History

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=220 BGCOLOR="#006600" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <B><IMG SRC="04797a40.gif" border=0 width="151" height="164" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B><FONT SIZE="7" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Papyrus" ><B>Koasek Traditional Band Of the Koas Abenaki Nation</B></FONT></div> <div> <B><~<~>~<~>~<~>~<->~<~>~<~>~<~>~></B></div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=190 BGCOLOR="#006600" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <B>~~~~~~~~~~~~</B></div> <div> <B>History</B><B> </B></div> <div> <B> </B><A HREF="recognition.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Recognition"><U><B>Recognition</B></U></A><B> </B></div> <div> <A HREF="registrar_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Registrar "><U><B>Registrar</B></U></A><B> </B></div> <div> <A HREF="nawihla___pow_wow_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="NAWIHLA: Pow Wow "><U><B>NAWIHLA: </B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="nawihla___pow_wow_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="NAWIHLA: Pow Wow "><U><B>Pow Wow</B></U></A><B> </B></div> <div> <A HREF="band_events_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Band Events "><U><B>Band Events</B></U></A><B> </B></div> <div> <A HREF="news_releases_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="News Releases "><U><B>News Releases</B></U></A><B> </B></div> <div> <B> </B><A HREF="band_contacts.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Band Contacts"><U><B>Band Contacts</B></U></A><B> </B></div> <div> <A HREF="koasek_band__thanks_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Koasek Band Thanks "><U><B>Koasek Thanks </B></U></A><B> </B></div> <div> <A HREF="white_pine_association.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="White Pine Association"><U><B>White Pine Association</B></U></A><B> </B></div> <div> <A HREF="links_of_interest_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links Of Interest "><U><B>Links Of Interest </B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="guestbook.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Guestbook"><U><B>Guestbook </B></U></A></div> <div> <B>~~~~~~~~~~~</B></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=260 BGCOLOR="#006600" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="04700a42dwnpjk.gif"> <div> <B>Koas History</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="114e8e40.jpg" border=0 width="232" height="228" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B><U>Meaning of the Koasek Logo</U></B></div> <div> <B>#1 The entire circle representing unity</B></div> <div> <B> </B></div> <div> <B>#2 The circle is divided in a 4 directions ...4 colors</B></div> <div> <B>    At the rising sun ( waban)  the yellow stripe the waban aki people: the east</B></div> <div> <B>    At the Dawn ( nakilo Kisos) ...the black stripe ( land of prayers and forests): the west</B></div> <div> <B>     North: ( phon) , the white stripe representing the spirit of the ancestors land where they rest</B></div> <div> <B>    At the South ( shawanung) the of summer represented by the red stripe</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>#3 Mountains ( watso ) representing the Abenaki people of New Hampshire, Vermont and Quebec (and also today the Alliance of Historic Bands: Koasek Traditional Band of the Koas, Nulhegan, El Nu and Missisquoi St Francis Sokoki Band of the Abenaki Nation) by the mountains touching each other in unity</B></div> <div> <B> </B></div> <div> <B>#4 The three pines ( Abenakis of New Hampshire Vermont and Quebeec (and the Alliance) are in touch with the branches</B></div> <div> <B> </B></div> <div> <B>#5 Water ( nebe)  3 rivers (sibo) running in one direction ( unity)</B></div> <div> <B> </B></div> <div> <B>#6 the Sun ( kisos) at the eastern door representing the renewal of a nation the father of Mother -Earth (andakina) </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <B><U><IMG SRC="10dd3660.jpg" border=0 width="467" height="358" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></B></div> <div> <B>The Koasek Traditional Band of the Koas and sub-band El Nu, like most Native American communities, is land based </B><B>with attachments to a specific region.  Over 94% of our tribal citizens presently live or families have lived for generations within the Newbury, Vermont and Haverhill, NH area. </B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="11bbb100.jpg" border=0 width="699" height="528" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>For hundreds of years the Koasek people have lived as proud community members with all people yet knowing our Abenaki neighbors in the area and our history with a continual mission to nurture our cultural identity and traditions.  </B></div> <div> <B>In 2006, we were approached by another group outside our immediate area asking us to become an organized tribal council with them.  We welcomed the idea and worked hard to help an even larger Abenaki area. However, after three years it became clear to us because of our connection to the land base of home we had a much different traditional values and views so hundreds of Koasek of the Koas citizens separated away to carry on in our own territory as we have for many generations.