00 - 9:00 PM.  We will be screening The Fast Runner, which is rated R for some sexuality/nudity and violence.

#3. Book signing and basket activity for children and families with Lee DeCora Francis, Penobscot author of the recently published children's book, Kunu's Basket.  This signing and activity will take place at the downtown Abbe Museum on Saturday, October 13.

#4.Tea, Popovers and Archaeology: Archaeology and Exploration in the Far North at the Jordan Pond House on Monday, October 15 from 7:00 - 9:00 PM.

Click here for more information about these programs.  We hope you can join us!




There are also a number of upcoming Wabanaki events that are open to the public.  The following links are a sample of some upcoming activities and recent articles that may interest you.  Know of more?  Feel free to post them on our Facebook page!

NEWS

Penobscot Nation lawsuit could have broad effects for river communities, businesses, says attorney  Read about it in the Bangor Daily News

When it rains in Acadia, take the Kids to the Abbe Museum in Bar Harbor blog posting on the blog, Our Acadia

Museum Nets $144K Grant read about it on fenceviewer

Wabanaki-Maine Panel Seeks Nominations for Truth and Reconciliation Commission  on Indian Country Today Media Network

Princeton basketmaker receives 2012 NEA National Heritage Fellowship Read about it in the Bangor Daily News.  Congratulations, Molly Neptune Parker!


UNE Recognizes Maine Women of Achievement at 51st Annual Deborah Morton Awards Ceremony  Read about it on RedOrbit.  Congratulations, Chief Brenda Commander!

Click here to read Other News & Events for September!

EVENTS

Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance Events

Next Up: December 8, 2012
Annual Maine Indian Basketmakers Sale and Demonstration

This event features Maliseet, Micmac, Passamaquoddy and Penobscot Basketmakers who sell their hand-made, one of a kind, ash splint and sweet grass basketry.  Work baskets, such as creels, pack and potato baskets and fancy baskets ranging from strawberry and blueberry shaped-baskets to curly bowls may be found along with quill jewelry, wood carvings and birchbark work.  Demonstrations of brown ash pounding, basket making and other native arts, as well as traditional drumming, dancing and singing will be presented.  More information is available from the Hudson Museum at (207) 581-1904.


Maliseet Bingo
Every Monday at 6:30 PM at the Maliseet Gym.

Attention, Abbe Members...

...don't forget these two membership specials!

First Fridays = Member Double Discount Days

Abbe Museum Members can double their discount on the First Friday of every month!  Visit the Abbe Shop on Member Days for 20% OFF* your purchases!

Our open hours for First Fridays = Member Double Discount Days for the remainder of 2012 are:

10:00 - 5:00 on Friday, October  5 

(Both Sieur de Monts and Downtown)

10:00 - 4:00 on Friday, November 2 

(Downtown Only)

10:00 - 4:00 on Friday, December 7 

(Downtown Only)

Members + 1

Introduce someone new to the Abbe...bring a guest, for free!  As a special membership benefit this fall, members are entitled to receive a complimentary admission for one accompanying guest during each visit through September and October.  Additional guests are just $5 each.  Members can use this benefit any number of times throughout the next two months.

There are many other benefits to membership, including discounts on tickets for the upcoming program Tea, Popovers, & Archaeology, and free membership to the Abbe Museum:

Learn more about the benefits of membership

*Cannot be combined with any other sale, discount, or offer.

Coming Soon...

Are you curious about what is coming up next at the Abbe Museum?

You've heard us talk about how so many of our exhibitions are closing soon, but do you know what will fill our galleries next?

Here are some sneak peeks to get you excited about what you can soon visit at the Abbe Museum.  Stay tuned for updates on these exciting exhibits, coming to you in 2012 & 2013!

Up Next in the Community Gallery...

...replacing The 2012 Waponahki Student Art Show, and opening in November:

N'tolonapemk: Our Relatives' Place

 Learn about the history of this site from differing perspectives, 

including archaeologists and Passamaquoddy Tribal Historian, Donald Soctomah.
Click here to read the publication, N'tolonapemk: 
An Ancient Native American Village on Meddybemps Lake, Maine

Up Next in the Main Gallery...

...replacing Indians and Rusticators, and opening in early Spring 2013:

Wabanaki Guides

The next major exhibit at the Abbe Museum, which will replace the Abbe’s award-winning, Indians and Rusticators: Wabanakis and Summer Visitors on Mount Desert Island 1840s-1920s, is entitled Wabanaki Guides. This exhibit will focus on the legacy of Wabanaki people serving as guides for European and American explorers, cartographers, tourists, and artists from the European contact era in the 1600s, to the present day. The exhibit will shine a spotlight on how Wabanaki knowledge of the land and waterways has influenced visitors and illustrates how this legacy is linked to economic sustainability for the tribes, tourism and environmental sustainability for the state of Maine.
 

The exhibit, set in the Main Gallery, will be designed as a guided canoe trip along a Maine river, with portages along the way where one can pause on the river bank and learn about the various aspects a guide had to consider when planning and executing a trip and what to expect along the way (see enclosed exhibit illustrations). Themes throughout the exhibit will focus on mapping, tracking, tourism and economics. Stories and historic accounts will be shared from various viewpoints, including those from Wabanaki guides, Henry David Thoreau and Joseph Treat, to name a few. Throughout the exhibit, the Wabanaki names for places will be used and translated into English to show us how their words so accurately capture the essence of a place, bodies of water or wildlife, and how their deep connection to this place remains. The exhibit will include hands-on activities for children, a gallery hunt with maps to follow, riddles to decode and flip games with questions and answers.

Up Next in the Main Gallery...

...replacing Transcending Traditions, and opening in late spring 2013:

The 2013 Waponahki Student Art Show

These images are yet to be created!  Good luck to the students as they start their new school year, we can't wait to see what beautiful artworks will result from your creativity this year!

