Exciting lineup for Abbe Museum’s Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas!

The Abbe Museum is excited to announce the premiere of its Dawnland Festival of Arts and Ideas on July 12-14, 2024, at the College of the Atlantic (COA).

This multi-day event will feature a Native arts market, public performances, and panel conversations on some of the biggest questions of our time, including Weaving a Sustainable Environment, Savoring Native Food Wisdom, Recognizing Sovereignty as a Stepping Stone to an Enduring Democracy, and Arts Transforming Our Futures. 

“Native arts and cultures cannot be separated from Native ways of knowing. The Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas continues to celebrate the Native creative economy on Wabanaki homelands while lifting up Indigenous thought leadership vital to the conversation on a healthy planet and society for us all.”

Betsy Richards (Cherokee),
Executive Director & Senior Partner
with Wabanaki Nations

* * *

ARTISTS/VENDORS

More than 50 leading Native American artists from across the U.S. and Canada will share artwork ranging from ash baskets, beadwork, textiles, painting, fashion, and pottery representing the breadth and excellence of Indigenous art. 

ARTIST PROFILES >>

* * *

PANELISTS

Panel conversations will address some of the biggest questions of our time, including:

• Weaving a Sustainable Environment

• Savoring Native Food Wisdom

• Recognizing Sovereignty as a Stepping Stone to an Enduring Democracy

• Arts Transforming Our Futures. 

Panelists include scientist and author Dr. Suzanne Greenlaw (Maliseet); attorney Corey Hinton (Passamaquoddy); curator and Forge Project Executive Director Candice Hopkins (Carcross/Tagish First Nations); attorney and Brown University visiting professor Honor Keeler (Cherokee Nation); filmmaker, photographer and educator Jared Lank (Mi’kmaq); author, radio host, and former legislator Donna Loring (Penobscot); author and attorney Sherri Mitchell (Penobscot); James Beard Award-winning chef Sherry Pocknett (Wampanoag); anthropologist and scholar  Dr. Darren Ranco (Penobscot); James Beard Award-nominated Chef Joe Robbins (Penobscot); Co-CEO of Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness Lisa Sockabasin (Passamaquoddy); artist and arts and culture leader Frances Soctomah (Passamaquoddy).

PANELIST PROFILES >>

* * *

PERFORMERS

The Festival will feature concerts by award-winning musicians Firefly the Hybrid (Penobscot) and Jennifer Kreisberg (Tuscarora) as well as performances by Penobscot Nation drum group Burnurwubskek Singers; Eastern Woodlands flutist Hawk Henries (Nipmuc); singer/songwriter JJ Otero (Navajo/Hopi); and storyteller/artist Jennifer Pictou (Mi’kmaq).

PERFORMER PROFILES >>

* * *

The Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas is FREE and open to the public.

This event is supported in part by grants from the Maine Office of Tourism and the Henry Luce Foundation along with a partnership with College of the Atlantic.

For the latest Festival information, please visit:

 DAWNLANDFESTIVAL.ORG 

2023 Abbe Museum Indian Market News: Supporting Artists and Evolving for the Future

pICTURED: gABRIEL fREY, pASSAMAQUODDY; nANCY oAKLEY, mI’KMAQ; kAREN aNN hOFFMAN, Haudenosaunee; aLLEN hAZARD, Narragansett. PhotoS by HB Mertz AND aBBY lANK.

The Abbe Museum Indian Market (AMIM) is re-emerging from the necessary closures of the past few years to once again illuminate Wabanaki artistic excellence and support Tribal creative economies and artists from across Turtle Island. As AMIM returns to Bar Harbor’s Village Green for the weekend of June 2 – 4, 2023, we are also mindful of the toll the pandemic has taken on Native artists.

That's why we are delighted to announce that booth fees for all invited 2023 Abbe Museum Indian Market artists have been sponsored by a generous one-time donation from the JKW Foundation/Collective. In addition, we will also be offering the opportunity, at no cost, for artists to share their booth with a next generation Tribally-enrolled mentee of their choosing. 

We know that we are stronger when we nurture connection and support for each other. This funding opportunity helps us honor these artists as central to Native communities' health and cultural continuance, and at the same time, acknowledge the economic hardships that COVID-19 brought with it.

We know that we cannot promise sponsorships of booth fees in perpetuity but we do plan to engage in a process of listening while we plan for the evolution of this event in the future. One of our hopes is to broaden the scope of AMIM: a multi-venue, multi-day Indigenous Arts & Ideas Festival that would not only host the market but also offer audiences opportunities to hear from Wabanaki and other Native thought leaders about Indigenous values and worldviews as they relate to the big questions of our time ( eg. climate justice, food systems, wellness, democracy, technology).

We look forward to seeing you at the 2023 Abbe Museum Indian Market in June!

