Abbe Museum Named Maine’s First Smithsonian Affiliate

Harold Closter and Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko

The Abbe Museum in Bar Harbor, Maine has been accepted as a Smithsonian Affiliate. This affiliation establishes a long-term partnership between the Museum and the Smithsonian Institution. There are currently 179 Smithsonian Affiliates in 42 states, Puerto Rico and Panama. The Abbe Museum is Maine’s first affiliate. 

“Becoming a Smithsonian Affiliate will support exciting collaborations between our organizations, while dramatically expanding the Abbe Museum’s visibility in the market place and in Maine’s cultural community,” says Abbe CEO, Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko. “Collaborative projects are key to the Abbe’s strategic direction. The Smithsonian is an incredible institution with tremendous scope in reach and resources. We are thrilled to share those resources with our community and members.”

The partnership will provide the Abbe Museum access to the Smithsonian Institution’s many resources, including its 136 million object collections, scholarships, and educational opportunities for staff, traveling exhibits, and membership benefits. Additionally, the Abbe and the Smithsonian will begin to pursue collaborations with one another, spreading the work of both cultural institutions. 

“The Abbe Museum,” noted Harold A. Closter, director of Smithsonian Affiliations, “is well-recognized for its outstanding collections, first-class exhibits, professional staff and commitment to education.  With a mission that so thoroughly matches the work of the Smithsonian, we are honored to welcome the Abbe Museum into the family of Smithsonian Affiliates and look forward to working with this impressive organization to help preserve the rich heritage of Maine and share the inspiring stories of its people.”

Collaboration with the Smithsonian is something in which the Abbe Museum already has experience. When Abbe’s downtown location opened, the Museum borrowed three collection items for the exhibit Four Molly’s: Women of the Dawn, guest curated by Bunny McBride. 

On May 23rd, the Smithsonian traveling exhibit IndiVisible: African-Native American Lives in the Americas will go on display in the Abbe where it will remain through August 4th. The exhibit comes to the Abbe through the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), and explores the intersection of American Indian and African American cultures. The exhibit shares 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. IndiVisible was developed by the National Museum of the American Indian with the National Museum of African American History and Culture. 

The Abbe has long enjoyed a relationship with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI), particularly working together in the development of educational programming.  

Finally, a current Abbe Board Member, member of the Passamaquoddy tribe and renowned Native artist, David Moses Bridges, has worked extensively with the Smithsonian Institution as a researcher, consultant, and educator.

“I was very excited to learn of our relationship with the Smithsonian,” says Moses Bridges. “I have always been impressed by the Smithsonian’s commitment to include Native people as the caretakers and interpreters of the collections they oversee. By recognizing the family connection between objects and communities they have set a new standard of museum relationship with indigenous people. The Affiliations program allows the Abbe Museum and its visitors access to the greatest collection of Indigenous art in the world. Anyone who has stepped inside the Smithsonian will understand that the Abbe Museum’s new affiliation with the Smithsonian is surely something to be excited about.”

Smithsonian Affiliations, established in 1996, is a national outreach program that develops collaborative partnerships with museums and educational and cultural organizations to share Smithsonian Institution resources with citizens in their own communities. The program works with Affiliates to enrich communities with Smithsonian scholars, public programs, and professional development opportunities. Affiliate partner organizations demonstrate excellence in their work and commitment to the Smithsonian emphasis on heritage, preservation, and education.

Media availability: Abbe staff members and Smithsonian staff members are available for interviews. Please contact Johannah Blackman: johannah@abbemuseum.org, 207-288-3519.
 

Abbe Museum named Maine's first Smithsonian Affiliate!

The Abbe Museum in Bar Harbor, Maine has been accepted as a Smithsonian Affiliate. This affiliation establishes a long-term partnership between the museum and the Smithsonian Institution. There are currently 179 Smithsonian Affiliates in 42 states, Puerto Rico and Panama. The Abbe Museum is Maine’s first affiliate.

