Save the Date!
The Abbe Museum's annual Gathering Gala will take place on Wednesday, July 17 at the beautiful Bar Harbor Club. Invitations will be mailed in early June.
Within the next few weeks auction items will be posted on our website and displayed in the Orientation Gallery of the downtown Abbe Museum. Stop in to admire this year's items, generously donated by local artists and organizations.
Last year's Gala was an exciting affair that raised $110,000 and kick-started the "Greening the Abbe Initiative" to make the Abbe Museum a more sustainable institution.
We hope you'll join us this July!
Tracking Workshop -- Register Now!
 |
| During February's tracking workshop, participants discovered the tracks of over 11 different types of animals! |
This past February, the Abbe Museum hosted an exciting and popular tracking workshop and we are pleased to offer a second opportunity to learn new skills!
On Saturday, on May 25,
the Abbe will offer a day-long tracking workshop with Penobscot guide,
Barry Dana. Designed to accompany the Abbe’s current main exhibit, Wabanaki Guides, the workshop will
provide participants with the opportunity to learn a variety of tracks,
information about the animals and the cultural relevance they have for the
Wabanaki. Participants will be invited to consider how human interaction with
the environment helps and hinders the natural order.
The Wabanaki have long been stewards of
this landscape, and their continued presence here means that they have a
thorough understanding about the ecology of Maine, and the importance of the
creatures that call Maine home. Barry Dana is a skilled hunter and tracker and
will teach participants the subtleties of stalking an animal and how to make
their own “tracking stick.”
While the workshop is free, registration
is required to reserve a space. Those interested should contact George Neptune
at either george@abbemuseum.org or 207-288-3519. This
program is cosponsored by Acadia National Park and made possible by support
from the Lynam Trust and the Margaret E. Burnham Charitable Trust.
Other News & Events for May
 | |
| The Abbe will host a brown bag lunch lecture by Caroline Mills on May 14 at noon for a discussion of Shoshone culture and identity. Bring your lunch and lots of interactive questions. This program is sponsored by International Partners in Mission. |
The Abbe Museum & Shop are currently open to visitors Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 10:00 - 4:00. Please don't forget to call first in the event of inclement weather; if MDI schools are closed, the Abbe Museum will be closed as well. School visits and special programs can be arranged--please contact us for more information (207.288.3519) or visit www.abbemuseum.org to learn more. We will resume our seasonal schedule of 10-5, 7 days a week, on May 23, 2013.
Interested in learning about other news and events? Each month, we try to compile articles and events that might interest our members and friends. We link to them in these blog posts, as well as on our Facebook page.
NEWS:
Museums of Maine, featuring Abbe CEO Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko,
on Maine Calling; listen to it on MPBN
Wabanaki child welfare commission selects executive director in the Bangor Daily News
Museum to offer free admission on May 18 on Fenceviewer.com
State should respect history when setting elver fishing rules in the Bangor Daily News Opinion Pages
Belfast man first from region selected for Rotary International peace fellowship in the Bangor Daily News
Diversity Day to be celebrated at Carrabec in The Irregular
Museums of Maine, featuring Abbe CEO Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko,
on Maine Calling; listen to it on MPBN
Wabanaki child welfare commission selects executive director in the Bangor Daily News
Museum to offer free admission on May 18 on Fenceviewer.com
State should respect history when setting elver fishing rules in the Bangor Daily News Opinion Pages
Belfast man first from region selected for Rotary International peace fellowship in the Bangor Daily News
Diversity Day to be celebrated at Carrabec in The Irregular
EVENTS:
Save the Date:
- July 20 & 21: Tribes of the Dawnland Culture and Heritage Days
- July 23-27: Voluntourism Experience--Penobscot People & Places
- August 9-11: 48th Annual Sipayik Indian Day Celebration
- August 16-18: Aroostook Band of Micmacs Mawiomi of Tribes 2013
Opening Soon!
In two weeks the Abbe Museum at Sieur de Monts Spring will be open for the 2013 season!
Starting on Thursday, May 23 both locations of the Abbe Museum, both at Sieur de Monts and in downtown Bar Harbor, will be open from 10-5, seven days a week.
As we open the doors to guests that day, both Museums will boast new exhibitions. For the first time in years, a new exhibit will be on display at the Abbe Museum at Sieur de Monts, which was renovated over the winter to create additional exhibit space and areas for hands-on, interactive activities for children and families.
The story of St. Sauveur: A Meeting of Nations begins in 1613, when a small group of French Jesuits, sailors, and settlers arrived at Mount Desert Island, looking for a place to establish a mission and build trade relations with the Wabanaki. At the urging of Wabanaki leader Asticou, the group chose a spot somewhere around Frenchman Bay to establish their new outpost. Less than three months later, the fledgling settlement was destroyed by English colonists from further south. Echos of these encounters continue to resound today, in Wabanaki communities, in shaping Maine history and identity, and in our understanding of international relations.
The first European residents of Frenchman Bay came and went in a very short time. But this episode is part of a much larger story of Wabanaki-French-English interactions in eastern Maine from 1500 until 1762, when English settlers finally established a permanent settlement on Mount Desert Island. The exhibit brings together current Wabanaki perspectives and historic documents to present multiple perspectives on history, and investigates the debate among historians and archaeologists about where the St. Sauveur Mission was actually located.
Also on Thursday, May 23, the Abbe Museum in downtown Bar Harbor will open a new exhibit, IndiVisible: African-Native American Lives in the Americas, on loan from the Smithsonian Institution. IndiVisible explores historical and contemporary stories of peoples and communities whose shared histories are woven into the fabric of American identity, but whose presence has long been invisible to many in the U.S. The exhibition sheds light on the dynamics of race, community, culture and creativity, and addresses the human desire to belong. With compelling text and powerful graphics, the exhibition includes accounts of cultural integration and diffusion as well as the struggle to define and preserve identity. IndiVisible was developed by the National Museum of the American Indian with the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and organized for travel by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service. But make sure to visit soon, because IndiVisible will only be in Bar Harbor from May 23 - August 4, before traveling on to its next location.
