Latest news with #Penobscot
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Wabanaki tribe reclaims seat in Maine House as relations improve
May 14—AUGUSTA — The Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians has returned a representative to the Maine House of Representatives for the first time since 2018, a sign of a improved relations between the state and the Wabanaki tribes. Brian Reynolds, the tribal administrator for nearly two decades, was sworn into office on Wednesday by Gov. Janet Mills for a term that will end on Oct. 31, 2026, filling the second of three House seats reserved for tribal members. Reynolds, 56, said he's looking forward to educating lawmakers about tribal issues and how strengthening tribes can also strengthen surrounding, non-tribal communities in Aroostook and Washington counties, which he feels are under represented in Augusta. "There's a lot of good people who live in those areas and the tribes work really well with our surrounding towns," Reynolds said. "I would like to be a part of helping my tribe help the people of the area, because there's lots of for sale signs in windows and stores. I think there is a lot of opportunity for economic development and other things in that area that will help everybody." Three tribes — the Penobscot, Passamaquoddy and the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians — have the option of seating a member in the Maine House, where they can participate in debate and cast symbolic votes, meaning they don't count towards the final tally but allows them to register their positions. But those three seats have been mostly vacant since 2015. The Penobscot and and Passamaquoddy Tribes withdrew their representatives that year after former Republican Gov. Paul LePage rescinded an executive order to improve cooperation with the tribes. At the time, LePage said state's "interests have not been respected." The Houlton Band of Maliseets, which currently has about 1,700 members, maintained the tribe's seat until 2018. Only the Passamaquoddy Tribe has seated a member in recent years. Reynolds said the tribal council's decision comes after successfully creating an ambassador position to work with lawmakers and is a reflection of improved relationships and respect for tribal voices. "I've been in tribal administration, I've been on tribal council, and the atmosphere here is the best I've seen in probably 20 years of semiregular trips to Augusta, testifying on bills and so forth," he said. Maulian Bryant, the executive director of the Wabanaki Alliance, which advocates for tribal interests at the State House and a former ambassador for the Penobscot tribe, agreed that the seating of another tribal representative reflects improved relations, which has led to the passage of several bills helping tribes. "This role of tribal representative in the state Legislature has really had pros and cons for communities throughout the years," Bryant said. "It feels like a seat at the table, and there have been times it's been really important. And there's been times when the state really hasn't respected them. "We seem to be in a place right now where ... the state seems to be embracing them and really honoring their roles." Passamaquoddy tribal Rep. Aaron Dana said he's excited to have another tribal voice to help advocate for pending initiatives — whether it's full sovereignty or incremental changes to help tribes, such as expanding internet gaming, improving tribal policing and ensuring tribes receive the same benefits as other federally recognized tribes. "Having more representation here is a great thing," Dana said. "We have four tribes. I wish we could have four representatives, so that each tribe is represented specifically and in a way they can speak on behalf of their own people." The seating of Reynolds came on the same day that chiefs from five tribes in Maine were scheduled to deliver a State of the Tribes address. But that speech, which was delivered for the first time in two decades last year, was cancelled because of a scheduled conflict. Tribal representatives, along with an expansive network of allies, have been pushing for Maine to recognize tribal sovereignty since 2019. Unlike other federally recognized tribes, tribal communities in Maine are treated more like municipalities because of pair of state and federal laws enacted in the 1980's to settle tribal claims to two-thirds of the state. Tribal leaders say the agreements make it difficult for them to meet the needs of their members and that full sovereignty would help tribes and surrounding communities desperate for economic development. Despite bipartisan support in the Legislature, Gov. Janet Mills has opposed sweeping bills to restore sovereignty, warning of unintended consequences and the possibility of messy litigation. She has instead supported efforts to address specific issues. Tribes have notched several incremental steps towards sovereignty, including having exclusive rights to online sports betting, providing tax relief for tribal members, implementing a state-level Child Welfare Act, and expanding jurisdiction of tribal courts, among others. While tribes have so far fallen short of full sovereignty, Bryant said Indigenous communities have made progress under the current administration. "I don't want to speak for all people in all places, but I think you can see some of the bills we've been able to pass in the past couple years — there is progress in this relationship, and I hope for good things and that there's a lot of healing," Bryant said. Copy the Story Link
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Wabanaki group restoring 245-acre farm in Swanville as food hub
