Henry Lorne Masta (March 11, 1853 – May 12, 1943) was an Abenaki writer, teacher, and scholar of the Abenaki language. He was also a respected leader in the Abenaki community. Masta published Abenaki Legends, Grammar, and Place Names in 1932. He began writing the book in 1929 at 76 years of age. Abenaki is a member of the Algonquian languages family and is spoken in Québec and neighboring US states. There are few native speakers—according to an online article written sometime before 2015, the language was spoken by only 3% of the current Abenaki population. Like many Abenaki scholars, Masta was fluent in French, English and the Abenaki language.

Education (and faith) Henry Masta received his early education at a Protestant school in the Abenaki village of St. Francis which was called the Dartmouth school. It had been founded by his uncle Peter Masta née Pierre-Paul Osunkhirhine in about 1835 after the priest succeeded in ousting Pierre-Paul from the existing Catholic school. Henry's teacher at the Dartmouth school was Simon Annance, grandson of François Joseph Annance, 254 both graduates of Dartmouth College where, besides acquiring an education, they had been converted to the Anglican faith. Henry's uncle Pierre-Paul's's Abenaki language book Wôbanaki Kimzowi Awighigan had been published in 1830 under the name P. P. Wzôkhilain and was undoubtedly used at the school during Henry's education. When Henry was 12 he was sent to a Church of England Missionary school at Sabrevois, P. Q. where the lessons were all in French. He stayed five years at which point he had to make the decision whether to continue with his studies at the Anglican Theological College, University of Lenoxville, P. Q. and become a minister. He decided to leave and soon began his teaching career. This was about 1860 when he was 17. After a year teaching at Sabrevois, he returned to St. Francis and took over his former teacher Simon Annance's position at the Dartmouth school. 251 He spent time in the US raising money for his school from various Protestant societies. [add pg number]

On June 24, 1875, Henry Lorne Masta married Caroline Tahamont, daughter of Joachim Tahamont and Marie-Anne Portneuf. 251

Rivals: Teaching, Politics, and Writing Joseph Laurent (b.1839) was the teacher at the village's Catholic school when Henry took his position at the Dartmouth school; Laurent had been there between 10-15 years. Laurent was 15 years Masta's senior and had been educated in the same school where he was now the instructor. Laurent's first teacher, Basilde Desfossés (French), left about 1854 and was replaced by William Edge (English) 211FN — this would be at or close to the end of Laurent's studies. Joseph Laurent and Henry Masta are well known today for being fierce rivals, both as educators in the two dueling schools and in village politics; they seem to have been born at odds, Laurent and Peter Masta having had an antagonistic relationship before Henry came into the picture. All three created language textbooks for their students, which survive today.

Wôbanaki Kimzowi Awighiganm, 1830, P. P. Wzôkhilain (Peter-Paul Osunkhirshine/Peter Masta) New Familiar Abenakis and English Dialogues, 1884, Joseph Lsaurent Abenaki Legends, Grammar, and Place Names, 1932, Henry Lorne Masta

In 1789 both of the teachers were elected into the tribal council. Masta considered himself superior to Laurent. Their tenure included introducing work, undoing the work of the other, filing protests. 251 It seems everyone chose a side. Elections were held every few years and either Masta or Laurent or both served on the council or as chief after each election — and the rivalry never lessened. In 1897 Masta lost in a close, very heated contest in which protests dragged on for months. 274 This seems to have been his last run for office. Laurent lost the 1908 election and was never chief or counselor thenceforward. 291 He spent some time in the US on a preaching circuit. [pg #]

On 19 February 1906 Henry Masta made an announcement to a full assembly of the tribe, promising to abstain from alcohol for six years and asked the others to do the same. He bested that vow by about 37 years. In 1909 he resumed his position at the village’s Protestant school where he served until 1930. 291 In 1932 Masta published Abenaki Legends, Grammar, and Place Names which explains the etymology relating to selected place names, explains grammar, and includes some traditional stories. The book was in French and English.

During his latter years, Henry Masta lived with his daughter Alice in Ottawa where she held an accounting position within the government department of Indian affairs. He died there in 1943. 291

Recognition for Abenaki Legends, Grammar, and Place Names In the 2014 edition of The Oxford Handbook of Indigenous American Literature, author James Howard Cox credits Masta for revitalizing the Abenaki language:

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