The Abbe Museum Welcomes New Trustees

The Abbe Museum has added nine new Trustees to its Board of Directors, bringing the total number of Trustees to 21. The new appointees assumed their roles on September 30, 2021. Please join us in welcoming this impressive group to our team!

We invite you to learn more about each appointee by clicking the “+” icon next to thier name below.

• Jane Anderson

  Dr. Jane Anderson is Associate Professor of Anthropology and Museum Studies and a Global Fellow in the Engelberg Center for Innovation Law and Policy in the Law School at New York University. Her work is focused on the philosophical and practical problems for intellectual property law and the protection of Indigenous/traditional knowledge resources and cultural heritage in support of Indigenous knowledge and data sovereignty. Jane is the co-founder (with Professor Kim Christen, Washington State University)  of Local Contexts.  Local Contexts (www.localcontexts.org)  is an initiative to support Native, First Nations, Aboriginal, Metis, Inuit and Indigenous communities in the management of intellectual property and cultural heritage specifically within the digital environment. Local Contexts provides legal, extra-legal, and educational strategies (including the TK Labels system) for navigating copyright law and creating new options for Indigenous control over vital cultural heritage.

• Joe Cistone

  As Chief Executive Officer of International Partners in Mission (IPM), Joe provides the strategic vision, leadership, and supervision of all activities, programs and staff of this multi-faith, international, non-governmental organization with offices in El Salvador, India, Kenya, and the USA. Joe was appointed a Lecturer in Ethics at Yale Divinity School in 2015 and since 2016 has served as the Pastor of Seaside UCC in Northeast Harbor, ME. A resident of Mt. Desert, Maine, Joe is married to Alyne Kemunto Cistone, a Kenyan human rights attorney, and is the proud father of Francesca, JJ, and Kemy.

• Lee Ann Francis

  Lee Ann Francis has taught at Indian island school for 19 years, where she teaches primarily Native American studies and Wabanaki languages, she also serves on the school’s Executive leadership team. She is a published author; her most recent is the children’s book Kunu’s Basket. Lee Ann is also a Penobscot Nation council member. She and her Passamaquoddy husband, Zou Francis, have three Wabanaki children.

• Julia Gray

  Julia Gray is a museum professional and archaeologist who lives in Orland, Maine. She is the executive director at the Wilson Museum in Castine (starting on Sept. 11, 2021). Prior to taking on this new adventure, Julia was part of the Abbe team for more than 17 years, working in collections, exhibits, education, and facilities. For the last few years, she had her own consulting business, Riverside Museum Solutions. She makes her home on the banks of the Narramissic River in the Penobscot homeland, with her husband John and her two dogs, Marley and Maisie.

• Natalie Dana-Lolar

  Mrs. Natalie Dana-Lolar is Passamaquoddy/Penobscot by heritage and ancestral lines. She grew up on Motahkomikuhk - Indian Township, Maine. She is a Ph.D. degree graduate student - at the University of Maine in Anthropology and Environmental Policy. She draws on ancestral inspiration and passion; that passion is for the Wabanaki people, their history, and their future understanding of archeological importance around Indigenous voice and presence and the understanding of past Indigenous lifeways both within and outside of contemporary Wabanaki communities. She is the wife of Penobscot Tribal Member - Kyle Lolar and mother of 3 exceptional children, their names are Susep, Aseli and Neyanna.

• Brenda Dana Lozada

  Brenda Dana Lozada works at Indian Township School at Motahkomikuk. She grew up at Peter Dana Point, studied at Lee Academy and at Washington County Community College, and now lives in Princeton, ME.

• Matt Polstein

  Matthew A. Polstein, of Millinocket, is a Maine native and the owner and founder of New England Outdoor Center. A registered Maine guide, he is considered a pioneer of Maine whitewater rafting and is a passionate supporter of natural and economic sustainability. He served on the Governor’s Nature-based Tourism Initiative Task Force, the Governor’s Task Force on Natural Resource-based Industries, America Outdoors, and Millinocket Town Council. He currently is developing Ktaadn Resorts, where guests will be able to meet and see the work of local artisans, bakers, potters, weavers, farmers, and others. He serves on the board of Maine Community Foundation, and is vice-chair of MCF’s Penobscot County Committee.

• Isaac St. John

  From Houlton, Maine, and a member of the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians (Wolastoqiyik), I attended Bates College in Lewiston, ME and received a Bachelor’s in Anthropology/Archaeology. From there, I worked with the National Museum of the American Indian as a resident curator for a year and a half. After that, I did CRM work down in the DC area, around historical sites. In August/September 2020, I became the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer (THPO) for my tribe. Around the same time, I started a Master’s program in Archaeology at the University of New Brunswick at Fredericton.

