Swanton 2007
16th Abenaki Heritage Celebration
May 23rd - 24th 2009
Swanton, VT
This is a drug and alcohol-free event.
For more information:
Heritage Day celebrations that are open to the public have been held in Highgate (at the airport) from 1993 until the last two years (the 1993 event was attended by over 2,000 people, including Governor Howard Dean) and typically occur on Memorial Day weekend of each year. For the past several years, the location has been the village green in downtown Swanton.
The Abenaki Heritage Celebration is a traditional way that Abenaki observe their heritage. To the spectator, the celebration may seem to consist largely of entertainment. The true reason for this gathering is religious. We gather at the celebration to renew friendships, to exchange knowledge, and to trade skills. There is typically an area for vendors, a place of talks by Abenaki leaders and a dance arena where people dance to Abenaki musicians. In addition to Abenaki people, members of other Native American tribes as well as non-Native Vermonters and visitors to the state are in attendance.
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/