Click here to visit IndiVisible on the web.
Click here to learn about the other exhibits currently on view.
Click here to learn about special programs that accompany our current exhibits.
Starting on Thursday, May 23 both locations of the Abbe Museum, both at Sieur de Monts and in downtown Bar Harbor, will be open from 10-5, seven days a week.
As we open the doors to guests that day, both Museums will boast new exhibitions. For the first time in years, a new exhibit will be on display at the Abbe Museum at Sieur de Monts, which was renovated over the winter to create additional exhibit space and areas for hands-on, interactive activities for children and families.
 |
| Illustration by Francis Back, courtesy US NPS/St Croix Island International Historic Site |
The first European residents of Frenchman Bay came and went in a very short time. But this episode is part of a much larger story of Wabanaki-French-English interactions in eastern Maine from 1500 until 1762, when English settlers finally established a permanent settlement on Mount Desert Island. The exhibit brings together current Wabanaki perspectives and historic documents to present multiple perspectives on history, and investigates the debate among historians and archaeologists about where the St. Sauveur Mission was actually located.
Also on Thursday, May 23, the Abbe Museum in downtown Bar Harbor will open a new exhibit, IndiVisible: African-Native American Lives in the Americas, on loan from the Smithsonian Institution. IndiVisible explores historical and contemporary stories of peoples and communities whose shared histories are woven into the fabric of American identity, but whose presence has long been invisible to many in the U.S. The exhibition sheds light on the dynamics of race, community, culture and creativity, and addresses the human desire to belong. With compelling text and powerful graphics, the exhibition includes accounts of cultural integration and diffusion as well as the struggle to define and preserve identity. IndiVisible was developed by the National Museum of the American Indian with the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and organized for travel by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service. But make sure to visit soon, because IndiVisible will only be in Bar Harbor from May 23 - August 4, before traveling on to its next location.
Click here to visit IndiVisible on the web.
Click here to learn about the other exhibits currently on view.
Click here to learn about special programs that accompany our current exhibits.
PechaKucha is coming to MDI
Mark your calendars for May 1, 2013, and join the Abbe Museum and the Northeast Harbor Library as they bring you Mount Desert Island’s first Pecha Kucha night, 6:00-7:30pm at the Northeast Harbor Library! Pecha Kucha, which draws its name from the Japanese term for the sound of conversation (“chit chat”) is all about “the art of concise presentation.” Founded in Tokyo in February 2003, the short, rapid-fire
click to enlarge
presentation style is designed to help share creative ideas succinctly and to promote networking in a fun, informal environment. The presentation format is very strict: presenters show 20 slides and spend 20 seconds on each slide. Pecha Kucha presentations can be on any topic, large or small, and the 20 slides within a presentation may be entirely visual, text oriented or multi-media. Presentations may be made by individuals or pairs of any age willing to share ideas, experiences, work or entertainment.
Pecha Kucha is an international organization and Pecha Kucha nights are hosted frequently all over the globe. The Abbe and Northeast Harbor Library are thrilled to bring the first Pecha Kucha night to Mount Desert Island: a place brimming with creativity and ideas. The intention is to sponsor two Pecha Kucha nights this year; this first one at the library to initiate the summer season and the second in the fall at the Abbe Museum. Presenters at the first Pecha Kucha night, which will be emceed by George Neptune, will include Aaron Mitchell, Alice Kaiserian, Ben Lincoln, Dennis Kiley & Johannah Blackman, Judith Blank, Linda Robinson, Rich MacDonald and Sam McGee. Topics explored will include, but not be limited to art in public spaces, fascinating bits of local history, how to prepare for a life change, life in Hollywood, and climate psychology.
Click here to learn more about the speakers and presentations.
For more information, visit
. You can also find out more about Pecha Kucha in general at pechakucha.org. Join us on May 1 to be a part of the first Pecha Kucha MDI!
Other news & events for April
Spring is here and our program calendar is full of exciting activities, indoors and out! Check ouronline calendar for all of the details about upcoming programs, events, lectures, workshops.
The Abbe Museum & Shop are currentlyopen to visitors Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 10:00 - 4:00.
Please don't forget to call first in the event of inclement weather; if MDI schools are closed, the Abbe Museum will be closed as well. School visits and special programs can be arranged--please contact us for more information (207.288.3519) or visitwww.abbemuseum.org to learn more.
Interested in learning about other news and events? Each month, we try to compile articles and events that might interest our members and friends. We link to them in these blog posts, as well as on ourFacebook page.
NEWS:
Abbe will partner with Smithsonian on Fenceviewer.com
The Passamaqouddy of Maine Defend Culturally Based Fisheries Management Plan by Sherri Mitchell on Native News Network.com
Maine Governor Allegedly Threatens Wabanaki Nations over Elvers in Indian Country Today Media Network
Gov Threatens to Withdraw Support for Maine Tribal Commission Read or Listen on MPBN.com
Maine signs on to Indian child welfare lawsuit before US Supreme Court in Native American Times
Passamaquoddy's BlackBear Communications Launches Campaign to Improve Healthcare Options for Natives in Indian Country Today Media Network
Alewife bill moves forward in Maine Sun Journal
House Introduces Bill to Ban Racist 'Redskins' Trademark in Indian Country Today Media Network
Portsmouth commemorates 300th anniversary of 1713 treaty between Native Americans and colonial English on Fosters.com
Abbe to offer vacation sessions in the MDI Islander
David Moses Bridges was a recent guest onWERU's monthly program BoatTalk, hosted by Alan Sprague and Mike Joyce. If you missed the live program, you can stilllisten to it here.
View recent additions to the Abbe Museum's collections , including a beautiful birchbark basket by David Moses Bridges.
Did you miss the NMAI's recent symposium on Racist Stereotypes and Cultural Appropriation in American Sports? If so, we encourage you to watch the video's archived on the SmithsonianNMAI youtube channel.