Up Next in the Circle of the Four Directions...

...using this special space to display the traveling exhibition, coming to the Abbe from the 

National Museum of the American Indian in early summer 2013:

IndiVisible

Photo Caption from the National Museum of the American Indian:   

Comanche family, early 1900s

Here is a family from the Comanche Nation located in southwestern Oklahoma. The elder man in Comanche traditional clothing is Ta-Ten-e-quer. His wife, Ta-Tat-ty, also wears Comanche clothing. Their niece (center) is Wife-per, also known as Frances E. Wright. Her father was a Buffalo Soldier (an African American cavalryman) who deserted and married into the Comanches. Henry (center left) and Lorenzano (center right) are the sons of Frances, who married an African American man.  Courtesy Sam DeVenney  Learn more from the Smithsonian's website to accompany the exhibit.

As quoted from the exhibition's website:

Within the fabric of American identity is woven a story that has long been invisible—the lives and experiences of people who share African American and Native American ancestry.

 African and Native peoples came together in the Americas.  Over centuries, African Americans and Native Americans created shared histories, communities, families, and ways of life.  Prejudice, laws, and twists of history have often divided them from others, yet African-Native American people were united in the struggle against slavery and sipossession, and then for self-determination and freedom.

For African-Native Americans, their double heritage is truly indivisible.

"The exhibition IndiVisible: African-Native American Lives in the Americas is a collaboration between the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the Smithsonian Institution Travelling Exhibition Service (SITES).

And over the course of the winter...

...Sieur de Monts will be undergoing renovation and a new exhibit will open in Summer 2013!  

(Don't worry, your old favorites will be there too.)

We hope you enjoy!

  

Good Bye & Good Luck!

The Abbe Museum Staff at the Annual Meeting, Nora's last event with us!

In mid-August, the Abbe Museum said a bittersweet goodbye to Events Coordinator Nora Miller.  The Abbe Museum will miss her, but we wish her luck in her next endeavor, as she pursues a Masters Degree in Public Health at Harvard University.

Nora began at the Abbe back in January, and accomplished many things during her eight months with us.  Here is a short summary of a few of the many projects Nora took on:

The Spring Garden Tour
The Abbe Museum was the beneficiary of this year's Spring Garden Tour at the W.P. Stewart Estate in Northeast Harbor.  For this special fundraiser, Nora created a website, coordinated volunteers, and coordinated the event, which raised over $12,000 for the Abbe Museum.

Abbe Museum Rental Program
This past spring, Nora formally launched the Abbe Museum's Rental Program.  After re-writing the rental policy, Nora began marketing the Abbe Museum as a rental facility for corporate events, weddings, and more.  Learn more about the Abbe's Rental Program, or download the rental brochure.

Greening the Abbe
While at the Abbe Museum Nora began research on greening the museum which culminated in the July 18th launch of the Greening the Abbe Initiative.  With steps in place to make the Abbe a more sustainable institution, the project was launched at our annual Gathering Gala, where supporters raised their paddles and donated over $31,000 to Green the Abbe!  Learn more about Greening the Abbe.

Events, Events, and more Events
2012 was a busy year at the Abbe Museum, and Nora helped the Abbe Museum host many successful events.  Among those were...The Winter Gathering, The Waponahki Student Art Show Reception, Business After Hours, Hospitality & Tourism Industry Reception, The AASLH Annual Meeting, Transcending Traditions Reception,  The Gathering Gala, The Annual Meeting, and much more.  Thanks to Nora, this year's many events were a huge success.

Nora Miller, thank you and good luck!

Other News & Events for September

There is always something happening at the Abbe, and this fall is no exception!  Please visit our online calendar regularly for more details and updates.

Next week we'll have four programs in four days!

Rez Dog Singers

#1. A demonstration with Sarah Sockbeson, Penobscot, of ash & sweetgrass basketmaking, combined with her signature birch bark painting, at Sieur de Monts from 11:00-3:00 on Wednesday, September 12.

#2. A flint knapping demonstration with Chris Sockalexis, Penobscot, at the downtown Abbe on Thursday, September 13 from 12:30-2:30.

#3. Acadia Night Sky Festival "Under the Stars" boat cruise with John Bear Mitchell, a Penobscot storyteller, Kalepa Baybayan, from the Polynesian Navigating Society, and Lynn Havsall, naturalist and amateur astronomer.  Tickets available from Bar Harbor Whale Watch.  For more information click here.

#4. On Saturday, September 15 from 10:30-12:00 and again from 2:00-3:30, Rez Dogs Singers Drum Group will be performing at the Abbe Museum Downtown.

We hope you can join us!

Also on September 15, you can enjoy dancing, singing, drumming, games, prizes, and crafts, a traditional meal and much more at the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians 32nd Annual Recognition Day Celebration.  For more information, please click here.

There are also a number of upcoming Wabanaki events that are open to the public.  The following links are a sample of some upcoming activities and recent articles that may interest you.  Know of more?  Feel free to post them on our Facebook page!

NEWS

Native, North American, New Review of Changing Hands: Art Without Reservation, 3, an exhibit to which the Abbe Museum loaned Jeremy Frey artwork, in the Wall Street Journal

Penobscots Sue AG Over Who Has Authority Over River Surrounding Reservation in the Bangor Daily News

Tribal Leader Arnold Neptune Remembered as Advocate for Penobscot People, Culture in the Bangor Daily News

Abbe Museum mentioned in Museums in our Midst: Treasure Troves worth the Trek in Harvard Magazine

For Olympian, Recognition is Long Overdue about an exhibition of Penobscot runner Andrew Sockalexis at the National Museum of the American Indian, on the Daily News

Tribes Fear Loss of Public Funds with Plan for New Moosehead Tribe in the Bangor Daily News

New Book Recently Released! Canoe Indians of Downeast Maine by William Haviland, Abbe Trustee, can now be found in the Abbe Shop!

