The Nulhegan Abenaki Cultural Education Program is a historically accurate educational framework that connects the Abenaki people to traditional artforms, as well as land and water resources. Developed with input from the Abenaki Tribal Council and other key groups, the program’s goal was to offer workshops led by indigenous experts on traditional arts, stories, and customs. The program also focuses on producing historically accurate materials and props, incorporating them into educational kits that will be made available to educators throughout Vermont and in the Lake Champlain Basin.
Workshops took place at several locations, including Abenaki landholdings and events in Burlington, Shelburne, Stowe, Morrisville, and Elmore. The initiative served tribal members, indigenous people, and the general public, aiming to foster cultural understanding and appreciation. The program’s primary outputs were three educational components: workshops, educational kits with activity guides, and lesson plans. The workshops, guided by the Nulhegan Abenaki Cultural Education Program Committee, featured expert demonstrations of traditional skills, which were then used to develop educational resources.
Each educational kit included activity guides, replicated artifacts like bark baskets, and instructional materials for skills such as animal tracking. These kits also contained informational pages that provided historical context and details about the use and significance of the artifacts and skills. The program aimed to preserve and promote Abenaki cultural heritage while providing practical resources for both tribal members and the wider community.