EVENTS:
Save the Date:
Spring break fun
The Abbe Museum Over Spring Vacation: Workshops, Concert and a New Exhibit!
Spring is in the air and April vacation is just around the corner! The Abbe Museum is offering multiple free programs during vacation week. On Saturday, April 13th, come to the Circle of Four Directions in the downtown museum for a concert by Hawk Henries, a widely known flute-maker from the Nipmuck Tribe. Hear his beautiful songs, played on the Eastern Woodlands flute and other instruments, many of which he has crafted in his own workshop. Hawk's free performance will take place from 4:00 - 6:00 PM.
Hawk Henries performs in
the Circle of the Four Directions.
Then, beginning Tuesday, April 16th, the Abbe will offer three full days of fun, free, educational workshops geared especially towards children and their families. On the 16th, Museum Educator, George Neptune will lead two sessions exploring “Birchbark and its teachings,” from 10:00am-12:00pm and 1:00-3:30pm. Participants will join in different activities that relate to traditional and contemporary uses of birchbark. On Wednesday, two sessions will be offered for a full day on “Animals and their teachings.” From 10:00am-12:00pm and again from 1:00-2:30pm we'll look at the significance of animals in Wabanaki culture and language. Finally, through a morning and afternoon session on Thursday, Neptune will lead activities on “Brown ash and its teachings” from 10:00-12:00pm and again from 1:00-3:45pm. Each session will be filled with different activities, so participants are encouraged to come for both the morning and the afternoon on any of these workshop days. “For our Spring Break activities, I decided to not only focus on specific themes, but to design a day at the Abbe Museum for local children and their families. Each day will include a craft activity, a modern story, Wabanaki stories and a tour of our newest exhibit, Wabanaki Guides,” explains Neptune.
The 2013 Waponahki Student Art Show will open
to visitors on Thursday, April 18, 2013.
On Thursday, April 18th, Maine Indian Education and the Abbe Museum will again collaborate to open the 2013 Waponahki Student Art Show. This exhibit always brings together a wonderful variety of art created by Native American students from early childhood education through high school. Using a wide array of media, the young artists incorporate tradition beliefs and value with the modern, multi-cultural world around them. “It is an exciting time every year when the new student artwork arrives. It is wonderful to see what the students have created, and to read their comments about their artwork. It is an even greater pleasure to watch the student artists show off their work to family, friends and teachers at the reception- the pride they have in what they have created is terrific,” reflects Abbe Curator of Collections, Julia Clark. The exhibit will be on display at the Abbe through October, 2013.
Read more about upcoming exhibits at the Abbe Museum.
Aside from these special programs, the Abbe Museum will maintain our spring schedule during the week of spring vacation, and be open to visitors Thursday, Friday, & Saturday from 10:00 - 4:00.
SUMMER VOLUNTOURISM TRIP -- RESERVE YOUR SPACE TODAY!
More details have been announced about this summer's special voluntourism opportunity with the Penobscot Nation! Applications for this unique experience are due May 1st, so apply today for a chance to participate in an experience you'll never forget.
Penobscot People & Places: Work. Learn. Connect
Our people, our homeland, our culture, our values--the Penobscot Nation invites you to experience all of this and more during our 2013 voluntourism vacation package. This trip features a unique blend of culture, recreation, and a meaningful work project.
Our work theme this year centers on the tribe's natural resources protection efforts. Projects may include
working on the majestic Penobscot river or in the tranquil forests of northern Maine. Our goal is to provide participants with a transformative experience as they learn about the visceral relationship between the Penobscot people and the natural world.
But this voluntourism experience is more than "all work and no play." It also includes educational and recreational activities such as a guided community tour, a canoe trip on the Penobscot River, and events steeped in Penobscot culture and tradition.
The package includes meals, four nights lodging, and all cultural and recreational activities and is offered through a partnership between the Penobscot Nation, Four Directions Development Corporation, and the Abbe Museum.
Dates: Tuesday, July 23, 2013 through Saturday, July 27, 2013
Price: $1,295
Abbe Museum members receive a $50 discount.
Use these links to learn more:
Application Form (Due May 1, 2013)
Sample Itinerary
FAQs
Website
In the words of past participants...
I enjoyed and felt honored to watch our Penobscot [trip] leaders transform when they entered the river. I could sense an eagerness and excitement to launch the canoes and be on the River. Every one of them projected a “completeness” and confidence when the canoes left the shore – it was like watching birds take flight and soaring, it was magical and it was very special to see. - Phil S. (2012)
It was so enjoyable to be in a mode of curiosity and discovery and learning. - Anne P. (2012)
I learned about the history, landscapes, and management issues on the river, and now better understand the deep connection between it and the Penobscot people. - Rebecca C-W (2012)
Penobscot People & Places: Work. Learn. Connect
Our people, our homeland, our culture, our values--the Penobscot Nation invites you to experience all of this and more during our 2013 voluntourism vacation package. This trip features a unique blend of culture, recreation, and a meaningful work project.
Our work theme this year centers on the tribe's natural resources protection efforts. Projects may include
working on the majestic Penobscot river or in the tranquil forests of northern Maine. Our goal is to provide participants with a transformative experience as they learn about the visceral relationship between the Penobscot people and the natural world.
But this voluntourism experience is more than "all work and no play." It also includes educational and recreational activities such as a guided community tour, a canoe trip on the Penobscot River, and events steeped in Penobscot culture and tradition.
The package includes meals, four nights lodging, and all cultural and recreational activities and is offered through a partnership between the Penobscot Nation, Four Directions Development Corporation, and the Abbe Museum.
Dates: Tuesday, July 23, 2013 through Saturday, July 27, 2013
Price: $1,295
Abbe Museum members receive a $50 discount.
Use these links to learn more:
Application Form (Due May 1, 2013)
Sample Itinerary
FAQs
Website
In the words of past participants...
