Three bands of Vermont Abenaki Indians say they’re insulted by a proposal to address problems with a 2006 law that recognized Abenakis as a minority population, but not as a tribe.
The Abenakis want the authority to label their crafts as Indian made.
The amendment being considered by the Vermont Senate would grant immediate conditional recognition to three bands provided that they apply to the Governor’s Commission on Native American Affairs by Aug. 1.
April Rushlow Merrill of the Swanton/St. Albans Abenaki Tribe is upset because the process includes the Vermont Attorney General’s office, which has opposed Abenaki efforts to gain recognition.