• Andres Verzosa

  Andy is Executive Director of Stanley-Whitman House, a historic house, museum and living history center in the land of the Tunxis or what is now known as Farmington, Connecticut. Prior to this he was Interim Executive Director and Curator of the Ogunquit Museum of American Art, and Director of Aucocisco Galleries in Portland, Maine. Andy currently serves on the boards of the Maine Historical Society and the Rotary of Farmington. He previously served on the boards of the Tides Institute & Museum of Art, Ogunquit Museum of American Art, Maine College of Art, the Quimby Family Foundation, Portland Arts and Cultural Alliance, and was a founder of Portland's First Friday Art Walk. Andy studied art history and studio art at the University of Maine and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Maine College of Art. he is married to David G. Whaples. They reside in New Britain, CT and have a summer home in Perry, ME.

From the Web - "Conversations About Aging: Wayne Newell, 77"

Wayne Newell is the father of our Executive Director and Senior Partner to the Wabanaki Nations, Chris Newell. Below we are sharing a podcast episode that presents a conversation between Wayne and Diane Atwood of "Catching Health with Diane Atwood" about his life and about aging.

Referenced in the discussion is the first volume of his edited works, which is due to be published later this year. We're all looking forward to it!

From Chris:

“My father, Wayne Newell, grew up in Sipayik (Pleasant Point, ME) with no electricity, no running water and only speaking Passamaquoddy in the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s. It wasn’t until he enrolled himself in the nun’s school that he learned how to speak, read and write English. He went straight from life on the reservation to college in Boston and later Houlton where he struggled so badly with the culture shock he flunked out of both schools. After encouragement from some key players, he made a case for the Harvard Graduate School of Education and emotionally tells how he got in and succeeded with a master’s degree. He’s part of a group Harvard calls the “original 11” as they were the first Natives accepted as part of Harvard’s re-commitment to Native education.

These are some of the stories I’ve heard all my life from my number one mentor in everything I’ve done. I’m so proud to be his son and follow his example and philosophy of life.

He’s the first Native American trustee for the University of Maine system, twice appointed by presidents Carter and Obama to the National Advisory Council on Indian Education and given the distinction by the Department of the Interior as a national living treasure among other honors. He won’t tell you all that because he’s still humble and still lives the same life he always did working to help others, so we, as his children do that for him as he deserves the recognition for his life’s work.

This is an honest conversation about his life and about aging and I encourage you all to listen. It’s a great story. Enjoy.”

Listen to the podcast below and be sure to visit Diane’s website for more from her conversation with Wayne!

Thanksgiving Truths

One of my earliest Thanksgiving memories is from Kindergarten. I remember huddling around a craft table with my classmates, grappling for crayons and pairs of scissors that weren’t sticky with glue. The class was divided in half; each student assigned to be a pilgrim or an Indian. I was an Indian, tasked with assembling my own headdress of a wide construction paper band accented with three feathers. My only concern was that my feathers didn’t stand up straight, flopping under their own weight. I never thought to question this bizarre ritual; it was simply another game of make-believe. It was also the last time Native Americans were a part of my curriculum until my high school American History teacher tackled the French and Indian War. I now understand that, since my childhood, I’ve been an active participant in an annual tradition that simplifies, commercializes, and undermines Indigenous identity. I bet this is a common memory for many of the Islander’s readers today. And we know that it’s an activity that still happens in classrooms across the U.S. 
   
The Abbe Museum’s “Truth About Thanksgiving Program” took place on Monday, November 20, 2017, and it aimed to address the false narrative of the “First Thanksgiving,” which is pervasive in early childhood education, and has become an intrinsic part of the Thanksgiving holiday. The story of the Pilgrims meeting the Wampanoag for a peaceful meal is more legend than fact. In reality, Thanksgiving as we know it was conceptualized by President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War as a means of unifying the divided nation. It was intended to be a reflection on American bounty, family, and tradition. Thanksgiving did not become an official National Holiday until 1941.

What is the harm? The “First Thanksgiving” story is taught as a parable of kindness, empathy, and overcoming differences, but it is inaccurate, simplified, and perpetuated annually by schools, books, movies, TV shows, advertisements, and decorations. There are only two brief written accounts by colonists and an oral Wampanoag account of the 1621 feast. The limited knowledge of the event allowed the dominant Eurocentric society to manipulate the story, recounting a tale of harmony, unity, and togetherness. This misrepresentation simplifies the complicated relationship between the two communities. It portrays the pilgrims as American folk heroes and romanticizes the idea of colonization, which is always a destructive act to those who are colonized. This narrative places Native Americans exclusively in the past, ignoring and erasing Indigenous survival.

As Thanksgiving has been commercialized, images of Native Americans have been used as marketing devices. We see them on cards and window clings, on commercials and in craft kits. Children dress as caricatures of Native people for school plays and activities. This perpetuates stereotypes and contributes to the continued commodification of Native culture. By addressing these difficult truths, the Abbe Museum hopes to promote conversation and ignite action. Curator of Education, Starr Kelly, explains, “it’s important to challenge preconceived notions, even when they’re popular. That’s how change happens.”