“Becoming a Smithsonian Affiliate will support exciting collaborations between our organizations, while dramatically expanding the Abbe Museum’s visibility in the market place and in Maine’s cultural community,” says Abbe CEO, Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko. “Collaborative projects are key to the Abbe’s strategic direction. The Smithsonian is an incredible institution with tremendous scope in reach and resources. We are thrilled to share those resources with our community and members.”

The partnership will provide the Abbe Museum access to the Smithsonian Institution’s many resources, including its 136 million object collections, scholarships and educational opportunities for staff, traveling exhibits and membership benefits. Additionally, the Abbe and the Smithsonian will begin to pursue collaborations with one another, spreading the work of both cultural institutions.

“The Abbe Museum,” noted Harold A. Closter, director of Smithsonian Affiliations, “is well-recognized for its outstanding collections, first-class exhibits, professional staff and commitment to education.  With a mission that so thoroughly matches the work of the Smithsonian, we are honored to welcome the Abbe Museum into the family of Smithsonian Affiliates and look forward to working with this impressive organization to help preserve the rich heritage of Maine and share the inspiring stories of its people.”

Collaboration with the Smithsonian is something in which the Abbe Museum already has experience. When Abbe’s downtown location opened, the museum borrowed three collection items for the exhibit

Four Molly’s: Women of the Dawn

, guest curated by Bunny McBride.

On May 23rd, the Smithsonian traveling exhibit

IndiVisible: African-Native American Lives in the Americas

will go on display in the Abbe where it will remain through August 4

th

. The exhibit comes to the Abbe through the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), and explores the intersection of American Indian and African American cultures. The exhibit shares 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.

IndiVisible

was developed by the National Museum of the American Indian with the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

The Abbe has long enjoyed a relationship with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI), particularly working together in the development of educational programming.

Finally, a current Abbe Board Member, member of the Passamaquoddy tribe and renowned Native artist, David Moses Bridges, has worked extensively with the Smithsonian Institution as a researcher, consultant and educator. “I was very excited to learn of our relationship with the Smithsonian,” says Moses Bridges. “I have always been impressed by the Smithsonian’s commitment to include Native people as the caretakers and interpreters of the collections they oversee. By recognizing the family connection between objects and communities they have set a new standard of museum relationship with indigenous people. The Affiliations program allows the Abbe Museum and its visitors access to the greatest collection of Indigenous art in the world. Anyone who has stepped inside the Smithsonian will understand that the Abbe Museum’s new affiliation with the Smithsonian is surely something to be excited about.”

Smithsonian Affiliations, established in 1996, is a national outreach program that develops collaborative partnerships with museums and educational and cultural organizations to share Smithsonian Institution resources with citizens in their own communities. The program works with Affiliates to enrich communities with Smithsonian scholars, public programs, and professional development opportunities. Affiliate partner organizations demonstrate excellence in their work and commitment to the Smithsonian emphasis on heritage, preservation and education.

Welcome, Allison!

The Abbe Museum is pleased to welcome Allison Shank as our new Manager of Guest & Creative Services!

Allison began her work with the Abbe as the exhibit coordinator for Wabanaki Guides.  She is pictured here at the exhibit opening, alongside Curator of Education, Raney Bench, who was one of the co-curators for this exhibit.  Wabanaki Guides will be on view until December of 2013.

Originally from Pennsylvania, Allison moved to MDI with her husband in Fall of 2012 after earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in Design and Digital Media from Messiah College.  She began work at the Abbe as the Exhibit Coordinator before moving into her current position, which includes managing the gift shop staff and inventory, exhibit development and fabrication, and all in-house graphic design.  Other than Maine and Pennsylvania, Allison has lived in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Samarkand, Uzbekistan, which are all very different from each other but incredible experiences all the same!  Allison loves sweet coffee, Robert Hass poetry, a good run, road trips with her husband, Pinterest, and sandwiches.