I enjoyed and felt honored to watch our Penobscot [trip] leaders transform when they entered the river. I could sense an eagerness and excitement to launch the canoes and be on the River. Every one of them projected a “completeness” and confidence when the canoes left the shore – it was like watching birds take flight and soaring, it was magical and it was very special to see. - Phil S. (2012)
It was so enjoyable to be in a mode of curiosity and discovery and learning. - Anne P. (2012)
I learned about the history, landscapes, and management issues on the river, and now better understand the deep connection between it and the Penobscot people. - Rebecca C-W (2012)
Call for nominations
The Governance Committee wants to know if you have an interest in engaging more with the Abbe Museum. Last year, the Trustees adopted a new process where Abbe Museum members annually elect Trustees. Previously, the Corporators had this duty but in order to streamline functions and make the election process more transparent, the Trustees dissolved the Corporator program last year and enabled members with voting
rights.
To be considered for Trustee service, please email
, Governance Committee Chair and Abbe Trustee, with your name, contact information, and a brief statement as to why you would like to be nominated for board service. All submissions will be considered in relation to the current needs of the board, e.g. diversity, strategic and business needs, and other needs. Additionally, if you would like to be considered for committee service, please contact us as well.
For more information about trustee expectations or the election process, please contact
or
, Abbe CEO, for more information. Nominations for the 2013 election cycle will be accepted until May 14, 2013.
Save the Date: voluntourism experience to be offered this summer!
The Abbe Museum is pleased to announce a new partnership with the Penobscot Nation and Four Directions Development Corporation! This summer, a once in a lifetime
experience will be offered that wraps tourism, community networking, and volunteer work
all into five amazing days. More details will be announced soon, but
here's a teaser of what you can look forward to:
Our people, our homeland, our culture, our values--the Penobscot Nation invites you to experience all of this and more during our 2013 voluntourism vacation package. This trip features a unique blend of culture, recreation, and a meaningful work project.
Our work theme this year centers on the tribe's natural resources protection efforts. Projects may include working on the majestic Penobscot river or in the tranquil forests of northern Maine. Our goal is to provide participants with a transformative experience as they learn about the visceral relationship between the Penobscot people and the natural world.
But this voluntourism experience is more than "all work and no play." It also includes educational and recreational activities such as a guided community tour, a canoe trip on the Penobscot River, and events steeped in Penobscot culture and tradition.
The package includes meals, four nights lodging, and all cultural and recreational activities and is offered through a partnership between the Penobscot Nation, Four Directions Development Corporation, and the Abbe Museum.
New this year is an optional add-on tour of the Abbe Museum in beautiful Bar Harbor, Maine.
Dates: Tuesday, July 23, 2013 through Saturday, July 27, 2013
More details available after March 20, 2013. To be notified when the registration form is available, please email Johannah Blackman (johannah@abbemuseum.org). Information and updates will also be posted on the Abbe's website, at: http://www.abbemuseum.org/voluntourism.html
Our people, our homeland, our culture, our values--the Penobscot Nation invites you to experience all of this and more during our 2013 voluntourism vacation package. This trip features a unique blend of culture, recreation, and a meaningful work project.
Our work theme this year centers on the tribe's natural resources protection efforts. Projects may include working on the majestic Penobscot river or in the tranquil forests of northern Maine. Our goal is to provide participants with a transformative experience as they learn about the visceral relationship between the Penobscot people and the natural world.
But this voluntourism experience is more than "all work and no play." It also includes educational and recreational activities such as a guided community tour, a canoe trip on the Penobscot River, and events steeped in Penobscot culture and tradition.
The package includes meals, four nights lodging, and all cultural and recreational activities and is offered through a partnership between the Penobscot Nation, Four Directions Development Corporation, and the Abbe Museum.
New this year is an optional add-on tour of the Abbe Museum in beautiful Bar Harbor, Maine.
Dates: Tuesday, July 23, 2013 through Saturday, July 27, 2013
More details available after March 20, 2013. To be notified when the registration form is available, please email Johannah Blackman (johannah@abbemuseum.org). Information and updates will also be posted on the Abbe's website, at: http://www.abbemuseum.org/voluntourism.html
Winter Gathering
On March 1, we hosted the third annual Winter
Gathering. It was a snowy evening, but
we had plenty of guests to enjoy the sweet and savory treats made by the Gala
Committee and the plethora of delicious
smoked Maine salmon, trout, mussels,
shrimp, salmon pate and arctic char generously donated by Sullivan Harbor Farm.
We started the Winter Gathering tradition in 2010 as another way to recognize
and thank our Gathering Gala artists and sponsors whose contributions of art,
gifts-in-kind and cash donations makes this event possible. We also celebrated our Abbe volunteers for
their commitment to the Abbe and generous contributions of time and
talent.
Wonderful art donations are already pouring in, we have: a
beautiful paddle made by local artist & furniture-maker, Joe Tracy, a
large, hand-carved white marble cat made by local artist, Marcy MacKinnon, painting from local artist, Scott Baltz and baskets from Molly Neptune
Parker and George Neptune, just to name
a few. We have sponsorship commitments
so far from Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, Darling’s, BangorDaily News, Boston Private Bank & Trust, Machias Savings Bank, FIORE and Sullivan Harbor Farm.
We are thrilled with the enthusiasm and the continued
support from artists and corporate and local business sponsors. Thank you all for supporting the Abbe!
P.S. Don’t forget to
SAVE THE DATE for the Gathering Gala, Wednesday, July 17, 2013.
Other News & Events for March
 |
| The annual Wabanaki Initiative Teacher's Workshop will take place Monday, March 18. |
Coming up soon are a Candy Basket
Workshop with George Neptune on Saturday, March 16, followed by the 2013 Wabanaki Initiative Teacher’s Workshop (worth 8
contact hours) on Monday, March 18. Both are free, but space
is limited, so registration is required (207.288.3519). More information about both programs is available on our online calendar.
We would also like to share that
we are currently accepting applications for seasonal (May-October) positions in
Guest Services. Applications and additional information are available here.
Do you know someone who might be a great fit for the Abbe? If so, feel free to pass on the information!