May 8—A Wabanaki-led food sovereignty organization recently acquired a 245-acre farm in Swanville, marking the return of Wabanaki stewardship to ancestral lands in the Penobscot Bay region. Niweskok: From the Stars to Seeds, a collaboration of Wabanaki food and medicine providers, has focused for years on reinvigorating traditional crops and land management strategies, distributing traditional foods and hosting workshops. But they did not have a permanent land base until buying the farm. "Now, with this land, we have permanency of place — and the ability to continue this work for generations to come," said Alivia Moore, a Penobscot Nation citizen and Niweskok co-director. Niweskok (which translates to "dried seeds for planting" in the Penobscot language) raised more than $1.8 million in just three months to buy the farm, which had been used to raise cattle and board horses. The group continues to raise money toward its $3 million capital campaign goal. Acquiring the land in January was a major step toward restoring the Penobscot Bay region as a Wabanaki food hub and allows Indigenous communities to reconnect with traditional foodways, medicines and ecological stewardship. Niweskok sees the land as an intergenerational center where Wabanaki values of care, reciprocity and sustainability can flourish. Moore said the land will allow Niweskok to go much deeper in its food production work. The group's plans for the land include educational programming, seed saving, wild harvesting and cultural camps. Moore said the land itself would determine the name of the farm. The farm was selected because it is close to the ocean and Penobscot territory. "Penobscot people have been, through the process of colonization and genocide, thoroughly removed from coastal access," Moore said. "So for us to truly have healthful economies, healthful social structures and political systems, we need to be able to engage in our coastal ecology." The land, with access to the Goose River, includes agricultural fields, 140 acres of forest, wetlands and ponds. There are miles of riding trails through the woods, which Niweskok staff will map and decide which to maintain and whether more are needed for waterway access. Niweskok staff members have been preparing the soil for future planting and harvesting. Moore has been working on a 1-acre welcome garden that includes perennials, fruit trees, sweet grass, blueberries and other plants. Last week, she planted 70 asparagus seedlings and 35 rhubarb plants. Plans also are underway to spruce up a farmstand where Niweskok will share free produce with neighbors. Moore has also been focused on working to restore the forests as food forests — a process that will take years — and has started selective cutting to support existing hazelnut groves and black cherries. Niweskok will also create outdoor classrooms for community members to engage with the land, including demonstrations on plantings and agro-forestry techniques. "An outdoor kitchen is one of our high-priority areas because so much of our time and how we want to support our community is being with our foods and outside as much as possible," Moore said. "Cooking over open fire is not only a way we want to engage with folks, but an important, culturally significant and really beautiful way to be together." Niweskok this month was awarded the Espy Heritage Award from the Maine Coast Heritage Trust, an annual award that recognizes those who make outstanding contributions to land conservation while inspiring others. It was the first time the award was given to an Indigenous-led group. Angela Twitchell, director of partnerships and public policy for Maine Coast Heritage Trust, said Niweskok's work to restore the Penobscot Bay region as a Wabanaki food hub is "an inspiring example of how land conservation is evolving." For decades starting in the 1950s, land conservation was centered on ecological and species protection and protecting lands from people and development. It has since evolved to center its work in community, Twitchell said. "(Niweskok's) work embodies resilience and a deep commitment to healing and nourishing both the land and the community," she said. "The collaborative work between land trusts and Niweskok stands as a model to be replicated." Moore said the award acknowledges the leadership of Niweskok, and added that other incredible Wabanaki-led land work is happening in the region. Moore hopes the award indicates that Maine conservation groups will continue to find ways to support Wabanaki leadership in conservation. Having the land has been a "beautiful invitation" for the non-Wabanaki community "to support Wabanaki food sovereignty and be in support of our leadership in care of the land," Moore said. Copy the Story Link
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
A new day in the Dawnland
Stewart HuntingtonICT MILLINOCKET, Maine – Mount Katahdin is one of Maine's crown jewels. The centerpiece of Baxter State Park, its summit is the highest point in the state and the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. But for thousands of years it has also been much more: a sacred place to the Wabanaki people where earth and sky converge and the secular and the divine connect. It is the birthplace of the Great Spirit. Today, the territory is also Ground Zero for a groundbreaking collaboration between Native leaders and Western conservation groups centering Aboriginal values, knowledge and priorities in statewide land protection practices — and amassing resources behind the effort. The project's centerpiece is the purchase — and planned return to Penobscot Nation stewardship — of 31,000 acres near Katahdin. SUPPORT INDIGENOUS JOURNALISM. 