I’ll leave you with the questions that the Abbe posed at the end of the program: What makes a holiday meaningful to you? What would your Thanksgiving be like without the “First Thanksgiving” narrative? 
 

Angela Raup is the Manager of Guest Experience at the Abbe Museum. She develops learning and retail opportunities for our visitors, all within a decolonizing context and a team-based work environment. She works closely with the Curator of Education to co-develop, schedule, and deliver public educational programming, such as lectures, panels, workshops, demonstrations, films, etc. She is a Certified Interpretive Guide and enjoys utilizing elements of storytelling to create meaningful guest experiences. 

Who Was Here First?

By Bill Haviland, Abbe Museum Trustee
Previously published by Island Ad-Vantages, April 17, 2008

A question frequently asked of me is: Who were the original inhabitants of the Deer Isle region? The answer is a people who called themselves Etchemins (skicin in Passamaquoddy), meaning “real people” as opposed to animals, monsters, and other people. Their homeland, which stretched from the Kennebec to the Saint John River they called Ketakamigwa, meaning “the big land on the sea coast.” West of them lived a people the French called Armouchiquise, from the Etchemin word meaning “dog people.” Included among them were the Abenakis (“dawn land people”), whose homeland extended from the Kennebec to the Merrimack River, and west to Lake Champlain. Their name for themselves was Alnambak, meaning “real people”: the name Abenaki is what Indians living in Quebec called them.

North and east of the Etchemins lived people the French called Souriquois, known today as Mi’kmaqs (meaning “kin friends”). Their original name for themselves was U’nu’k meaning - guess what? - "humans” or “people.”

All these people spoke closely related languages and had long traded with one another. Animal hides and copper from mines in Nova Scotia were exchanged for corn and beans grown by the Abenakis. This peaceful exchange was upset in the sixteenth century with the arrival of the French in Mi’kmaq country. Redirecting their trade to these newcomers (called wenuj meaning “who is that?”) the Mi’kmaqs gained access to guns and sailing vessels, allowing them to raid their neighbors along the coast for the things they had earlier obtained through trade. Allied with them in this raiding were the Etchemins living east of Schoodic, who are known today as Passamaquoddys (“people of the pollack plenty place”) and Maliseets (or wolastoqiyik, "people of the beautiful river"). Collectively, these people were called Tarrentines (“traders”) by the English.

To defend themselves against these raiders from Downeast, the western Etchemins entered into an alliance with the Abenakis living between the Kennebec and Cape Neddick. Known as the Mawooshen Confederacy, the name means “band of people walking or acting together.” It was headed by a grand chief named Bashabas, whose headquarters was up the Penobscot River at the mouth of the Kenduskeag Stream. As was the custom when referring to people or things of exceptional prominence, he was often referred to as “The Bashabas.”

Disaster befell the Mawooshen Confederacy in 1615 when Mi’kmaq raiders managed to kill Bashabas. On top of this came “the great dying,” an epidemic that killed up to 90 percent of coastal populations. To replenish their numbers, the local Etchemins encouraged their surviving Abenaki allies, who were under pressure from the growth of English colonies to the south, to join their communities. It is these descendants of the old Mawooshen Confederacy who became known as Penobscots. Eventually, the Abenaki language became dominant among them, although some Etchemin words still persist today. Among the Passamaquoddy and Maliseet, by contrast, modern versions of the old Etchemin language are still spoken.

By 1700, in the face of continued pressures from the English, the Penobscots joined with other Abenakis as well as their former adversaries down east to form the Wabanaki ("dawn land”) Confederacy. On a grander scale, it represented a revival of the old Mawooshen idea. Still today, these people of northern New England and Canada’s Atlantic Provinces are collectively known as Wabanakis. 

About the Author
Dr. Bill Haviland is Professor Emeritus at the University of Vermont, where he founded the Department of Anthropology and taught for thirty-two years. He is a leader in his field and has written numerous research articles and books and lectured on such diverse topics as ancient Maya settlement patterns, social organization, skeletal remains, gender and graffiti in Tikal, and the culture history and present situation of Abenaki Indians in Vermont. Bill is now retired from teaching and continues research, writing, and lecturing from the coast of Maine. His most recent books are At the Place of the Lobsters and Crabs: Indian People and Deer Isle Maine 1605-2005 (2009) and Canoe Indians of Down East Maine (2012).

Guest Blogger Series
Our Guest Blogger Series is written by members of the Abbe Museum's Board of Trustees, Native Advisory Council, Staff, and special guest authors. It is a place to talk about the Museum's mission and related topics. Interested in becoming a Guest Blogger? Contact the Abbe's Director of Advancement, Heather Anderson, for more details at heather@abbemuseum.org. 

