Henry Lorne Masta, an Abenaki writer you should know
Henry Lorne Masta was an Abenaki language scholar, teacher, and leader within the Abenaki community.
Born in 1853, Masta attended school in Quebec, where he studied under Joseph Laurent, chief of the Abenaki reserve of Odanak and author of New Familiar Abenakis and English Dialogues (1884). (See our post featuring this book here.)
In 1932, Masta published Abenaki Legends, Grammar and Place Names, which he began writing two years earlier when he was 77 years old.
Middlebury recently acquired a first edition copy.
Inside, you’ll find Abenaki words and phrases translated into English.
Our bookish celebration of Indigenous Peoples’ Day started on Instagram. Check out Leslie Marmon Silko’s Sacred Water here.
Visit go.middlebury.edu/special to view more posts, including one on Sarah Winnemucca and one on Ai.
Questions? Email specialcollections@middlebury.edu.