The Abbe Museum would also like
to congratulate the talented artists recognized at the 55th Annual
Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, including:
- Class VII Baskets, Division A Traditional, First Place: Theresa Secord, Penobscot, “Sweetgrass Flat Basket”
- Class VII Baskets, Division A Traditional, Second Place: Jeremy Frey, Passamaquoddy, “Pointed Urchin Basket”
- Class VII Baskets, Division A Traditional, Honorable Mention: Frances Frey-Tomah, Passamaquoddy, “Drum Purse”
- Class VII Baskets, Division B Non-Traditional, Honorable Mention: Jeremy Frey, Passamaquoddy, “Basket Interrupted”
The Abbe Museum & Shop are currently open to visitors Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 10:00
- 4:00. Please don't forget to call first in the event of inclement
weather; if MDI schools are closed, the Abbe Museum will be closed as
well. School visits and special programs can be arranged--please contact us for more information (207.288.3519) or visit www.abbemuseum.org to learn more.
Interested in learning about other news and events? Each month, we try to compile articles and events that might interest our members and friends. We link to them in these blog posts, as well as on our Facebook page.
NEWS:
Read about "The Glooskape chronicles": First Musical Drama Based on Ancient Stories, a play by Donna Loring, in Indian Country Today Media Network
Native Americans and the Violence the Violence Against Women Act, an opinion piece by author Louise Erdrich, in the NY Times
Museum Leaders Highlight Work, about Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko & Raney Bench's participation in Museums Advocacy Day, in the MDI Islander and on FenceViewer
Exhibit Offers Canoe Trip Through History, in the MDI Islander and on FenceViewer
David Moses Bridges was a recent guest on WERU's monthly program BoatTalk, hosted by Alan Sprague and Mike Joyce. The podcast has not yet been posted, but watch the BoatTalk archives if you missed the live program!
Potential Intervenors Lined Up in Penobscot Nation Lawsuit over Authority of River in the Bangor Daily News
Approaching Elver Season Fans Debate over Tribal Licenses in The Quoddy Times
Rival Measures would restore Alewives into the St. Croix, in the Portland Press Herald
BlackBear Communications joins Team Selected for NIH Public Information & Communication Services Contract, on PRNewswire.com.
Maine Tribes Propose and Beano Expansion, read and listen on MPBN.net
Truth & Reconciliation: Part I, on read and watch on WABI
Wabanaki Truth & Reconciliation Commisioners sworn in; prepare to begin learning, healing ; read the article, and view photos and video clips on the Bangor Daily News
ICTJ: International Experts Gathered in New York to Explore Access to Justice for Indigenous Peoples, on timesunion.com
Maine Department of Marine Resources proposes 100 elver licenses for Four Maine Indian Tribes in the Bangor Daily News
View recent additions to the Abbe Museum's collections, including a beautiful birchbark basket by David Moses Bridges.
Did you miss the NMAI's recent symposium on Racist Stereotypes and Cultural Appropriation in American Sports? If so, we encourage you to watch the video's archived on the SmithsonianNMAI youtube channel.
EVENTS:
Save the Date:
- July 6 : Native American Festival and Basketmakers Market
- July 17: The Abbe Museum's Gathering Gala
Phe Crampton, Abbe Intern
Phe Crampton, an eleventh grade student at George Stevens Academy, recently spent two
weeks
completing an Independent Study at the Abbe Museum. While at the
Abbe,
Phe interned primarily with Julia Clark, Curator of Collections,
in the
Abbe's Archaeology Lab. Phe also shadowed other Abbe Staff
members,
assisting with various tasks, to get a behind-the-scenes
experience of
museum operations. Below is Phe's account of her time here at the
Abbe
Museum:
In all, I have been able to learn so much in my time at the Abbe. I hope to continue to learn more about the Wabanaki and I hope that archaeology and history play a part in my future education. I’d like to thank the kind and intelligent staff at the Abbe, who have generously welcomed me, and especially my helpful mentor, Julia!
 |
| Intern Phe Crampton |
For my two week Independent Study,
I had the pleasure to spend it interning with Julia Clark at the Abbe Museum. I
chose this as my project because I knew very little about archaeology and the
history of Native people in Maine and
wanted to learn more. I am pleased to say that I have learned an incredible
amount and am still learning more as I finish up my second week. Working
hands-on in the archaeology lab, reading books, helping to create a “MaineMemory Network” online exhibit, and doing other small things around the museum has
helped
me get a strong understanding of how a museum is run and discovering the unique
history of the Wabanaki.
I have been spending my days looking at old photographs, reading books such as The Canoe Indians of Down East Maine, photographing collections, cataloging books from a collection donated by Dr. Ester Pastore, helping to set up for an event called the Winter Gathering and my personal favorite, cleaning off 2,000 year-old animal bones, flakes, pottery and shells, and cataloging them. Along with these tasks, Julia has incorporated into my schedule many more small activities for me to do that allow me to get a sneak-peak of other jobs around the museum. Cleaning off the animal bones, flakes, pottery and shells with a toothbrush has interested me the most. It was so fun to see the markings engraved on the small pieces of pottery and to see the tiny fish vertebra. Everything looked so much more impressive with the dirt cleaned off. After I finished cleaning some I was able to catalog them and even found some fragments of tools made from bone.
I have been spending my days looking at old photographs, reading books such as The Canoe Indians of Down East Maine, photographing collections, cataloging books from a collection donated by Dr. Ester Pastore, helping to set up for an event called the Winter Gathering and my personal favorite, cleaning off 2,000 year-old animal bones, flakes, pottery and shells, and cataloging them. Along with these tasks, Julia has incorporated into my schedule many more small activities for me to do that allow me to get a sneak-peak of other jobs around the museum. Cleaning off the animal bones, flakes, pottery and shells with a toothbrush has interested me the most. It was so fun to see the markings engraved on the small pieces of pottery and to see the tiny fish vertebra. Everything looked so much more impressive with the dirt cleaned off. After I finished cleaning some I was able to catalog them and even found some fragments of tools made from bone.