Peacebuilding at the Abbe

The World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates is the largest annual event in peacemaking. Needless to say, attending an event such as this is an incredibly daunting task—especially when you’ve been chosen to be the first Native youth delegate to attend.

Why was I chosen? Could they not find someone better? What if I speak too strongly, or am not strong enough? What if I misrepresent my people? What if?

These questions raced through my mind at what seemed like a thousand times per second as I checked in at the Bar Harbor International Airport. With my hand drum and my mother’s eagle feather tucked into a compartment on the wing of the tiny plane, I embarked on a journey that already felt like one of the most significant and terrifying experiences of my life. 

I was excited to be able to hear from the Nobel Laureate’s directly—last year, due to various political reasons, the Summit was postponed and I attended the Global Youth Peace Indaba in Capetown, South Africa, instead. I knew that the Summit would be very different from the Indaba, and the chance to be able to ask questions of today’s leading peacemakers made me feel nervous and intimidated. I arrived in Barcelona, Spain, prepared to consider ways in which peacebuilding can be incorporated into my work at the Abbe Museum and armed with the goal of creating the first Native Youth Delegation to the Summit in 2016. After visiting the city in high school and spending three months there as an undergraduate, it was as if I was returning to a home away from home.

Plaza Espanya, Barcelona

After one brief evening of getting to know the other delegates, the Summit began like a whirlwind. The opening ceremony and sessions took place at the Universitat de Barcelona and began with a welcome by the mayor of the city, Ada Colau. I found that even though I hadn’t heard the Catalán language since I left the city in 2008, I understood the majority of what was said! Not only did Mayor Colau express gratitude to the Laureates and Secretariat for choosing Barcelona, but she also set the tone for the rest of the Summit by publicly stating that Barcelona would welcome Syrian refugees. This led to larger discussions regarding refugees, with other Laureates pointing out the fact that this is not a new humanitarian crisis, and that the root causes of war must be eliminated in order to create peace. Laureate Mairead Maguire, from Northern Ireland, stated that eliminating the roots of war—specifically, ending militarism—would ultimately be up to young people. She believes that the youth is more ingenious than previous generations, and she apologized to the youth delegates for the world that would one day be handed to us.

Me and Nobel Laureate Mairead Maguire.

Laureate Mohammed Yunus, from Bangladesh, echoed Maguire’s message, stating that creating a new civilization is the mission of our generation. He stated that, with 20 million refugees around the globe, the world needs direction from the peace Laureates. His message was that the concentration of wealth and the unemployment of young people worldwide ultimately makes for an unsustainable society; he encouraged that we, as human beings, are not job seekers but job creators and that unemployment is the artificial creation of wrong-thinking. If we are to achieve the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals by the year 2030, then we, as young people, needed to take action. These goals are meant to serve as guiding steps to achieving sustainable world peace.

Each of the youth delegations nominated two participants to contribute to the creation of the 2015 Youth Declaration of Peace, which would be composed of declarations pertaining to each of the Sustainable Development Goals. Students and young activists from around the world discussed ways in which we, as young people, can work to achieve these goals, and working with my colleagues from LUISS (Libera Università Internazionale degli Studio Sociali Guido Carli), Oxford University, and PeaceJam, the following was written to accompany goal number ten, “Reducing Inequalities:”    

Financial inequality, ongoing colonization, refusal of reconciliation, institutionalized and non-institutionalized discrimination, and the disparate distribution and development of agricultural and medical resources are just a few of the challenges concerning the reduction of inequality; the role of youth is key to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals through raising awareness and constantly learning; an effective preliminary solution for eliminating these social constructs is to encourage the unconditional appreciation of all human life (The Youth Declaration of Peace).

Me and other Youth Delegates after the American Friends Service Committee Workshop.

I knew that the Youth Declaration was going to be read during the closing ceremony of the Summit, but I was still surprised when my colleagues informed me that, while I was in the restroom, they had unanimously decided that I would read our section. Aloud. On a stage. In front of all the participating Laureates. The next morning, I met with the other delegates assigned to read the declaration and prepared to read in front of the world’s leaders in peacebuilding. I was, to say the least, absolutely terrified, and have never been more thankful for my theater degree. With my drum keeping my hands steady and my mother’s feather giving me strength, I walked on stage with representatives from the other delegations.

Me at Font Magica, Barcelona

My experiences in Barcelona were far too many for me to effectively summarize in one blog post. I reconnected with old friends while making amazing new ones; returned to a city that I adore; was able to ask questions of incredible peace builders including Jody Williams (a driving force in the launching of an international campaign against landmines), Tawakkol Karman (she has been called the "Iron Woman" and "Mother of the Revolution"), and Frederik Willem de Klerk (the former State President of South Africa!), and excitedly told anyone that would listen how the Abbe tackles social justice issues in a museum setting. Now, I’m conducting research to create the FIRST EVER Native Youth Delegation to the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates for 2016, and couldn’t be more excited to be a part of this history!