Click Here to Check Out the News Links Posted In "Other News & Events for August"





EVENTS

Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance Events

Next Up: September 21, 22, 23, 2012 Common Ground Country Fair in Unity, ME

Visit members of the Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance at the Common Ground Country Fair in the Native American Arts Area. Brown ash and sweetgrass basketry, traditional arts, drumming and demonstrations throughout the weekend. For more information, contact Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association at 207-568-4142 or online at www.mofga.org

September 15, 2012, you can enjoy dancing, singing, drumming, games, prizes, and crafts, a traditional meal and much more at the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians 32nd Annual Recognition Day Celebration.  For more information, please click here.

Summer Volunteering at the Abbe Museum

By Rebecca Kirkwood

Rebecca Kirkwood (left) with sister Briana Kirkwood (2011 & 2012 Field School Participant) at the Abbe Museum's 2012 Annual Meeting.

Rebecca is currently a third year International Relations and Art History student at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland.  Although she has lived  in various places, including Bermuda, Canada, and the Isle of Man, Rebecca and her family have returned to Maine every summer and she considers Mount Desert Island a second home.

To anyone who’s debating whether or not to volunteer for the Abbe Museum, I have but two little words of advice: do it! Although my summer experience at the Abbe was my first encounter with the museum world, I feel confident that a person my age working at another, perhaps larger organization would never have been able to learn so much, or be so involved in the preparation and execution of exciting events like the Gathering Gala, or develop such close friendships with other staff members.

During the past few months, I mainly volunteered in Guest Services. When I was first told I would be helping out with Admissions, quite honestly, I was a little terrified. I hadn’t had much experience on the other end of a credit card machine and I certainly hadn’t worked with cash registers before. Needless to say, the first day was a steep learning curve – I managed to overcharge an entire family (who were eventually refunded, happily) and kept informing people of the ticket price in pounds, rather than dollars. Looking back, I’ve learned a great deal from working in Guest Services, from general crisis management to performing mental math before lunchtime!

My experience, however, was hardly limited to greeting guests and ticket transactions. Throughout July and August there were an impressive number of events, workshops, and demonstrations. My favorites, without a doubt, were a 21^st birthday spent at the Native American Festival and Basketmakers Market, a smorgasbord of local contemporary art and culture, the Gathering Gala, in particular the thrilling live auction of Butch Phillips’ Model Canoe, and George Neptune’s fun and thought-provoking basket-making demonstration. From these events, I’ve not only honed my appreciation for fine basketry but also for the art of time management.

The best thing about volunteering at the Abbe, however, weren’t the life skills I learned or the amazing events, but the added value – the countless and indescribable little things that made my experience at the Abbe what it was: the experience of a life time. To all the talented, hardworking, and knowledgeable staff and volunteers: thank you for sharing your wisdom and brightening each day. I’m so grateful for this experience and I shall miss you all!

The Abbe Museum would like to thank Rebecca for all her hard work this summer.  Over the weeks, Rebecca volunteered approximately 120 hours of her time for the benefit of the Abbe.  As a volunteer, Rebecca helped us during a very busy time of year, and her flexibility and eagerness to help with anything and everything was greatly appreciated.  Rebecca spent time volunteering in Guest Services, helped us organize and produce the Gathering Gala, spent her 21^st Birthday volunteering at the Native American Festival and Basketmakers Market, assisted visitors in the Abbe Shop, worked at special events, including the Gala, Art Preview Party, Annual Meeting, and more.  Rebecca was always willing to be flexible, and quickly adapted to whatever the Abbe needed done.  Rebecca always brightened the room, and made every guest feel welcome.  Rebecca is currently enrolled in the University of St. Andrews, Scotland, for an MA(Hons) in Art History and International Relations and will commence her third year in the program this fall.  Rebecca hopes to pursue a career in the museum sector, and we wish her all the best in the future... and hope that she will return to visit us again! 

 

New Membership Deals!

The Abbe Museum is pleased to announce two new benefits for Abbe Museum Members!

First Fridays = Member Double Discount Days

Starting this September, Abbe Museum Members can double their discount on the First Friday of every month!  Visit the Abbe Shop on Member Days for 20% OFF* your purchases!

Our open hours for First Fridays = Member Double Discount Days for the remainder of 2012 are:

10:00 - 5:00 on Friday, September 7 

(Both Sieur de Monts and Downtown)

10:00 - 5:00 on Friday, October  5 

(Both Sieur de Monts and Downtown)

10:00 - 4:00 on Friday, November 2 

(Downtown Only)

10:00 - 4:00 on Friday, December 7 

(Downtown Only)

Members + 1

Introduce someone new to the Abbe...bring a guest, for free!  As a special membership benefit this fall, members are entitled to receive a complimentary admission for one accompanying guest during each visit through September and October.  Additional guests are just $5 each.  Members can use this benefit any number of times throughout the next two months.

Learn more about the benefits of membership.

*Cannot be combined with any other sale, discount, or offer.

Welcome Back, COA Students!

COA Graduate & Past Abbe Intern, Zach Whalen, processing artifacts in the archaeology lab. Read about Zach's internship experience here.

As a special welcome (or welcome back) to Bar Harbor this year, the Abbe Museum will be running a special just for COA Students!  During the month of September, show your current COA meal card or course schedule (or other proof of enrollment) to receive FREE admission to the Abbe Museum!  And don't forget, COA Students can join as members for just $20 to enjoy free admission and special discounts throughout the year.

The Abbe Museum is open 10-5 every day through the month of September, at both our Downtown Bar Harbor and Sieur de Monts Spring locations.  Click here to sign up for our email alerts about upcoming programs, lectures, film screenings, demonstrations, and more!

Links to more information:
Visiting the Abbe Museum.
Becoming a member of the Abbe Museum.
Research resources at the Abbe Museum. 
Volunteer opportunities at the Abbe Museum.

