Legal Statement of Purpose and Goals
The Clan of the Hawk, Inc. is organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes.
The stated purposes and objectives for which this organization has been organized are:
1. To provide free educational programs to local schools (with attention to aligning with Vermont's Framework of Standards* and Federal Grade Level Expectations* see note below) and other private and public organizations—the subject matter of these program to include, but not be wholly limited to:
a. The earliest settlement of the North American continent; the social structures –cultural, religious, political, familial, language, and monetary—of all of these early inhabitants;
b. Specifically, the cultural and societal aspects of the Abenaki Tribe and its impact on the State of Vermont, and its connections to Canada;
c. The various skills and crafts practiced by the Abenaki peoples such as drumming, weaving, basket making, and beading;
d. The special social and spiritual practices of these peoples such as talking circles, sweat lodge use and celebratory ceremonies.
2. To provide free, hands-on workshops dealing with the topics listed above, affording a closer level of understanding of the Native cultures. These would include, (but not be limited to):
a. Writing workshops about the movement of early inhabitants, incorporating both Abenaki language and art;
b. Drumming workshops with original Abenaki music and hand made drums;
c. Beading and/or leather bag making using original materials;
d. Weaving such items as dream catchers or baskets.
3. To share examples of these cultural and societal traits by providing free public exhibitions of weaving, drumming, ceremonial pageants and crafts making.
4. To provide the teaching of native culture and ethics with Native and Non-native inmates of local correctional systems, in the hope that this will help them find a firmer basis for their life structure, by recognizing and honoring the ways of these ancient ones.
5. To promote the free exchange, discussion and dissemination of information regarding the history and genealogies of local Native Americans.
6. To preserve the specific history and genealogy of the Abenakis.
7. To provide in its periodical(s) a forum for the announcement of upcoming and/or report of worthy activities and projects of persons, groups, or organizations that further the goals outlined above.
8. To cooperate with other organizations of like interest.
* Links to Vermont's Framework of Standards and the Grade Level Expectations can be found on the Vermont Department of Education website at http://education.vermont.gov/new/html/pubs/framework.html (Please remember to use your 'back arrow' to return to this page!!)