Me and Nobel Laureate Jody Williams

There were an infinite amount of meaningful messages received at the Summit. If I were to boil all of these messages down into core lessons, they would be as follows: Mohammed Yunus taught me that youth is key to making change; Mairead Maguire reaffirmed that dialogue is essential to making peace; Frederik Willem de Klerk encouraged that reconciliation is essential to decolonization, and Jody Williams stressed that empathy must be converted into action. With these lessons being added to my peacebuilding toolkit, it is my hope to share these messages with other Indigenous youth and ultimately contribute to the cultivation of sustainable peace, and create a world that my grandchildren will be proud to be a part of.

Thank you to the American Friends Service Committee, an amazing organization that made my journey possible.

Welcome Eli!

Eli Mellen at TEDx Dirigo.

The Abbe is thrilled to welcome Eli Mellen to the staff as our new Office and Database Manager. Eli grew up in Washington D.C. and moved to Mount Desert Island to attend the College of the Atlantic, where he received both his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Human Ecology. His senior and graduate theses both explored the design of systems that cultivate and encourage connection and communication with a focus on building community. He bring experience working on MDI by way of College of the Atlantic, the Naturalist’s Notebook and A&B Naturals and also works as a freelance designer. Eli was recently named a Treehouse Fellow and presented at TEDx Dirigo as a part of this fellowship.

“I'm thrilled to be part of the Abbe's team,” says Mellen. “I love community and sharing. Working at the Abbe, I'll be able to help share new learning about the Wabanaki community and its culture with the others.” 

Eli will be taking over many of Johannah’s former responsibilities along with some of John Brown’s as he shapes this new position and offers his many talents and areas of expertise to the museum. Welcome Eli!

Winter Gathering!

The fourth annual Winter Gathering was held on February 28 at the Abbe.  A number of our Gathering Gala guests, volunteers, sponsors and auction donors joined us for savory treats made by members of the gala committee, as well as an assortment of beautiful smoked seafood donated by Sullivan Harbor Farm.  This event is a way for us to thank our generous Gala supporters in the "off-season" and enjoy some one on one conversations in a relaxed atmosphere.  Guests also had a chance to enjoy the new exhibit, Twisted Path III and to see the new lighting fixture changes in our Main Gallery that are a result of the Greening the Abbe Initiative, which was launched during our first paddle raise at the 2012 Gala.

The 2014 Gathering Gala will be held on Wednesday, July 30, 2014.  Please SAVE THE DATE and plan to join us for another fabulous event to support Abbe exhibits, projects and programs.

High School Student Completes Independent Study at the Abbe

For the past three weeks, the Abbe welcomed George Stevens Academy junior, Leah Tallent, who completed an independent study at the museum.  Leah had expressed interest in conducting her independent study at the museum with the goal of learning more about the behind-the-scenes operation of museums. Over the course of her work here, Leah catalogued 18 boxes of books in our library and assisted the Curator of Education with the development of a new staff training binder.  She was invaluable to us and we are sorry to see her go!  Leah joined a long line of high school students who have turned to the Abbe as a resource for independent studies. For more information on such opportunities, please contact Curator of Education, Jennifer Pictou, at jennifer@abbemuseum.org

March Brown Bag Lunch with Gabe Frey

Twisted Path III is the third incarnation in a series of exhibits that feature contemporary Native American art. This year’s exhibit theme, Questions of Balance, focuses on indigenous perspectives on environmental impact and conservation, and invites visitors to consider Native American concerns about the environment through the lens of contemporary art.  Gabriel Frey works in many mediums, focusing on painting/drawing and basketry.  Known for his superior quality utility baskets, Gabriel strives to create traditional, functional pieces with a decorative, contemporary twist. This program is free and open to the public.

Grandfather (oil on canvas painting) and pack basket by Gabe Frey,          both part of Twisted Path III

Children's Ash Basket Workshop

Join us on Saturday, March 15 from 12:00 - 3:00 pm for a chance to learn traditional weaving techniques with Abbe Museum Educator and Master Basketmaker George Neptune!  With the bottom of the basket started, bring your child (or your parents!) in to learn how to weave an ash basket (Children under 7 may require parental assistance).  At the end of the workshop, you will have your own small basket with an ash handle to take home with you. This program is free, but space is limited,so please contact George Neptune to make reservations, george@abbemuseum.org or 207-288-3519.  All ages are welcome, but priority will be given to children.

Patricia Michaels' visit to the Abbe

Last week, the Abbe Museum welcomed Patricia Michaels, fashion designer from Taos Pueblo and finalist on Project Runway, Season 11 to Bar Harbor. Patricia arrived on Wednesday as snow flurried down and instantly set to work installing her pieces for Twisted Path III. Her laughter and stories filled the exhibit hall and it was an honor to watch her work.