'When Indigenous people are at the forefront, are in the leadership, when our governance is mobilized, that's actually producing the most profound conservation outcomes,' said Darren Ranco, a Penobscot citizen and scholar who sits on the Wabanaki Commission on Land and Stewardship, the driving force behind the land return partnership. The commission includes representatives from the federally recognized Wabanaki tribes in Maine and brings a unified voice to discussions with the traditional Western conservation community to prioritize parcels of land for purchase and return. 'There's amazing things that we're doing here,' said Ralph Dana, a Passamaquoddy member of the commission. On the other end of the conference table sits First Light, a consortium of conservation organizations that share an understanding that promoting Aboriginal stewardship of land and resources is fundamentally sound conservation practice. Reaching that conclusion has meant shelving the tools of traditional conservation such as easements and legal proscriptions against development. First Light's goal? Putting land back under Native stewardship. Period. 'First Light represents a huge shift for the conservation community,' said Ranco, a Harvard-trained anthropologist who is a professor of Native studies at the University of Maine. 'They're able to join our collective work and not … want to take credit for it, but really support what is a set of common values across Indigenous [communities].' The shift — and the growing partnership between the two worlds — did not spring up overnight. In First Light's early days, beginning in 2017, it encountered a hurdle that took years to overcome: a lack of trust. 'Unfortunately, we come from a place where we can't trust because things were taken away from us,' said Shannon Hill, a Mi'kmac Nation citizen who sits on the land and stewardship commission. Hill recounted her early days on the panel when she couldn't accept at face value that her Western counterparts wanted to buy land and … give it to Indians. 'I was like, 'Well, where are the strings?' You know, it's like, there's got to be something else. What's the bottom line here? You just don't give away stuff like that. Especially to us,' she said. 'Nobody ever gives us stuff anymore and it is usually the opposite way.' But over time, the two sides have grown together into a sturdy alliance. 'First Light has been incredible,' Hill said. 'They have really bridged the conservationists and the private funders with the Wabanaki people in a way so that we can both slowly trust each other.' The roots of Hill's turnaround are not entirely ephemeral. There are also the tangible outcomes of the collaberation. In December, First Light closed on — and returned to the Mi'kmaqs — a 103-acre property abutting the tribe's reservation in Littleton, Maine. The property includes wetlands and woods full of traditional medicines and a small lake, providing the tribe its first unfettered water access. 'This is a big deal,' said Mills. 'We're really hoping to utilize this as a place to put a summer camp for the youth to go down and to canoe and kayak and fish. … This is going to be a game-changer in our history.' And maybe beyond. The Mi'kmaq land and a 1,300-acre parcel First Light community bought and returned to the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians in December — and eight other Landback projects in the pipeline — attest to the maturation of the cooperative model driven by the Wabanaki commission. But it's the work on the huge parcel of land near Mount Katahdin that speaks to the collaboration's transformational power. 'This can be a really good example and set a great precedent for future land return projects to come, whether it's in Maine or across the nation,' said Anne Read, the Maine land protection manager for the Trust for Public Land. In 2022 the trust bought the sprawling parcel from a timber investment outfit for $32 million. It is now raising the money — along with the tribe — to retire the debt taken on to buy the land. The end goal is to return the land to the Penobscot Nation – with no strings attached. So far the partners have raised more than $11 million and when the project is done and the land is back in Penobscot hands, the result will be the largest land return between a U.S.-based nonprofit and a tribal nation in American history. 'We're going to look back and the history books are going to talk about us, because this is such a major movement where we're reclaiming land and bringing land back to our people,' said Hill. And, in the case of the Katahdin land, not just any land. Sacred land. 'I think the return represents the core of our culture,' said Ranco. 'The quantity is big. It's also big in terms of its meaning.' The parcel is known to the Penobscot as Wáhsehtək and includes long stretches of the East Branch of the Penobscot River. It's a place that, according to Penobscot language teacher Gabrial Paul, is central to the Wabanaki people, or People of the Dawn or Dawnland. 'The place where we are now holds all our stories,' he told ICT, standing in a clearing in the woods that offered a view over Lake Millinocket to Mount Katahdin, 'And the land beneath us we relate to as our mother.' To Ranco it is home. 'It's where our clans have been hunting for thousands of years,' he said. And maybe, said Chuck Loring, the Penobscot Nation's director of natural resources, for thousands of years more. 'The land is very important for us to be able to practice traditional lifeways and make sure that we're able to harvest subsistence species such as moose, deer, brook trout, other fish,' he said, while driving up a dirt road that crosses the Wáhsehtək parcel and ends at the Wabanaki Welcome Center at the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. Loring turned off on a side road that led to a small pond. Walking around, he explained the area highlighted everything the property had to offer: mixed forest of brown ash, spruce, pine, maple and birch; cool clear streams; and still water for bird and beaver habitat. The land is not yet in Penobscot hands, 'but I'm getting calls from tribal members asking if they can go hunting,' Loring said. A personal bonus? 