Bryan Blanchette is a singer-songwriter who brings more than ten thousand years of Abenaki tradition to his contemporary compositions. He began powwow drumming more than two decades ago and soon after began writing Abenaki language songs. Bryan also studied at the Berklee College of Music in Boston.
In this Words in the Woods event, Bryan is joined at Elmore State Park by a small electrified group to perform original and contemporary songs, some sung in the Abenaki language.
To learn more about Passaconaway and read the story Bryan references in his interview visit https://sidis.net/Passaconaway/PASSChap1.htm
Thanks to Vermont State Parks and the Vermont Arts Council for their support of Words in the Woods! Words in the Woods events are generously sponsored by a Northeast Kingdom donor in honor of poet Judy Chalmer.
Video: In this Words in the Woods event, Abenaki singer-songwriter Bryan Blanchette is joined at Elmore State Park by a small electrified group to perform original and contemporary songs, some sung in the Abenaki language.
Video: Join writer Geof Hewitt in an entertaining video shot at Elmore State Park as he recites several of his poems and leads a fast-paced writing workshop. The video features a seven-minute interlude of scenery taken at the park, designed to inspire you to write!
Video: Poet James Crews, author of “Bluebird,” reads from and discusses his poetry at Jamaica State Park for our Words in the Woods series. He also shares writing prompts for those inspired by his words.
Enjoy the fall colors of New Discovery State Park and the poetry of Judith Chalmer in this Words in the Woods video, recorded when foliage was near its peak. Chalmer reads from her latest collection, “Minnow,” including some poems that were inspired by visits to Vermont state parks.
In this video, Poet and author Keiselim (Keysi) Montás is joined by his daughter Mia Montás Antigua, a poet and author as well, for a reading at Lake Shaftsbury State Park in the fall of 2022 during a Words in the Woods event.
Linda Quinlan reads three poems in Montpelier after historic flooding hit the city, including one in which she reminisced about her time living in New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina.
Join poet Sarah Audsley in a video recorded at the Taconic Mountains Ramble in Hubbarton, Vermont for the latest installment of “Words in the Woods.” Sarah reads six poems from her manuscript-in-progress and reflects with Vermont Humanities staffers Rachel Edens and Sahra Ali on the power of place and the influence of identity.
Join poet Shanta Lee in a video recorded at Sweet Pond State Park in Guilford, Vermont for the latest installment of Words in the Woods. Shanta reads from her collection, GHETTOCLAUSTROPHOBIA: Dreamin of Mama While Trying to Speak Woman in Woke Tongues, and reflects with Vermont Humanities staffers Rachel Edens and Sahra Ali on the craft of poetry.
Video: In this Words in the Woods event from July 9, 2022, Toussaint St. Negritude recites poems and plays music for an outdoor audience at Boulder Beach State Park in Groton, Vermont.
Poet Sarah Audsley joined us at the Taconic Mountains Ramble State Park for Words in the Woods.
Humanities Camps are filled with reading and writing projects, field trips, and outdoor activities.
We won a 2020 Schwartz Prize for best public humanities programming in the U.S. for Vermont Reads 2019: “March: Book One.”
We supported Historic New England’s “More than a Market” project that explored the experiences of new Americans through food markets.
Our free public events help bring the power of the humanities to communities across Vermont.