3 IN 3

Did you know that THREE of the Abbe Museum's current exhibitions will be closed within the next THREE months?!?

Make sure to visit before they’re gone!!!

2012 Waponahki Student Art Show 

On View Through September 22

The Waponahki Student Art Show brings together a wonderful variety of art created by Passamaquoddy and Penobscot students from early childhood education through high school.  Using a wide array of media, these young artists incorporate traditional beliefs and values with the modern, multi-cultural world around them.  A collaboration of Maine Indian Education and the Abbe Museum, with special thanks to K.A. McDonald Custom Picture Framing, Bar Harbor.

Transcending Traditions: The Next Generation and Maine Indian Basketry

 On View Through December 29

Ganessa Bryant basket, photo courtesy of the Hudson Museum

 

Transcending Traditions features five contemporary Maine Indian basketmakers representing the next generation: Jeremy Frey, Ganessa Bryant, Sarah Sockbeson, George Neptune and Eric “Otter” Bacon.  This project explores the new directions that these innovative artists are taking the tradition in the face of environmental and economic challenges.  This exhibit was created as a collaboration between the Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance and the Hudson Museum, supported by a grant from the National Museum of the American Indian’s Indigenous Contemporary Arts Program. 

Click here to visit the online catalog for Transcending Traditions.

Indians & Rusticator: Wabanakis & Summer Visitors on Mt. Desert Island 1840s-1920s

On View Through December 29

Indians and Rusticators highlights the role that Mount Desert Island played in the cultural and economic survival of Wabanakis (the collective name for Maliseet, Micmac, Passamaquoddy and Penobscot Indians).  Offering a focused look at the seasonal interactions of Wabanakis and summer rusticators (summer residents from the large urban areas of the Northeast), it profiles various personalities, especially the iconic Penobscot Indian showman Frank “Big Thunder” Loring, whose unforgettable presence on Mount Desert Island spanned 60 years of the Rusticator Era.  The stories told and research presented is the work of Bunny McBride, MA and Dr. Harald Prins, highly regarded scholars and authors of Wabanaki history.  They served as guest curators for the project. 

For more information about the exhibit, please click here.

Indians & Rusticators is the winner of a 2012 Leadership in History Award.  Learn more here.

 

Abbe Museum Welcomes New Trustees

Abbe Museum Members enjoyed a lovely evening at the Annual Meeting, held this year at Nannau Woods thanks to the generosity of hosts Carey & Claudia Turnbull. Read the 2011 Annual Report presented that evening.

At its Annual Meeting held on August 15, 2012, the Abbe Museum officially added three new members of its Board of Trustees: Mr. David Moses Bridges, Ms. Ann Cox Halkett and Mr. Douglas Sharpe. 

“We are excited to welcome our incoming class,” said CEO, Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko.  “Our new members bring talents and new perspectives that will complement and strengthen our Board.  As a 21^st century museum, we are building a Board that is reflective of our community, our organizational needs, and our mission.  It is a pleasure to work alongside the Abbe Trustees as we strengthen the Abbe Museum presence locally and statewide.”

Mr. Bridges is a Passamaquoddy artist, educator and community advocate, who has been immersed in the traditional culture of his community for his entire life. He carries on his family’s tradition of birch bark canoe construction and has been sharing his knowledge with children and adults through Abbe educational programs for twenty years.  Since 1992 David has focused on the preservation of Wabanaki material culture working with museums, schools and tribal groups as a consultant, conservator, and project leader. As a founder of Nulankeyutmonen N'Kihtahkumikumonen, he works as an activist and advocate for the preservation of indigenous homelands in Canada, the U.S. and South America.  He lives in Bar Harbor with his family.

Ms. Halkett lives in Bar Harbor and is the development and public relations writer at the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory. Her childhood in New York City was brightened by summers spent at Tranquility Farm on Frenchman Bay in Gouldsboro, the site of several of the Abbe’s archaeological digs and field schools. Her affection for Maine led her to move to Portland after college and then raise her four children in Cherryfield. In addition to her work in development, she has been an organic blueberry grower, family planning counselor, newspaper columnist, and freelance writer. She has served on the boards of the Downeast Food Co-op, the Downeast AIDS Network, and the Narraguagus Nursery School, and on the vestry of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Southwest Harbor.  Her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English come from Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Sharpe grew up in Rhode Island and has spent many summers in Sorrento and on Mount Desert Island. He has been closely involved with the Abbe Museum for many years helping to support its initiatives and directions, and is a regular participant in the Abbe’s archaeological field school.  A graduate of Brown University, his professional career was as a Systems Engineer and he worked in the software industry for 20 years with Raytheon, IBM & Lotus Development Corporation.  Recently retired, he is now focused on managing family business efforts and performing several volunteer positions.  He has non-profit board experience with the South Kent School in CT, the Foundation for Free Flight, and the Sharpe Family Foundation.  He lives with his family in Concord, MA.   

The Abbe Museum Trustees as of August 15, 2012 are: Sandra K. Wilcox, President, Barbara E. McCloud, Vice President, William Haviland, Secretary, Jeff Dalrymple, Treasurer, Christina Baker, John Benson, David Moses Bridges, Richard Cleary, Linda K. Dunn, Ann Cox Halkett, Margaret Kelley, Kessie Watters Kimball, Rick Phillips-Doyle, Darren J. Ranco, Douglas Sharpe, Arthur E. Speiss, and Honorary Trustee, Alice Wellman.

Abbe full-time staff include: Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko, CEO, John Brown, Director of Finance and Administration, Raney Bench, Curator of Education, Julia Clark, Curator of Collections, Astra Haldeman, Manager of Museum Services and Hannah Whalen, Director of Development.

