Chief Don Stevens: Lineage

In recent years, certain leaders of Odanak and Wolinak have publicly questioned or denied my Indigenous and Abenaki heritage for political reasons. Let me be clear: I have never claimed, nor will I ever claim, citizenship in Odanak or Wolinak. While it is true that some of their citizens share ancestral connections with my family, shared lineage does not equate to political affiliation or citizenship.

My decision to present my lineage publicly is not political. It is an act of transparency and respect. It is to honor kinship ties, to acknowledge ancestral connections, and to affirm relationships within the broader Indigenous community. Our histories are documented through lived experience, oral tradition, and recorded genealogy. They cannot be erased, rewritten, or denied.

I am, and will always remain, a proud citizen of the Phillips Family Band, the Nulhegan Abenaki Tribe, and the greater Abenaki Nation. This identity is not a matter of politics — it is my birthright. With that birthright comes responsibility: to preserve, protect, and carry forward my family’s legacy for future generations.