On Thursday, Patricia entertained attendees at the first Brown Bag Lunch with the many colorful stories from her life. Patricia and her companion, James, both joined us for the exhibit's opening, during which she graciously spent a great deal of time in the exhibit with attendees, sharing insight on her four pieces.

We are grateful to both Patricia and James for making the trip all the way to Maine and we hope to welcome them back before too long! In the meanwhile, come see Patricia's designs in the exhibit and peruse her scarves and other items in the Abbe Museum Shop.

Patricia installs her piece "Out on a Limb"

Patricia installs her piece "Anasazi Waterfall"

Patricia installs her piece "The Patron Saint of Fashion and Textiles"

Patricia installs "Read Head"

Patricia's scarves are now for sale in the museum shop.

The exhibit opens!

Celebrating with Twisted Path III artists and Abbe staff.

Keep up with the Abbe's Collections

The Abbe Museum's collections comprise more than 50,000 objects representing 10,000 years of Native American culture and history in Maine, including the present. - See more at: http://www.abbemuseum.org/research/collections/index.html#sthash.ACZty7mf.dpuf

The Abbe Museum's collections comprise more than 50,000 objects representing 10,000 years of Native American culture and history in Maine, including the present. And additions are made each year, under the expert supervision of Curator of Collections, Julia Clark. Each new piece in collections is photographed and shared on our Flickr page; a wonderful way to keep up with new acquisitions. These acquisitions are made possible through two funds, the Diane Kopec fund and the Friends of the Collection Fund. If you'd like to make a gift to one of these funds, please contact Director of Development, Hannah Whalen at hannah@abbemuseum.org or by calling 207-288-3519.

A few recent collections additions:

Basket by Theresa Secord, Penobscot

“One Drawing a Day for One Month,” desk calendar, James Eric Francis, Sr., Penobscot, November 2013

Drum, 13” elk hide, round, blue/purple tie-dyed, by Robert Muise, Micmac, 2013

Corn basket by George Neptune, Passamaquoddy, 2013. Brown ash and sweetgrass.

February Vacation Programming

February vacation is next week, and the Abbe invites you to come on down to the museum for a couple of programs specially designed for children by Museum Educator, George Neptune. All programs and museum admission are free and open to all! Please note that registration is required for the Wampum Belt workshop. See details below.

Tuesday, February 18, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Winter in the Dawnland: Wabanaki Stories and Craft Activity

In Wabanaki culture, the winter season was traditionally a time of quiet introspection and, most importantly, a time to share traditional stories.  In this new program series designed for children, each month will feature a different traditional story from the Wabanaki tribes and a craft activity that relates to the story. This month, hear stories about Polawec and his magical wikuwam, the girl with the Invisible Husband, and the Pine Marten’s magical birchbark dish—then, make your own imitation birchbark basket or peaked cap to decorate and take home with you!

Wednesday, February 19, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm

Wampum of the Wabanaki: Children's Wampum Belt workshop

In this workshop, designed for families, learn some of the ways the Wabanaki used wampum, or the polished shell of a quahog clam.  Wampum belts were used to keep records—is there something in your life that you would like to commemorate?  After learning about traditional Wabanaki wampum belts, design your own belt to be woven out of imitation shell beads to symbolize a life event that has significant meaning for you and your family.

 

Free and open to the public. Registration required, contact George at george@abbemuseum.org or call (207)288-3519.

"Twisted Path III" Opens!

On Thursday, February 6, the Abbe opened the doors to the new feature exhibit, Twisted Path III: Questions of Balance, and that evening the hallways of the museum were flooded with excitement as guests poured in to celebrate the new exhibit. Several of the artists were in attendance, and partygoers had the opportunity to hear them speak about their artistic works. It was truly an exceptional evening, with remarks given by Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko, President and CEO, Rick Hunt, Guest Curator and Twisted Path creator and artists, and Patricia Michaels, fashion designer from the Taos Pueblo and finalist on Project Runway, Season 11. Delicious food graciously prepared by the Abbe's Culinary Arts Committee capped-off the evening. Thank you to everyone who attended! The new exhibit could not have received a more enthusiastic reception.

This exhibit is made possible thanks to support from the Sharpe Family Foundation/Douglas & Ann Sharpe, an Anonymous Foundation, the Fisher Charitable Foundation, and the Hattie A. & Fred C. Lynam Trust. Corporate sponsorship comes from The First Bank, with additional support from the Maine Arts Commission, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, MPBN, and the Bangor Daily News.

Some images from the opening:

Artist Gina Brooks discusses her pieces.

Patricia Michaels talks about her designs.

Artists Shane Perley-Dutcher and Gina Brooks celebrate the opening.

Patricia Michaels and Abbe President and CEO, Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko

Meet Abigail Dangler, "Twisted Path III" Intern

Abby helps mount exhibit panels for Twisted Path III.

