Vermont Public is declining to rerun a film that involves contested claims of legitimacy surrounding the Vermont Abenaki, essentially saying the work is dated and lacks “essential context” that has surfaced since it first aired years ago. The six-part film, titled Freedom Unity: The Vermont Movie, was produced by Norwich’s Nora Jacobson and features the work of more than two dozen local filmmakers. The film offers a wide-ranging review of the state’s history and culture, in part by offering an uncritical look at the experience of Vermont’s Abenaki tribes, which were formally recognized by the state in the early 2010s. It aired on Vermont PBS in 2013 and 2014 and was selected last November to be distributed nationally by the Public Broadcasting Service. The film has since aired in many other markets, but it has not shown again in Vermont. That’s because the local PBS affiliate declined to rebroadcast it, citing the Abenaki controversy. Vermont Public confirmed its decision to Seven Days, writing in a statement that the film lacks information that has come to light in recent years. “We felt distributing the documentary as-is could confuse our audience and not be a productive contribution to what is already a very complex state discourse,” wrote Kari Anderson, Vermont Public’s senior vice president of audience and community. Anderson said the outlet is still in discussions with Jacobson but as of now has no plans to rebroadcast the film. Two Western Abenaki nations based in Québec — Odanak First Nation and Wôlinak First Nation — have accused Vermont of relying on a flawed process when granting formal recognition to its four Abenaki tribes. The Canadian Abenaki leaders contend that most members of the Vermont tribes identifying as Abenaki are doing so with little or no genealogical evidence. Last fall, the Canadian leaders unveiled a trove of research they said proves certain high-profile members of the Vermont-recognized tribes have no native heritage. The controversy poses a conundrum for media outlets that have long accepted Vermont Abenakis’ claims of heritage. Some news organizations have since produced in-depth stories about the Canadian claims. In 2023, Vermont Public aired a three-part series called “Recognized” that referred to the “self-proclaimed Vermont Abenaki” and called into question their legitimacy. The outlet has also updated previous coverage. A 2016 “Brave Little State” episode focused on the Abenaki now steers readers to “Recognized” for more “up-to-date reporting about the status of Abenaki peoples in Vermont.” How to handle content produced by third parties such as Jacobson is another challenge. Anderson said the station would be willing to rebroadcast the film only if Jacobson agreed to have it run without the first two episodes, which contain interviews with members of Vermont-recognized Abenaki bands. Jacobson refused and, in a letter sent to other media outlets last week, accused Vermont Public of attempting to erase Vermont Abenaki. “Since when is it Vermont Public’s job to publicly adjudicate Abenaki identity?” the letter read. “Vermont Public is a news organization, not a state or federal agency. I can think of no other instance where Vermont Public refuses to allow people to identify their own ethnicity and identity.” Jacobson said she suggested Vermont Public put a disclaimer at the beginning of the film that notes the views represented in it do not necessarily reflect those of the news outlet. She’s also offered to host roundtable discussions with members of the Abenaki community. But she’s firmly against altering the film itself to inject some form of counternarrative after the fact. “The Vermont Movie is about people telling their own stories,” she said in a phone call. “You can’t argue with someone talking about their lived experience.” Instead, she said she is planning to produce a follow-up documentary, one focused on the controversy itself. Sasha Goldstein contributed reporting. The post Vermont Public Declines to Air Film About the State’s Abenakis appeared first on Seven Days. ...read more read less