In all, I have been able to learn so much in my time at the Abbe. I hope to continue to learn more about the Wabanaki and I hope that archaeology and history play a part in my future education. I’d like to thank the kind and intelligent staff at the Abbe, who have generously welcomed me, and especially my helpful mentor, Julia!
Candy Basket Workshop
Have you always wanted to learn how to weave your own
basket? On Saturday, March 16 from 9:00
am to 12:00 pm, join Abbe Museum Educator and Passamaquoddy Master Basketmaker,
George Neptune, to learn how to weave your own ash basket! Participants will learn the art of creating
their own candy basket which they will be able to bring home at the end of the
day. While all ages are encouraged to
participate in this workshop, priority will be given to children; children
under the age of seven may require the assistance of an adult.
George has been making baskets since the age of four. He learned the traditional art form from his
grandmother, Molly Neptune Parker, recipient of the 2012 National Endowment for
the Arts Traditional Heritage Fellowship.
His baskets are now featured at the Abbe Museum, the Hudson Museum, the
University of Michigan Museum, and many other museums across the country. As the Abbe’s Museum Educator, George leads
many programs and workshops geared towards children and adults throughout the
year.
"I’m very excited for the Candy Basket Workshop! I’m also nervous, as it will be the first
basket class that I have taught on my own.
Many local kids have been attending my weaving workshops and have
learned some of the basics; now they get a chance to try their hand at a true
Passamaquoddy tradition!"
The workshop is free and open to the public, but space and materials are limited so reservations are required. Please contact George Neptune to make reservations at either george@abbemuseum.org or 207-288-3519 ext. 31; call to reserve your spot today!
March on Mount Desert Street
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| click to enlarge |
The annual March on Mount Desert Street, an annual community
progressive dinner, will take place this year on Tuesday, March 12!
Each year, the organizations along Mount Desert Street
participate in this fun, community-oriented event, that features entertainment
and dinner as neighbors travel down the street, and celebrate the creativity
of the students at Conners-Emerson.
The schedule for this year’s "March," which is free and open
to the public, will begin at the Bar Harbor Congregational Church:
- 5:15-5:30 Watch a play by the students at Conners-Emerson at the Bar Harbor Congregational Church
- 5:30-6:00 Enjoy appetizers at the Abbe Museum
- 6:00-6:30 Salad will be served at the YWCA
- 6:30-7:00 Enjoy Soup and Bread at the Jesup Memorial Library (gluten free offerings available!)
- 7:00-7:30 Delicious Desserts will finish the evening at St. Saviour’s Episcopal Church
For more information, call the Jesup Memorial Library and
ask for Mae Corrion: 207-288-4245 or mcorrion@jesup.lib.me.us
Bon Appetit!
February Re-Cap
February was a busy month at the Abbe Museum! The month started with the much-anticipated
opening of our newest exhibit Wabanaki
Guides, and nearly 100 friends of the Abbe joined us to celebrate and
preview the exhibit the night before it opened to the public. Co-curator Raney Bench gave remarks at the
opening, and delicious treats were donated by the Abbe's Culinary Arts Committee.
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| Wabanaki Guides Exhibit Preview |
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| Exhibit Coordinator, Allison Shank, and Co-Curator, Raney Bench. Additional Curators included Donald Soctomah and James E. Francis. |
Soon after, February break was celebrated with five days of
special programming! The full-week of
activities, designed by our educator George Neptune, included Passamaquoddy
language activities, woven paper stars and book marks, faux birchbark baskets,
and the second discussion in the Brown Bag Lunch series. Also that week was a Winter Tracking
Workshop, and after a classroom-style lesson of what to look for, participants
went into Acadia National Park and found eleven different types of tracks! Animals included partridge, fox, mouse, squirrel, rabbit, bobcat, coyote, beaver, deer, and more! Throughout the week, almost 90 guests attended the various programs! And, the activities were so popular that
we’ll be doing some again…keep your eyes open for our Spring Break Special
Programs (which will focus on the themes language, ash, and birchbark), Spring
Tracking Workshop, and the third Brown Bag Lunch on March 21.
Here are a few of the exciting scenes produced by the Abbe this February:
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| After some classroom style learning, the tracking begins...look over there! |
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| The group found eleven different types of animal tracks during the workshop. |
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| Passamaquoddy Guide Matt Dana leads the group. |
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| The 2013 Winter Tracking Workshop Team! |
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| Abbe Educator George Neptune helped 23 participants create colorful woven stars! |
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| The stars could be decorated with beads and more, and were inspired by ash stars made by artist Lee DeCora Francis. |
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| Bookmarks, usually made of ash and sweetgrass, were created from cardstock and embroidery floss. |
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| George learned that excited participants sometimes finish crafts quickly, so he then lead families on a tour through Abbe exhibits. |
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| A young visitor plays with an interactive element of our newest exhibit, Wabanaki Guides. |
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| This "birchbark" basket is actually made of paper! |
Then, Cinnamon (CEO) and Raney (Curator of Education) were
off to Washington D.C. for Museums Advocacy Day with the American Alliance of Museums, and for some important meetings on the Hill. They returned just in time to welcome March
with a celebration of Abbe Museum volunteers, and the artists and sponsors who make
the Gathering Gala possible, at the 2013 Winter Gathering. Save the date--the 2013 Gathering Gala will take place on July 17, 2013.
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| CEO Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko meets with staffers on the hill during AAM's Museums Advocacy Day. |
We hope you enjoy the photos we've posted here, and encourage you to visit our Facebook page for more!
Wabanaki Guides Opens Feb 7!
During January, staff and volunteers transformed the Abbe Museum’s main gallery into a simulated canoe trip down a Maine river. On Thursday, February 7, the Abbe will open a new exhibit entitled Wabanaki Guides. This thematic exhibit illustrates how the Wabanakis’ expert knowledge of land and waterways, has influenced the Maine visitor experience throughout history - from European contact in the 1600s up to the present day. Stories and historic accounts from a variety of individuals, including Henry David Thoreau and Joseph Treat, will illustrate how guiding is still intrinsically linked to the tribes, tourism, economics and environmental sustainability in Maine.
