The
ABENAKI
People Of The DawnLand

The Western Abenakis or St. Francis Indians, as we became known from the Mission at St. Francis in Canada, were among the first Native Americans to freely convert to Christianity. Although our Ancestors did not have a specific translation for many of the French or Latin words used in Christianity, they believed in the same basic concepts, many of which are in common with other Native American religions: there is a Creator that has given us life and created this planet known as Earth or the Great Turtle Island; that all men are brothers, and that we are only temporary residents of this planet and not its owners. The idea of "Heaven" to our ancestors differed from that envisioned by the Jesuits who believed that a life of deprivation and service would lead them to the Kingdom of Heaven after their physical death. In contrast, our traditional beliefs maintained that the Creator has given us the freedom to enjoy life to the fullest, provided that we respect life, including all that occurs in nature.