Over the past couple months, as a tremendous amount of hard work went into Twisted Path III: Questions of Balance, the exhibit team received help from Abbe volunteer and intern on the exhibit, Abigail Dangler. Abby is a senior at the Mount Desert Island High School and originally volunteered with the museum during the 2013 Gathering Gala. During December and January, Abby worked several afternoons a week, helping deconstruct Wabanaki Guides and prepare the exhibit hall for Twisted Path III. Now that the exhibit is up, we grabbed a few minutes of Abby's time and asked her to reflect on her experience volunteering and interning at the museum.

What led to your interest in volunteering and then interning at the Abbe Museum? 
I will be going to college soon, and I am interested in art and natural history. I figured that spending some time at the Abbe Museum would be a good way to get some more experience in those field as well as see how a museum operates and gain some insight into the museum world.


What did you do in your work on "Twisted Path III"?
A lot of different things! I painted walls, removed letters from the walls, cut mat boards, and other tasks to help prepare for the exhibit.


What did you find particularly interesting during your work on the exhibit?
Because I was not here every day, I got to really appreciate how much happened between the days I'd work. It amazed me how quickly the whole exhibit came together. I really appreciated seeing the process; so much work went into creating that exhibit and, at the same time, the work happened really quickly, I thought.

What would you say to anyone considering volunteering or interning at the Abbe?
Do it! Everyone here is so nice and it was a huge amount of fun.


What is your favorite aspect about the exhibit?
The day I came and all the pieces were on the walls and in the cases, I was so struck by how beautiful all the art is. And then I came back and the artist statements were on the wall and that made me appreciate the pieces all the more. I really like that combination of art and statement. 

For more information about volunteer opportunities at the Abbe Museum, contact Curator of Education, Jennifer Pictou at jennifer@abbemuseum.org or call 207-288-3519.

Abbe President and CEO travels to Washington for Museums Advocacy Day

Abbe President and CEO, Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko will travel to Washington, D.C. on February 24-25 to participate in Museums Advocacy Day, during which over 300 museum professionals from across the country journey to the capitol to make the case for federal support of America's museums.


Museums Advocacy Day is the embodiment of the Constitutional right of citizens to petition the government, and a basic exercise in democracy, whereby average citizens have their voices heard in Congress. Catlin-Legutko will meet with Maine's representatives and present powerful data on the economic, educational, and community impact museums make both locally and nationally. 

Stay tuned for a report after Advocacy Day!

Catlin-Legutko meets with Senator Collins during Museums Advocacy Day, 2013

Exhibit Opening for "Twisted Path III"

We are excitedly preparing for the new feature exhibit, Twisted Path III, Questions of Balance, opening to the public on Thursday, February 6. The evening before we will celebrate the new exhibit with a special opening reception, from 5:00 - 7:00pm on Wednesday, February 5. You must RSVP to attend this event, so please contact Abbe Director of Development, Hannah Whalen, if you are interested in attending - hannah@abbemuseum.org or 207-288-3519. 

For now, we give you a teaser of what you will see when Twisted Path returns.

Photograph by Nicholas Galanin

Color of Conflicting Values, by Shan Goshorn

Dress by Patricia Michaels

Abbe Offers Free Admission, Sponsored by Machias Savings Bank

Breaking News! The Abbe Museum will be offering free admission half of the year beginning this February.

The museum, which is celebrating its 86^th year on Mount Desert Island, has a long-standing commitment to serving the local community, with much of the museum’s educational programs offered free of any additional charge after museum admission, and this year the Abbe is taking that commitment even further.

“The decision to offer free admission from November through April was a natural one,” explains Abbe President and CEO, Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko. “We really have two audiences here at the museum. During the summer and fall, we serve a large number of tourists as visitors pour onto the island from around the country and the world, via car, bus and cruise ship. During the winter and spring, the local people, who are often too busy working in the summer, come back to the museum for film events, exhibit openings and other educational programs.. In recent years we have really been focusing on how to deepen our connection to the year-round community, both on Mount Desert Island and beyond, and we feel that free admission during the quieter months is a really good way to do so.”

The first year of free admission is made possible through the support of Machias Savings Bank. “Machias Savings Bank is very pleased to be able to support this effort,” said Bar Harbor Branch Manager, Matt Horton.  “The Abbe does so much to help bring awareness about the Wabanaki Nations to the general public.  It is an incredible resource to have right here in our own backyard and we are happy to be part of making it even more accessible for the local community and all of Maine.”

Matt Horton, Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko and Abbe Director of Development, Hannah Whalen

The Abbe is currently closed for the month of January, as they take down last year’s feature exhibit, Wabanaki Guides and install the new feature exhibit, Twisted Path III, Questions of Balance.When the museum reopens on February 6, the doors will open to that new feature exhibit and admission will be free for all. Free admission begins February 6 through the end of April, and begins again November 1.