A Wabanaki guide can offer a unique perspective on Maine’s natural environment,
one that reflects centuries of reliance on this place. Explorers coming over from Europe,
cartographers, artists, hunters, and writers depended on Wabanaki people to
guide them through the forests and waters of Maine. Wabanaki
Guides will highlight stories from a variety of perspectives and points in
time.
Hunting with a tribal guide means having a connection to the land and the species that goes back for thousands of years. That connection is formed through the hunting knowledge that comes with being a tribal member. It is knowledge learned from their parents, uncles, and grandfathers—men in the community that have passed that knowledge down for generations. Knowing the land, the species, when to hunt, where to hunt, hunting techniques—the knowledge of these things has been passed down for 10,000 years. --- Matt Dana, Passamaquoddy guide.
Upon entering the exhibit, visitors will be able to imagine themselves embarking on a canoe trip into the Maine woods, the ancestral home of the Wabanaki for 12,000 years. In this place of rugged beauty, and harsh weather, newcomers depended on their guides to teach them how to travel, hunt, and survive in the woods. Museum visitors will be encouraged to consider the wildness and vastness of the Maine woods and the challenges that lie within.
The birchbark canoe is featured as the primary mode of transportation. Prior to the invention of the birchbark canoe, which happened about 3,000 years ago, the Wabanaki likely traveled in wooden dug out canoes which were heavy and difficult to portage. With the invention of the much lighter birchbark canoe, people could travel faster and further. This pre-contact invention demonstrates ingenuity, creativity, and represents a desire to explore one’s resources and create a broader world. The birchbark canoe was a major influence on the Wabanaki way of life and on guiding; canoes of all types still continue to be one of the best ways to travel to remote places in Maine in the warmer months.
During their canoe journey, museum visitors will be able to stop at “portages” on the river
banks to read about the various things a
guide needs to consider when planning a trip, as well as what one might expect
to encounter along the way. Items that
might be needed on such a trip may include: watertight birchbark baskets, pack
baskets, ash fishing creel, snowshoes, crooked knives, a birchbark moose call,
cup, muskrat traps, canoe paddles and root clubs. Visitors will learn how and why these items
were used and needed. When going into
the Maine
woods for weeks at a time, it is important to pack key provisions. In the exhibit there will be lists of
ingredients, recipes and historically documented methods for cooking in the
woods; flap jacks, biscuits, and beans were staples and coating a flat rock
with bacon grease and heating it evenly over an open fire was the recommended
method for cooking meat or fish.
“The guiding skills that the Wabanaki teach have been passed
down from generation to generation for thousands of years,” says Donald
Soctomah, Passamaquoddy Tribal Historian and exhibit co-curator. “People come to Maine because it is still wild. Maine
has millions of acres of undeveloped land and it is one of the few states with
a high population of moose.” Guiding
continues to be an economic engine for the Wabanaki, both for individuals and
for tribal governments.
When recounting some of the most memorable stories of
guiding, Soctomah recalled the Passamaquoddy guide, Joe Mell, who features prominently
in the exhibit. “Joe Mell was the guide
for a writer named William Underwood, who came to Maine
every summer from New York City. Mr. Underwood once invited Joe to visit him in
the city,” Soctomah said, “and Joe went, but the city scared him. ‘Take me back
to the woods,’ is what he said to Mr. Underwood.”
The exhibit is based on research done by co-curators, tribal
historians Donald Soctomah, Passamaquoddy, and James Francis, Sr., Penobscot, working
with Raney Bench, the Abbe’s Curator of Education. The exhibit will feature a
public program series throughout 2013; please check the Abbe’s online calendar for more information about program offerings.
Meet the Curators
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| "Autumn" along the exhibit's imaginary river. |
When you visit Wabanaki Guides, you will be witnessing the result of months worth of research and planning. We are grateful for the hard work of the exibit's co-curators:
- James Eric Francis Sr., Penobscot Nation Director of cultural and Historic Preservation
- Donald Soctomah, Passamaquoddy Tribal Historic Preservation Officer
- Raney Bench, Curator of Education, Abbe Museum
To the curators...Thank you!
James Eric Francis Sr., Penobscot Nation Director of Cultural and
Historic Preservation
James Eric Francis Sr. is the
Director of Cultural and Historic Preservation for the Penobscot Nation. James
currently is leading the Penobscot Language Revitalization Project where
Penobscot speakers are using modern technology to enhance language learning and
preservation efforts. James also serves as the Penobscot Nation's Tribal Historian
and is studying the relationship between Maine Native Americans and the landscape. Prior to working at the Penobscot Nation James worked for the
Wabanaki Studies Commission helping implement the new Maine Native American
Studies Law into Maine
schools and has managed a team of teachers and cultural experts in developing
curriculum.
James co-produced a film on race
relations in Maine.
Invisible looks at the problem of
racism as it pertains to Native American people in Maine and the Canadian Maritimes. Recently
James conducted an extensive Oral History Project for the Penobscot Nation.
This project brought to life historical pictures and highlighted a community
history that cannot be found it books. He was the curator of Penobscot History in Bangor, Maine, an
exhibit for the Bangor Museum and Center for History, and more recently the
guest curator of Aunt Lu: the Story of
Princess Watahwaso an exhibit at the Abbe
Museum in Bar Harbor, Maine.
James is an accomplished
historical researcher, photographer, filmmaker, and graphics artist. Mr.
Francis serves on the Board of Directors for Four Directions Development
Corporation, a Native American Community Development Financial Institution.
James serves on the Native American Advisory Council for the Abbe Museum
and the Native American Advisory Board for the Boston Children’s Museum and is
a lifetime member of the Maine Historical Society. He has served on the Advisory Board of the University of Maine’s
Hudson Museum
in Orono, Maine,
Board of Directors for the Bangor
Museum and Center for
History where he served as Chair of the Collections committee. James has also
served as Chair of the Penobscot Nation’s Cultural and Historic Preservation
Committee. Recently James has returned to school to pursue a Intermedia Masters
of Fine Arts degree from the University
of Maine.
