Crossing borders: the complexities of Indigenous studies and identity in Vermont

Crossing borders: the complexities of Indigenous studies and identity in Vermont

Editor’s note: Alex Strand is currently a student in David Massell’s North American Indian History class. She began reporting for this piece in the fall of 2024, prior to becoming Massell’s student.  Almost three years ago, UVM landed at the epicenter of a statewide controversy over the identity of Vermont-recognized Abenaki tribes.  The University hosted a panel that brought members of Canada’s Odanak First Nation, a tribe of Abenaki heritage, …