An Intern's Perspective About Working at the Abbe

I’m Dan Shorette, and I’m going to be a freshman at the University of Maine in the fall. I’ll be studying anthropology/archaeology as a major and Native American Studies as a minor. When I was a kid growing up in Massachusetts, I always enjoyed coming to MDI. I particularly enjoyed going to the Abbe Museum because of the unique subject it addressed: Native American culture in Maine. So when I had the chance to do a summer internship right out of high school, I took it.

Intern Dan Shorette at the 2012 Field School, ready to screen for artifacts!

This summer I worked with both Raney Bench, Curator of Education, and Julia Clark, Curator of Collections, with a variety of projects. Raney had me transcribe a panel discussion that the Abbe Museum had hosted not long ago entitled “Emotional Politics.” Honestly, that was one of the more memorable experiences I had here because I was listening to the voices of Native scholars and leaders and hearing their opinions. I learned a great deal about what they thought about the dams in the rivers; what they wanted to change; what they wanted to teach. The experience was life-changing, especially since I’m going to be studying this sort of stuff in the fall.

As for my work with Julia it was split between a few different tasks that involved handling some donated artifacts as well as preparing and participating in field school. The donated artifacts were part of the Feher Collection, and I mainly cataloged and did data entry for those artifacts, meaning I listed them and then put that information into the computer. The most enjoyable of all my summer projects was, however, field school: along with a whole group of people I got to go out and participate in an archaeological dig. It was very enjoyable because of experience I gained from both last year’s and this year’s field school. It is always great to get out and work with some great people.

One of the most memorable parts of my internship was working out at the Abbe Museum at Sieur de Monts with Guest Services Associates Jane Clifton and Roger Marks. Working in Guest Services at Sieur de Monts, I realized how distant I kind of was from socializing with people face to face. I learned how to go about trying to talk to people in a way that wouldn’t be taken as an insult. I also learned of some of my own biases, and how I need to live with a truly open mind.

The Abbe Museum would like to thank Dan for all his hard work this summer.  During this internship Dan donated over 350 hours of service to the Abbe Museum, completing projects in Education, Collections, Guest Services and Events.  Many of our visitors and members may have had the opportunity to meet Dan this year as he worked at Sieur de Monts, helped at the Downtown location, or assisted during special events such as the Native American Festival and Gathering Gala.  When not working with our visitors and guests, Dan was diligently at work transcribing at his desk or processing collections in our archaeology lab.  We are grateful for Dan’s help, and wish him the best of luck as he begins his academic career at the University of Maine this fall.

CLYNK - Community Cash for the Abbe!

Did you know that your returnables can benefit the Abbe?  The Abbe Museum is part of CLYNK's Community Cash Program, so it is easy to do two good deeds at once--recycle & support the Abbe!

Supporting the Abbe Museum through CLYNK is easy!  If you already use CLYNK, visit the kiosk at participating Hannaford Stores, and follow the on-screen directions to print bag tags for the Abbe Museum (choose "Community Cash" and search "Abbe Museum").  Or stop by the Abbe Museum during our regular open hours and ask for pre-printed bag tags and CLYNK bags.

Every little bit adds up, and CLYNK is an easy way to make a difference!  The Abbe Museum would like to thank all those who have supported the Museum through CLYNK, such as Julie Malloy and her family, who last month donated over 16 bags of returnables to benefit the Abbe! 

How do all these donations add up?  Check out our current stats to see how we are doing:

Click to enlarge.  CLYNK Community Cash Stats are available from the CLYNK website.

The 2012 Gala: One for the Record Books!

By Hannah Whalen, Director of Development

The Abbe Museum is pleased to report the most successful Gathering Gala it has had since it began hosting this annual event at the Bar Harbor Club.  Through ticket sales, sponsorships, outright gifts, auction purchases, and a special paddle raise, the Abbe received over $110,000 of generous support.  64 auction artists and experience donors, 20 sponsors and 250 guests (including the Abbe Underground young friends group) made the evening possible. 

“The Gala was a resounding success with many records set,” declared Abbe CEO, Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko the day after the Gala.  She went on to say, “the staff and I are over the moon today and are so grateful for all of this incredible support.”

The evening of July 18 started at 5:00pm with cocktails, beer donated by Atlantic Brewing Company, passed hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction.

“The silent auction had about fifty things,” said Ellen Gilmore, Abbe Volunteer, “and there was a wide variety including a number of experiences that guests could bid on.”

One notable item was an ash and sweetgrass collar basket, woven by master basketmaker, Molly Neptune Parker, Passamaquoddy, one of nine artists in the country to receive the 2012 National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship. The auction experiences included a VIP tour of the National Museum of the American Indian and lunch at the renowned Mitsitam Café.

After the close of the silent auction, guests made their way into the ballroom for dinner.  Tables were elegantly decorated with green overlays and unique birch bark and floral centerpieces created and donated by Lindy Stretch of Fox Fields Flowers.  Bottles of Estate Riverstone, Chardonnay and Estate Los Osos, Merlot donated by J.Lohr Vineyards and Wines were open on the tables.

During dinner, auctioneer, (and former Abbe board member) Senator Dennis Damon, led guests through the live auction.  Part-way through, Abbe Team members, Nora Miller and Astra Haldeman, joined Senator Damon to introduce the “Greening the Abbe” Initiative and paddle raise.

 “The Abbe Museum is the sum of many parts and what makes the Museum relevant are those individuals, like all of you who attend or lead our programs, engage with our exhibits, come to the Gala, and support our mission,” said Ms. Haldeman, she went on to say, “You are the reason the Abbe Museum exists, and you have the ability to facilitate our transformation into a more sustainable organization and that is why we are relying on you tonight.”

The Greening paddle raise inspired more than $30K in gifts, which will allow the Abbe to start the greening process immediately.  The first phase of the Greening Initiative will address lighting, humidification, UV reduction and mechanical systems software.