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="10e24560.jpg" border=0 width="292" height="342" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="10980d30.jpg" border=0 width="384" height="467" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="10715560.jpg" border=0 width="277" height="342" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>(A Closeup of a 1771 Map of the Connecticut River; Showing the Koasek Village)</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The Koasek citizens of Newbury, VT and Haverhill, NH area strive to preserve the history of the Koas Meadows (also known as the Oxbow) and work hand in hand with the Non Native communities as well as with the State of Vermont and the State of New Hampshire with a shared pride in our beautiful landscape, people, history, culture and prosperity for the future generations. </B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="0f405920.jpg" border=0 width="261" height="402" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="0f69a920.jpg" border=0 width="410" height="402" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>(Here are some numerous artifacts recovered from the Koas Meadows:)</B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="11650600.jpg" border=0 width="336" height="352" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B><B><IMG SRC="115c15f0.jpg" border=0 width="449" height="351" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>The Koasek of the Koas is a proud member of the Alliance. The Alliance was formed with the historic Abenaki Bands of Vermont; Koasek of the Koas, St Francis Missisquoi / Sokoki Band Swanton,VT, Nulhegan Coosuk, of Lake Memphremagog region and El Nu Tribe of Southern Vermont region.  All of the Alliance bands are separate bands within the Abenaki Nation’s territory of Vermont who collectively work for their own citizens and region and unite together as one to work for the betterment and preservation of all Abenaki in Vermont and the Koas region of Haverhill, NH. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The Koasek of the Koas is registered and trademarked in the State of Vermont and the State of New Hampshire. We work in unity with many state agencies as our collective missions including preservation, recognition for the Abenaki Artists, education, health and healing. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The Logo of the Traditional Koasek Band was designed in collaboration between artist Jackie Martin, an award winning artist from France and Chief Nancy Millette.  Chief Nancy Millette had the logo digitalized to make the flag of the Koasek of the Koas. When the separation took place Chief Nancy Millette gifted Brian Chenevert the orginal artwork drawn by Ms Martin however the Koasek of the Koas copyrighted the digital artwork. The digital artwork is proudly flown on our flag and on our website as it reflects the history of our people. Koasek people historically were known in the meadows as “People of the White Pines” which is displayed by the three pine trees. The two mountains represent the Green Mountains of Vermont and White Mountains of New Hampshire. The Three rivers ( the number of pine trees) show the historic connection of the Koasek (Cowasuck, Coos, Cohos, Cohasser, Cohas, etc) region of Vermont, New Hampshire and South  Eastern Quebec. The sun in the east represents the “people of the dawnland” ……the Abenaki. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The White Pine Association is a separate organization that works much like a chamber of commerce within the Koasek of the Koas territory. It is a non-profit organization registered with the Federal Government, has a board of trustees made up of both Koasek citizens and Non Native people of the area. The White Pine works in unity with the town and state of VT and NH governments to help promote, preserve and celebrate the cultural identity and history of the Koas region. Nawihla is a trademarked event and federally registered under the White Pine Association.  Nancy Millette founder of the White Pine Association has organized 12 Native American Pow Wows or Native American Festivals in the past with venders and performers who come from all corners of the USA and Canada. </B></div> <div> <B>A 2009 Nawihla will not take place as we are assisting Burlington Vermont with the 400th year celebration of Lake Champlain.</B></div> <div> <B> White Pine’s Nawihla will be held 2010 the weekend after memorial weekend at the VFW Field North Haverhill New Hampshire. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>To name only a few of the White Pine Associations programs; Language preservation, Historic Preservation (which is in partnership with the State of Vermont, State of New Hamsphire and National Geographic and communities of Haverhill, NH and Newbury, VT), annual Nawihla Native American Festival, over- seeing the preservation of our burial grounds and mission village, educational programs with regional and area schools, snow snake competitions annually, assist Native Voices Organization in helping to promote Native children into the world Olympic programs and more. To see more please visit </B><A HREF="http://www.whitepineassociation.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.whitepineassociation.org"><U><B>http://www.whitepineassociation.org</B></U></A><B> or call 802-522-4129.</B></div> <div> <B>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</B></div> </td> </tr></table></body>