Ndakinna Cultural Center & Abenaki Indian Museum

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Ndakinna Cultural center in the old Moscow Mills Building in East Calais Vermont.

WE HAVE MOVED

We Are now open at our new East Calais location

A 501 (C) (3) Non profit organization as of July 2008 Verify through Guidestar.com

History Extending across most of northern New England into the southern part of the Canadian Maritimes, the Abenaki Indians called their homeland Ndakinna meaning "our land." The eastern Abenaki were concentrated in Maine east of New Hampshire's White Mountains, while the Western Abenaki lived west of the mountains across Vermont and New Hampshire to the eastern shores of Lake Champlain. New England settlement and war forced many of the Abenaki to retreat north into Quebec where two large communities formed at St. Francois and Becancour near Trois-Rivieres. These have continued to the present-day. There are also three reservations in northern Maine and seven Maliseet reserves located in New Brunswick and Quebec. Other groups of Abenaki, without reservations, are scattered across northern New Hampshire and Vermont. The Western Abenaki of Vermont are made up of family bands . Some of these clans belong to bands such as The Abenaki Nation of Missisquoi, Koasek Abenaki Nation or Nulhegan as well as others. We work with all of these bands and all of there respected citizens as well as open our doors to all Abenaki and Other Native Americans residing in Vermont even if they choose to be independent and not belong to a band.

Ndakinna Cultural Center Dam in East Calais Vermont

The Ndakinna (“Our Land”) Cultural Center and Museum, Inc. (Ndakinna) was created in late 2007 to ensure that Native American culture and heritage continues into future generations. To reach this goal Ndakinna provides several different services and opportunities for cultural enrichment. All activities take place at the Cultural Center.

The Craft Cooperative & Gift Shop The Craft Shop is another fine attraction at the Ndakinna Cultural Center & Museum, Inc. Native American heritage is important to share and in order to make it more available to others we offer a space where local Native American crafters can sell their wares on a consignment basis. We encourage local Native American Crafters of all nations to bring in your crafts and place them in the Craft Shop on consignment. The Ndakinna Cultural Center & Museum, Inc. charges a minimum commission of 25% when an item sells in order to cover Craft Shop operating costs. In addition to local Vermont crafts, the Craft Shop offers a vast selection of Northern Woodland Indian products as well as a mixture of different Native American Cultures from all over the country. NEW Online Shopping

Crafts on display inside Ndakinna Cultural Center in East Calais Vermont.

Dream Cathers at the Ndakinna Native American Cultural Center in East Calais vermont. Home to many Abenaki Indian items.

Campbell family Drum. The Campbell family is a clan of Abenaki Indians residing in Vermont.

About The Indian Museum The exhibits on display are intended to teach visitors about the history of the Abenaki people living in Vermont. The Abenaki Indian exhibits on display include Abenaki baskets woven from black ash dating to the 1800’s, photographs from the mid-1900s to present, garments including a ceremonial jingle dress, beads and dream catchers. Admission to the museum is free of charge and open to the public although donations are requested. Currently the museum is a work in progress, but it will grow in richness and depth in 2008 and 2009 as artifacts are loaned or donated to the Museum.

The Cultural Center The Cultural Center & Classroom are at the heart of Ndakinna Cultural Center. This is where the teaching to transfer Native American cultural knowledge occurs. Continuity, or “passing-on” our Indian traditions are the heartbeat behind our Native American heritage for without this sharing our heritage would be lost. The purpose of the Cultural Learning Center is to teach the public about Native American heritage through classes that instruct in traditional crafts such as basket making, wigwam building, Native American drumming, drum making and singing, Abenaki language classes and workshops on herbs and traditional healing. In addition, the Cultural Learning Center is committed to teaching children the values that our Native American ancestors have taught us. By sharing with children the importance of our stories and the art of story telling and other traditions we will help them understand what it means to be an Elder and how to respect our Elders. Workshops and other gatherings such as drumming circles have been on-going at Ndakinna since its inception in 2007.

Cultural Learning Center Calendar Of Events

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Vermont Eugenics

Wabanaki Song Book

Pow-Wow Schedule

Abenaki History

Vermont Tribal Sites

NEW First Nations Directory

Friends Of Our Museum

Kunsikeya "Grandmother Turtle"

One of the areas most historical museums for the Abenaki people and The Abenaki Nation. We welcome Vermont tourists to come and visit our Vermont Indian Museum. We are close to the Capital of Vermont Montpelier. We offer Indian museum tours as well as Cultural Heritage classes geared around the Abenaki Indians ( Native Americans) of Vermont. Some of the classes we will be offering include genealogy, Abenaki Indian history, Abenaki basket making ( Ash Splint Baskets), Wig-Wam Building, Abenaki language classes and much more. We are the Native Americans of Vermont and we hope you visit our Indian Museum.