This model birch bark canoe by Butch Phillips was a popular live auction item at the 2012 Gala.

As dessert arrived, so did the final items up for bid, a hand-painted paddle by Eric Hopkins, a decorative wooden paddle by Joe Tracy and lastly, a two-foot model birchbark canoe made by Butch Phillips, Penobscot. All three items spurred lively bidding, especially Phillip’s canoe, as it is the first and only 2 foot canoe that he has built or will ever build.

When asked how he felt about what it meant to see his canoe generate such enthusiastic support, Mr. Phillips said,  “I am overwhelmed and satisfied that I had a small part in contributing to the success of the Gala for the Abbe.” 

He added, “It was more than I expected and it really shows what can happen when you have such dedicated friends of the Abbe who have an appreciation for art.” 

After the auction things got even livelier with live music, dancing and the arrival of the Abbe Underground.

“It was a great night for the Abbe, the energy in the room was palpable,” said Board President, Sandy Wilcox.  “We are so grateful to our old friends and new friends for attending the Gala and making it such a wonderful success. I am also grateful for the hard work of all of the artists who donated their time and talent, to the experience donors, to our generous sponsors and to all of our Gala volunteers, especially our 2012 Gala Committee.”

Other News & Events for August

There is always something happening at the Abbe, and this summer is no exception!  Please visit our online calendar regularly for more details and updates.

Throughout August there will be two educational programs each week.  Check our online calendar for complete listings.

Up next are basket demonstrations by Fred Tomah (July 27), George Neptune (August 1), and a basket workshop led by David Moses Bridges (August 2 & 3).  We hope you can join us!

There are also a number of upcoming Wabanaki events that are open to the public.  The following links are a sample of some upcoming activities and recent articles that may interest you.  Know of more?  Feel free to post them on our Facebook page!

NEWS

Maine Attraction: Ambitious Cultural Tourism Initiative Puts Wabanaki on the Map read about it on Indian Country Today Media Network


Tribal Leaders & State Officials Form Commission to Prevent Child Abuse read and watch on WABI TV5

Kolodny's In Search of First Contact Reviews History, and Then Some read about it on Indian Country Today Media Network

Penobscot Nation Program Aims to Promote Breast-Feeding as Step Toward Improving Health read and watch on BangorDailyNews.com

Passamaquoddy Nation Seeks to Free Alewives on the St. Croix River read about it on Indian Country Today Media Network


Passamaquoddy Tribal Members to Share 10.2 Million read about it on BangorDailyNews.com

Abbe Wins Prestigious Award on fenceviewer


Click Here to Check Out the News Links Posted In "Other News & Events for July"

EVENTS

Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance Events

Next Up: September 21, 22, 23, 2012 Common Ground Country Fair in Unity, ME

Visit members of the Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance at the Common Ground Country Fair in the Native American Arts Area. Brown ash and sweetgrass basketry, traditional arts, drumming and demonstrations throughout the weekend. For more information, contact Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association at 207-568-4142 or online at www.mofga.org


47th Annual Sipayik Indian Day Celebration: Friday, August 10 - Sunday, August 12, 2012
This annual event begins with a canoe trip from Indian Township on Thursday, August 9.  Opening ceremonies take place at noon on Friday, at Split Rock, Pleasant Point.  The Indian Day Celebration features a full weekend of events, live music, vendors, and other activities.  It concludes with a Grand Finale of Traditional Dancing and Drumming on Sunday at 2:00 pm followed by a community meal.  All events are drug and alcohol free, and all are welcome.  For more information, call 207.853.2600

Aroostook Band of Micmacs Mawiomi of Tribes 2012: Friday, August 17 - Sunday, August 19, 2012
A'pjilasi - Welcome.  You are cordially invited to join the Aroostook Band of Micmacs in celebration of the Mawiomi of Tribes.  Join in tradition through song, dance, food and ceremonies.  For more information, download the poster, visit the website, email or call 207.764.1972.  Please note that this is a drug and alcohol free event.  No admission fee.  Location: Spruce Haven, Doyle Road, Caribou, Maine 

Basketmaking Demos & Workshops

Fred Tomah, Photo by Anna Travers

In the next week, the Abbe Museum will be hosting two basket demonstrations and one two-day workshop. 
We hope that you can join us for one of these exciting programs!


Friday, July 27: Ash Fancy Basket Demonstration

11:00 - 3:00, Included with Regular Admission

Fred Tomah, Maliseet, will be demonstrating his unique style of basketmaking using ash splints.  Fred’s characteristic style differs from other Wabanaki basketmakers, and his work is truly one of a kind.  His baskets are in the collections of the Abbe Museum and the Smithsonian’s Museum of the American Indian.  Fred will have completed baskets on display, and will be working on a basket throughout the day.  Tools and raw materials will be on display as well.  This demonstration will occur at the Downtown Abbe Museum, and is included with regular admission to the museum.  This program is made possible by the support of Bar Harbor Bank & Trust and Maine Arts Commission.


Wednesday, August 1: Ash Basketmaking Demonstration
11:00 - 3:00, FREE

George Neptune

George Neptune, Passamaquoddy, is a young basketmaker who comes from a prominent basketmaking family.  He learned from his grandmother, Molly Neptune Parker, and has been weaving most of his life.  George has created a signature style that includes sculptural elements of woven birds, nests, branches, and flowers.  This demonstration will occur outside the Abbe Museum at Sieur de Monts Spring and is free and open to the public.  In the event of inclement weather, the demonstration will take place in the Orientation Gallery of the Downtown Abbe Museum.  Please call the Abbe that day if you have questions about weather: 207-288-3519.  This program is presented in partnership with Acadia National Park.



Thursday & Friday, August 2 & 3:  Birch Bark Basket & Etching Workshop
10:00 - 4:00, Both Days.  Registration required.  Abbe members: $75. Non-members: $120 (includes individual membership to the Abbe Museum). 