As mentioned, Allison will manage the Abbe Museum's shop and guest services program, and create design-work that will give the Abbe a consistent aesthetic online, onsite, and in print.  Allison began working with the Abbe Museum as a contracted exhibit coordinator earlier this year, and will continue to work with the coordination, design, and fabrication of Abbe exhibits.  Allison will carry her design and retail expertise into the Abbe Shop and orientation areas of the Abbe Museum--so get ready to be greeted with a whole new look!  Stop in throughout the year to see what's new!

Johannah Blackman

We'd also like to congratulate Johannah Blackman on her promotion from Marketing and Events Coordinator to Manager of Museum Services. You may have met Johannah since she started at the Abbe Museum this past September. Read her introductory post here.

If you would like to welcome Allison to the Abbe Team, send her an email at allison@abbemuseum.org or call 207-288-3519.

Wabanaki Placenames Tour

Join us for a special experience during the first-ever Wabanaki Placenames Tour of Mount Desert Island!

For example, can you guess which place is named Putuwewiw?  Putuwewiw means "it blows water," and tour guests will have a short stop to enjoy this place while listening to whale stories and other relevant legends.  Not sure which well known place this might be?  Come along with us on June 1 to find out!

The tour will focus on Wabanaki Place Names on Mount Desert Island, traveling to and visiting several of the places mentioned in the tour.  Each name has a unique meaning for the place that it represents, and on the tour you will learn about the names' meanings and significance for the Wabanaki people.  At each stop, you will hear Passamaquoddy and Penobscot legends that relate to that stop, and learn about each place in a historical context.  Join Museum Educator and Passamaquoddy Tribal Member George Neptune in this special tour, co-sponsored by Oli's Trolley.  Contact George Neptune, Abbe Museum Educator for reservations at george@abbemuseum.org or 207-288-3519.

Space is limited, and tickets for this special 3-hour tour are $30 per person ($20 for Abbe Museum Members).  The tour will take place on Saturday, June 1 and will promptly depart from the Downtown Abbe Museum at 10:00 AM to return at 1:00 PM.

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.

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!

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.

Spring is here and our program calendar is full of exciting activities, indoors and out!  Check our online calendar for all of the details about upcoming programs, events, lectures, workshops.

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

EVENTS:

Save the Date:

• July 6 : Native American Festival and Basketmakers Market
• July 17: The Abbe Museum's Gathering Gala

• 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.

Illustration by Francis Back, courtesy US NPS/St Croix Island International Historic Site

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.

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

pechakuchamdi.blogspot.com

. 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:

• July 6 : Native American Festival and Basketmakers Market
• July 17: The Abbe Museum's Gathering Gala

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.

Click here for a detailed schedule of these activities.

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)

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

Richard Cleary

, 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

Richard

or

Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko

, Abbe CEO, for more information. Nominations for the 2013 election cycle will be accepted until May 14, 2013.

A current list of Board & Staff can be found here.

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
  

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.

Spring is just around the corner, and our program calendar is nearly done!  Check our online calendar regularly, because the updates will be posted soon!  What’s been planned?  Basket workshops, tracking workshops, children and family programs, artist demonstrations, musical performances, and much, much more!

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 55^th 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 full list of winners can be found here.

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:

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.

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!

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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

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. 

Wabanaki Guides Exhibit Preview

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:

After some classroom style learning, the tracking begins...look over there!

The group found eleven different types of animal tracks during the workshop.

Passamaquoddy Guide Matt Dana leads the group.

The 2013 Winter Tracking Workshop Team!

Abbe Educator George Neptune helped 23 participants create colorful woven stars!

The stars could be decorated with beads and more, and were inspired by ash stars made by artist Lee DeCora Francis.

Bookmarks, usually made of ash and sweetgrass, were created from cardstock and embroidery floss.

George learned that excited participants sometimes finish crafts quickly, so he then lead families on a tour through Abbe exhibits.

A young visitor plays with an interactive element of our newest exhibit, Wabanaki Guides.

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.

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!