Donald Soctomah, Passamaquoddy Tribal Historic Preservation Officer
Donald has been involved
with the Abbe Museum for well over a decade and has
served as curator and advisor for a number of Abbe exhibits. He served on the Abbe Board of Trustees and
was an active participant in the planning for the Abbe’s Campaign to Bring the
Abbe to the Community 1998-2001, which resulted in the Abbe’s modern facility
in downtown Bar Harbor.
Donald is the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the
Passamaquoddy at Indian
Township, a position he
has held since 2002. He is involved with
historic and archaeological work and actively works to preserve the culture of
the tribe. He is responsible for creating
the interpretation and management plan for the petroglyph site in Machiasport. His work also includes writing grants to
support cultural projects including: recordings of traditional songs, work on
the Passamaquoddy dictionary and language portal, producing films and the
building of a 20’ birchbark canoe.
Donald worked as the tribal representative to
the Maine State legislature from 1998-2002 and
from 2006-2010. Prior to that he served
for fifteen years as forest manager for the Passamaquoddy Tribe and was
responsible for overseeing 140,000 acres of forest land. Donald holds a BA in Forest Management from
the University of Maine at Orono and an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Maine at Machias. He has written eight books and has appeared
in six films. Currently he is serving on
the board of the National Tribal Historic Preservation Office, as well as on
the board of Downeast Writers at the University
of Maine at Machias.
Raney Bench, Curator
of Education at the Abbe
Museum
Raney Bench, Abbe Museum Curator of Education, was born in
Minnesota, raised in California, and has been a resident of Southwest Harbor
since moving to Maine in 2007 to work at the Abbe. Raney holds a BA in Native
American Studies from Humboldt State University,
with a minor in Anthropology/Archaeology and a MA in Museum Studies from the University of Nebraska,
Lincoln. Having
started her museum career as Director of Collections for the Fairbanks Museum
and Planetarium in St. Johnsbury,
VT, she soon found that her
interest in federal Indian policy and people kept taking her to the classroom
to teach. Raney also taught for the Community
College of Vermont
for several years. In 1998 she came to Maine
for the first time and visited the Abbe
Museum. Instantly falling
in love, she knew she wanted to work for the Abbe. "It took almost 10
years to do it, but I'm thrilled to be working for this museum. I continue to
be active in collections related work through consultation with other
museums."
Winter Break Activities!
The Abbe
Museum will host five
free programs in five days during the week of February vacation Monday,
February 18 through Friday, February 22. Whether you
are interested in learning Passamaquoddy, how to track animals in winter or how
to make a birchbark-style basket, the Abbe’s winter vacation program series
offers something for everyone.
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| Interactive and family-oriented activities also feature heavily in our exhibition Wabanaki Guides, like this "tracking challenge" that allows you to test your knowledge. And don't forget, our Family Circle is a great place for kids to learn more while visiting the Abbe! |
Tuesday the 19
– 11 am - 3 pm, the Museum
will offer a Winter Tracking Workshop as part of a series of programs
accompanying the Abbe’s new feature exhibit Wabanaki
Guides. Led by Passamaquoddy Guide
Matthew Dana, II, this workshop will start at the Abbe Museum Downtown and end
at the Acadia National Park
Visitor Center.
Participants are encouraged to bring a
bag lunch. This program is nearly full,
and reservations are required.
Please contact George Neptune to reserve a spot: george@abbemuseum.org or 288-3519.
Wednesday the 20
- The Abbe will offer two weaving programs.
Join Neptune from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm to weave
a Wabanaki-inspired paper star or come from 1:00 -3:00 pm to weave a bookmark.
Both workshops teach skills that are the first steps towards weaving a basket.
Thursday the 21
- 12:00 pm -1:00 pm This is the second installation in the Abbe’s three-part 2013
Brown Bag Lunch Series. Designed to accompany the Wabanaki Guides exhibit, this adult-oriented program will feature
Penobscot Guide Francis “Kean” Tomer, as he shares his experiences of guiding
in the Moosehead Lake Region during the 1930s and 40s.
Friday the 22 - 10:00 am -12:00 pm The Abbe will wrap up
a week of fun with a final workshop from Neptune,
this time on birchbark baskets. Join George as he demonstrates how to fold and
stitch your own birchbark-inspired basket.
All programs are free and all ages are welcome. Tuesday and
Thursday’s Wabanaki Guides-inspired
programs are made possible thanks to support from the Lynam Trust, the Margaret
E. Burnham Charitable Trust, and Acadia
National Park. For more
information on any of the programs, visit www.abbemuseum.org
or call 288-3519.
February Brown Bag Lunch
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| Join us during the Brown Bag Lunch series for a contemporary perspective to complement the history and stories you'll learn in the exhibit, Wabanaki Guides. |
This discussion is part of the larger Brown Bag Lunch series, which was introduced in 2011 to examine issues relevant to the major exhibit at that time, Headline News, and to encourage an open dialogue. It was well received and the series continued the next year with Indians and Rusticators as the topic-inspiring exhibit. This year’s lunchtime discussions will focus on themes relevant to Wabanaki Guides, the Abbe’s next major exhibit, which opened on February 7, 2013.
Guests are encouraged to bring their lunch and enjoy a mid-day discussion with Guide Francis Tomer. The program is free and open to the public.
Earlier, on February 7, the Abbe Museum will host another Brown Bag Lunch as Mount Desert Island organizations play host to Mahesh Upadhyaya, IPM (International Partners in Mission) Regional Director, South Asia. Dr. Upadhyaya will be visiting Maine and looks forward to sharing stories of the remarkable work of Women in Development from South Asia with a particular focus on IPM’s Project Partners in India and Nepal. Come learn also about IPM’s upcoming Immersion Experience to India that will be facilitated by Mahesh and IPM’s CEO, Joseph Cistone, of Mount Desert. Click here to learn more.