Participants will work with artist and canoe builder David Moses Bridges, Passamaquoddy, to make a folded birch bark basket and then etch the basket using David’s stencils, or create designs of their own.  Folded birch bark baskets were used to store food and other items, and have been made for centuries by the Wabanaki.  Participants will learn how to fold the bark and lash it together using the roots from a spruce tree, and make a lid for the basket. On the second day, participants will finish work on their baskets and then etch designs into them.  For more information, or to register, please call (207) 288-3519 or email Raney. 

2012 Field School Scholarship Awarded to Kate Pontbriand

Kate Pontbriand working on mapping the wreck at the Seal Cove Shipwreck Project. NPS Photo.

The 2012 Abbe Museum Archaeological Field School Scholarship has been awarded to Kate Pontbriand of Gouldsboro. Ms. Pontbriand is a 2012 graduate of Mount Desert Island High School with plans to attend Franklin Pierce University in the fall. “I love learning about cultures of the past,” she says, and looks forward to “learning field skills to see if archaeology is really what I want to pursue in the future.” Ms. Pontbriand has worked at the Acadia National Park Visitor Center and in the Cultural Resources department at the Park, and served as a junior intern at Schoodic Arts for All for several seasons. In 2011, she participated in the Seal Cove Shipwreck Project with ANP, assisting with background research and mapping the shipwreck site.

The Abbe Museum’s annual archaeological field school takes place in August 2012. Participants will work with Maine State Archeologist Dr. Arthur Spiess on the Tranquility Farm coastal shell midden site in Gouldsboro, Maine. Field school participants will conduct excavations, practice mapping the site, and learn about the analysis of artifacts. Fieldwork wis complimented by lab sessions and lectures to give participants a broad understanding of archaeology and Maine's Native American heritage.

The 2012 excavation will build on previous discoveries at the site, including a house floor and hearth feature that date to about 1200 years ago. Burned plant remains from the hearth include raspberry, chenopodium, smartweed, wild rye and dewberry. A variety of pottery, stone tools and bone tools, as well as food bone remains, are plentiful at the Tranquility Farm site.

While the 2012 field school is already full, please visit the Abbe Museum’s website to learn more, and for information about attending future field school programs.  And visit our blog in September for news from this year's field school!

Abbe Museum Awarded Major IMLS Grant

During last week's Gathering Gala, Abbe CEO, Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko, shared exciting news with the audience.  Gala guests were the first to hear that the Abbe has been awarded a major grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services, the federal funding agency that supports museums.  An excerpt from her remarks is included here...stay tuned as this new initiative develops!

It has been a year since our last Gala and much has happened between July 2011 and July 2012.  Since we last met in these surroundings, the Abbe Museum welcomed nearly 25,000 visitors from around the world.  We provided educational programming for 3,000 school children from over 50 schools across Maine.  And, more than 100 Maine teachers received support and training to fulfill the unfunded state mandate, LD291, requiring Wabanaki education in the classroom at all grade levels.

 It’s this last part I want to talk a little more about.  And you are the first to hear this news.  Just yesterday (7/17/12) we received a call from Senator Susan Collins office – we have been awarded a $144,000 grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services to help us seriously make a difference in the lives of Maine students and teachers.  This three year grant program will send Abbe educators across the state to train teachers in classroom content to meet the LD291 mandate.  In their letter of support for the application, the Maine Dept. of Education stated, “with the Abbe Museum’s undisputed reputation and its strong partnerships with all of the Wabanaki tribes, the…teacher education program promises to enhance and elevate the teaching and learning of Wabanaki studies in Maine schools.”  We couldn’t be more thrilled about this transformative gift that will not only improve the Abbe’s performance, but will transform the lives of Maine students and educators and re-frame the classroom conversation about Maine’s first nations and peoples.

Other News & Events for July

There is always something happening at the Abbe, and this summer is no exception!  Please visit our online calendar regularly for more details and updates.

Butch Jacobs, Passamaquoddy

Up next is the Transcending Traditions exhibit reception, Friday, July 6th from 4-6, followed by the annual Native American Festival and Basketmakers Market on Saturday, July 7th from 10-4.  Shortly thereafter the first of the Wednesday programs in Acadia National Park will begin--on July 11th Butch Jacobs, Passamaquoddy, will kick-off the series with an ash pounding demonstration at Sieur de Monts Spring.

There are also a number of upcoming Wabanaki events that are open to the public.  The following links are a sample of some upcoming activities and recent articles that may interest you.  Know of more?  Feel free to post them on our Facebook page!

NEWS

State, Wabanaki Tribes to sign mandate, look into history of harmful child welfare practices in the Bangor Daily News

Maine Signs Historic "Truth and Reconciliation" Agreement with Indian Tribes on MPBN

Celebrating Maine's Wabanaki Peoples on Boston.com

A Damned Dam on the Penobscot River on NPR

Dam Removal Launches Penobscot River Restoration read about it and watch videos on Indian Country Today Media Network

Passamaquoddy Push for Restoration of Alewife Spawning Grounds in the Bangor Daily News

Passamaquoddy Basketmaker Honored by National Endowment of the Arts in the Bangor Daily News

Public-Private Partnership Helps Fund Sustainability Project with Tribes in the Bangor Daily News

EVENTS

Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance Events
Next Up: The Native American Festival and Basketmakers Market in Bar Harbor, July 7th from 10:00-4:00
Schedule of Activities for the Festival


Tribes of the Dawnland Culture and Heritage Days: 3rd Annual Wabanaki Cultural Arts & Heritage Days Celebration Saturday July 21, and Sunday July 22, 2012
Featuring cultural crafts from the Passamaquoddy, Penobscot, Maliseet and Micmac Tribes, including ash splint, sweetgrass and birchbark baskets, flutes, jewelry, wood carvings, dolls, art and books.  Also presenting demonstrations of basketmaking, ash pounding, beadworking, drum making, birchbark canoe and paddle making, and storytelling.  Enjoy dancing, drumming and singing.  Free and open to the public.  Location: Passamaquoddy Tribal Lands, Indian Township US Route 1, North of Princeton, Maine.

