The Long and the Short of It: a Beginning, an Ending, and a Continuance
Excerpted from the 2021 Retreat Farm Almanac, which can be seen in its glorious entirety here.
At the edge of the flooded West River Meadows directly across the street from the farmhouse and barns, a joyful community ceremony was assembled. Hosted by Retreat Farm and Elnu Abenaki Tribe, the gathering was appropriately centered within a landscape that has witnessed the unfolding of many stories, all of which retain currency in the water, earth, and air that create this Place.
If you have been here before, you already know that this is a remarkable and memorable landscape. What you may not know are the stories of the Indigenous people of this place, the Abenaki, who have been here continuously for thousands of years, and consider themselves one with the Land.
The coming together signified – in that moment – a beginning, an ending, and a continuance. One hundred fifty guests (the maximum allowed by public health guidelines at the time) served as witnesses, surrounded by the others already present, whom we might include as “all of our relations.” The occasion was prompted by the dedication of a new sign placed among the cattails, wild mint, and sedges, where the Meadows transition from flooded to dry. The sign proclaims “Wantastegok – At the River Where Something Is Lost” and explains to the viewer – through Abenaki eyes – where they are standing. This is the traditional name of this place, as spoken by its Native people for much longer than it has been Brattleboro, actually.
The sign stands as a recognition of the continuance of stories embedded here. By this deliberate action, an intention is also expressed that Retreat Farm, in partnership with the Elnu Tribe, is signaling an end to the prevalent (mis) understanding that “there is no Native presence here.”
To the contrary: the People are still here in their homelands, as they have always been, and their voices need to be brought back into the community… especially in a time when society is re-evaluating our assumptions and ways of relating with one another. This, in turn, is a reflection of Retreat Farm’s shared mission to aid in the reconnection of people to the land.
The events of the dedication celebration included the announcement of a new initiative – a beginning – to pick this work up and carry it forward. The formative organization, called Atowi (AH toh wee) which is Abenaki for “together in space and time” will “affirm Native relationships to the land and its inhabitants, raise Indigenous voices, and foster inclusion with understanding, in place.” Retreat Farm will serve as a fiscal and institutional sponsor, as Atowi develops priorities, programming, and builds capacity to help with restoring vitality and balance in this liminal space and among all of those who are here now. Alongside will be the folks at SUSU Community Farm, engaged in similar restorative work for land and people. Keep your eyes and ears open for the stories we will create, as these newly planted seeds begin to sprout and flourish here in Wantastegok!
Rich Holschuh, Director of the Atowi Project