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.
Some people call such a gathering a pow-wow. The word "pow-wow" comes from the Algonquin word "pau wau" which was used to describe medicine people and spiritual leaders. The early European settlers mistakenly thought that "pau wau" referred to the entire event where these notables came together with the people.
Our Heritage Day is a time to pray, and to hold honoring ceremonies. This celebration is the occasion when we honor our leaders and elders for their wisdom. It is when we acknowledge our children becoming women and men. Heritage Day is also the time to reaffirm our rich heritage and to teach our children what it means to be Native American, to remember the past and build the future.
We open our celebration to the public so that non-Natives may be educated in our traditional ways and learn that, although our customs and garments may be different, we are all the children of the Creator and care takers of Mother Earth.
For a list of the Dances performed at Heritage Day please see Dances
click here to see Heritage Day Pictures
To learn more about etiquette for visitors to Heritage Day and for a map of the region please see Visitor's Page
This website was funded through a Rural Business Enterprise Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.