• Vermont has not always been “Vermont.” It was, and still is, a part of the homelands of the Western Abenaki, known as N'dakinna.

  • Historians estimate that in the early 1600s, 10,000 Abenaki lived in Vermont, hunting in the woods, fishing in the rivers, growing crops in fields, and building villages.

  • There is ample archaeological evidence demonstrating that the Missisquoi and Cowasuck (Koasek) Abenaki were Indigenous to and farmed the river floodplains of Vermont as far back as the 1100s A.D. 

  • Abenaki traditional culture is egalitarian, kinship-based, and river-centric, made up of family bands that were at times highly mobile and also centered at confluences. Abenaki cultural lifeways changed over time, as do all cultures. Intimate knowledge of the Land led to evolving and appropriate responses to natural and social conditions.

  • In more recent times, and in order to have a voice in contemporary governmental structures, some of these family bands came together to form state-recognized entities through a multi-step application process - a step beyond self-recognition.

Did you know…

Support From Vermont Leadership

“After decades of advocacy, the Abenaki communities successfully gained recognition as Native American Indian tribes in 2010, with the signing of Act No. 107, and to this day, the rich legacy of the Abenaki is celebrated through arts and cultural offerings, as well as through state and local policy that aims to address the needs and challenges of the Abenaki community in Vermont. There are now four State-recognized Native American Indian tribes in Vermont, and through mutual honor and respect for the rich heritage of the state’s indigenous people, this week we honor the centuries traditions of Vermont’s Abenaki communities.” 

Governor Phil Scott, 2022

“Today we’re here to celebrate evolution in the cause of civil rights and progress in the state of Vermont. As your Governor, I’m honored to celebrate the signing into law of the legal recognition of the Koasek Band of the Abenaki and the Missisquoi St.Francis Sokoki Band of the Abenaki as the Native American tribes in Vermont. It’s a privilege to officially recognize these tribes as part of our Vermont community, of our Vermont heritage, of our Vermont family. These recognitions are the third and fourth in this biennium since I’ve been sworn in as Governor.” 

Governor Peter Shumlin, 2012

State Recognition Process

Though the Abenaki have inhabited these homelands for many millennia, the Western Abenaki tribes of what is now Vermont were acknowledged by legislative statute in 2010, with specific communities subsequently going through a formal recognition process in 2011 and 2012. 

  • On April 22, 2011, the Elnu Abenaki Tribe and the Nulhegan Abenaki Tribe received recognition from the State of Vermont.

  • On May 7, 2012, the Abenaki Nation at Missisquoi and the Koasek Band of the Koas Abenaki Nation received recognition from the State of Vermont.

For the Vermont Abenaki, official recognition signified acknowledgment and acceptance, ended decades of official disregard and denial, and enabled a new path for future generations.

How Does State Recognition Work? 

To be eligible for recognition as a Native American Tribe in the state of Vermont, the band seeking formal state recognition must demonstrate compliance with a rigorous set of criteria to the Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs. If recommended for approval, the application must then also pass the scrutiny of the General Assembly and be signed by the governor.  To learn more visit https://vcnaa.vermont.gov/content/recognition

State Recognition Documentation

Below are links to the official legislation recognizing the four Western Abenaki tribes of Vermont, along with the official finding of the Vermont General Assembly regarding the Native American people of Vermont.