The Abenaki Council of Odanak is delighted to announce a significant cultural initiative to revitalize the community’s street names. This initiative aims to highlight the Abenaki language and reflect its importance. The new street name signs, featuring the names in three languages – Abenaki, French and English – as well as pictograms symbolizing their meaning, are being unveiled this week at the Odanak Pow Wow taking place this weekend.
Since immemorial times, Odanak has been the guardian of a rich history and deep-rooted culture. As part of this initiative, the Abenaki Council of Odanak re-evaluated existing street names to better reflect the evolution of the Abenaki language and its importance in expressing the community’s cultural identity. Some street names have been corrected to align with current linguistic knowledge, helping to preserve and promote the Abenaki language for future generations.
The pictograms accompanying each street name add a captivating visual dimension to this initiative. They tell stories, convey meaning and invite passers-by to immerse themselves in the very essence of Abenaki culture.
The Chief of the Abenaki Council of Odanak, Rick O’Bomsawin, spoke of the importance of this street name revitalization: “This initiative is an essential step in our quest to preserve our language and culture. By revitalizing street names in an relevant and meaningful way, we are reaffirming our attachment to our roots and our desire to share them with the world around us.”
The Odanak Pow wow festivities represent an ideal opportunity to present these new street name signs to the community and its guests. The Pow wow is an emblematic event that celebrates Abenaki culture and brings together participants from diverse backgrounds. The Abenaki Council of Odanak warmly invites all Pow wow visitors to take the time to discover these revitalized signs and immerse themselves in the history and cultural significance they carry.
This revitalization of Odanak street names reflects the Abenaki Council of Odanak’s ongoing commitment to the preservation of Abenaki culture and language. It also testifies to the community’s determination to embrace a vision for the future that honours and respects its ancestral traditions.