47th Annual Sipayik Indian Day Celebration: Friday, August 10 - Sunday, August 12, 2012
This annual event begins with a canoe trip from Indian Township on Thursday, August 9.  Opening ceremonies take place at noon on Friday, at Split Rock, Pleasant Point.  The Indian Day Celebration features a full weekend of events, live music, vendors, and other activities.  It concludes with a Grand Finale of Traditional Dancing and Drumming on Sunday at 2:00 pm followed by a community meal.  All events are drug and alcohol free, and all are welcome.  For more information, call 207.853.2600

Aroostook Band of Micmacs Mawiomi of Tribes 2012: Friday, August 17 - Sunday, August 19, 2012
A'pjilasi - Welcome.  You are cordially invited to join the Aroostook Band of Micmacs in celebration of the Mawiomi of Tribes.  Join in tradition through song, dance, food and ceremonies.  For more information, download the poster, visit the website, email or call 207.764.1972.  Please note that this is a drug and alcohol free event.  No admission fee.  Location: Spruce Haven, Doyle Road, Caribou, Maine 

You are invited to the Gathering Gala!

Please join us for a festive night of food, drink, fellowship, and philanthropy at the Abbe's Gathering Gala benefit auction.  The 2012 Gathering Gala will take place at the Bar Harbor Club from 5:00 - 11:00 on Wednesday, July 18th.  Please RSVP to Astra by July 6 with your choice of Stuffed Haddock, Prime Rib, or Vegetarian Carnival Squash.  Tickets are $150 per person, and payment can be made via Visa or Mastercard by calling 207.288.3519 or checks made payable to the Abbe Museum can be sent to PO Box 286 Bar Harbor, Maine 04609.  If you'd prefer to pay for your ticket at the door, please let us know.  To view photos from last year's event, please click here.

The Gathering Gala is the Abbe Museum's annual fund raising dinner and auction to support the Abbe Museum's initiatives and mission to inspire new learning about the Wabanaki Nations with every visit.  At this year's Gala guests will enjoy cocktails and a silent auction from 5:00-6:45, a delicious seated dinner and live auction from 7:00-8:30, and dancing to the music of Jones'n from 8:30-11:00.  To learn more about the Gathering Gala, please click here.

Items available during this year's silent and live auctions can be previewed online via the following links.  If you cannot join us for this year's Gala and would like to be an absentee bidder, please contact Nora.

Paddle Art

Fine Art & Fine Crafts

Wearable Art, Jewelry, & Gifts for the Home

Experiences

Below is a small sampling of some of this year's beautiful items:

Decorative Canoe Paddle, by Joe Tracy

Lamoine Beach, Maine; August 9, 2011, by Jennifer Stein Booher

Where Shall I Be, by Ashley Bryan

Cromwell Brook and Dorr Mountain, by Jean Forbes

Web, Lenny Novak

Collar Basket, Molly Neptune Parker

Model Birch Bark Canoe, Butch Phillips

Stoneware, by Gull Rock Pottery

Vernal Pools, quilted wall hanging by Ellie Pancoe

Handknit wool men's sweater, by Sandra Wilcox

Vine Necklace, by Lisa Hall

Western Maine Getaway, Donated by John Collier & Susan Ferrante Collier

High Tea for Twelve on the Harbor at Cranberry Hill Inn

And much, much more!  

Thank you to everyone who donated items for this year's auction!

Please visit our website to view additional auction items.

Abbe Museum Wins 2012 AASLH Award of Merit

The American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) proudly announces that the Abbe Museum is the recipient of an Award of Merit from the AASLH Leadership in History Awards for the exhibit Indians and Rusticators: Wabanakis and Summer Visitors on Mount Desert Island 1840s-1920s. The AASLH Leadership in History Awards, now in its 67th year, is the most prestigious recognition for achievement in the preservation and interpretation of state and local history.

Indians and Rusticators is an immersive exhibit exploring the unique relationship between the first summer tourists visiting Mount Desert Island, called rusticators, and the Wabanaki. Living in encampments through the summer season, Wabanaki people traveled to Bar Harbor to offer their services as guides and entertainers, and also sold souvenirs of traditional baskets made to appeal to a wide array of people. The exhibit features a 19’ birch bark canoe purchased on a ship coming to Bar Harbor in 1878, baskets made from ash and sweet grass and birch bark, steam ship and rusticator artifacts, and hands-on activities for all ages. The exhibit will remain at the Abbe in downtown Bar Harbor through December.

This year, AASLH is proud to confer fifty-nine national awards honoring people, projects, exhibits, books, and organizations. The winners represent the best in the field and provide leadership for the future of state and local history. Presentation of the awards will be made at a special banquet during the 2012 AASLH Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Friday, October 5, 2012. The banquet is supported by a generous contribution from the History Channel.

The AASLH awards program was initiated in 1945 to establish and encourage standards of excellence in the collection, preservation, and interpretation of state and local history throughout the United States. The AASLH Leadership in History Awards not only honor significant achievement in the field of state and local history, but also brings public recognition of the opportunities for small and large organizations, institutions, and programs to make contributions in this arena. For more information about the Leadership in History Awards, contact AASLH at 615-320-3203, or go to www.aaslh.org.

The American Association for State and Local History is a not-for-profit professional organization of individuals and institutions working to preserve and promote history. From its headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee, AASLH provides leadership, service, and support for its members who preserve and interpret state and local history in order to make the past more meaningful in American society. AASLH publishes books, technical publications, a quarterly magazine, and monthly newsletter. The association also sponsors regional and national training workshops and an annual meeting.