'My four-year-old daughter loves it out here,' he said with a grin. No one in the First Light group or the Wabanaki Commission on Land and Stewardship is counting chickens – or looking past the successes in front of them. But neither are they bashful about eyeing the potential spread of their experiment. 'I'm a scholar, so for me it's like the scholarship is actually supporting this,' Ranco said. 'It's saying, when Indigenous people are at the forefront, are in the leadership, our governance is mobilized, that's actually producing the most profound conservation outcomes around the world. We're really just … scratching the surface of something that is even more transformational.' The potential for change lies within — and beyond — Native communities. 'We have done Native collaboration work for the past many years since we started in the '90s,' said Read from the Trust for Public Land. 'So this is a priority for us. But I think on this scale, 31,000 acres is definitely historic. Land Return is starting to become a larger priority within our organization and becoming more and more a part of how we implement our mission.' Brett Ciccotelli from First Light went a step further. 'A big part of what we see with First Light work is that it can expand, not as a recipe for how this can be done elsewhere, but for an example that shows there are ways where the conservation community and the Indigenous communities can share common interests and common goals and work together,' Ciccotelli said. The Wabanaki Commission on Land and Stewardship's Dana said the impact could go far beyond Maine. 'We can be an example and can be a template for this kind of work throughout the country, throughout North America and maybe even worldwide,' Dana said. Our stories are worth telling. Our stories are worth sharing. Our stories are worth your support. Contribute today to help ICT carry out its critical mission. Sign up for ICT's free newsletter.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Penobscot basket maker Theresa Secord wins national award
Jan. 28—Penobscot basket maker Theresa Secord, who has dedicated her career to preserving the traditional art of weaving, has won a $100,000 award from the Ruth Foundation for the Arts. "I'm kind of beyond honored and humbled," Secord said in an interview Tuesday. "It's a really big one. It's just really good to be recognized for four decades of my art. I really believe that traditional basketry here in the tribes is transcendental in these times. We've seen Wabanaki artists' lives transformed by their basketry practice, and I definitely feel that has been the case for me." Secord, who lives in Farmington, was so surprised by the award that she didn't believe the news at first. "I thought the email was spam," she said with a laugh. "I almost deleted it." The Ruth Foundation for the Arts, based in Wisconsin, launched in 2022 and has granted more than $35 million to date. This particular prize goes to contemporary artists working across North America, and nominations come from curators. "The nomination process for the awards is not only inspiring, but motivating — it renews our faith in the possibilities of this field," program director Kim Nguyen said in a news release. "The curators spoke about artists that are supporting entire ecosystems while radiating joy and profound reflection. They describe being captivated by the spectacular beauty of an artist's work, that they wanted to acknowledge artists who have not only lived through history but are helping to shape it." Michelle Millar Fisher, a curator of contemporary decorative arts at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, nominated Secord. "Theresa Secord and her work are worthy of support not just because of the material beauty she creates, but because to do so supports an entire ecosystem of Indigenous basketmaking that she has cultivated," Millar Fisher said in the release. "She is a self-deprecating cheerleader for Indigenous craft, a pioneer of community efforts to preserve and innovate Wabanaki traditions, and a significant artist in her own right." For years, Wabanaki basketry did not receive the respect it deserved in fine art circles. Secord founded the Maine Indian Basket Makers Alliance in 1993 and was its executive director for 21 years. The nonprofit is dedicated to saving the endangered art of ash and sweet grass basketry in the Wabanaki tribes. That advocacy has contributed in recent years to better prices and overdue recognition in markets, museums and galleries. Secord has won a number of awards for her artistry and community work, including Best of Basketry in the Santa Fe Indian Market, a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts and an honorary doctorate from Colby College in Maine. Secord was also the first U.S. citizen to receive the Prize for Creativity in Rural Life, awarded by the Women's World Summit Foundation at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. She serves on the boards at the Portland Museum of Art and the Colby College Museum of Art. Secord has also supported the next generation of basket makers, such as Jeremy Frey, whose solo show at the Portland Museum of Art last year was the first of its kind for a Wabanaki artist, and Sarah Sockbeson, who curated a show with Secord at the Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland last year. Her son, Caleb Hoffman, won Best in Show at the Santa Fe Indian Market last year. Secord said this prize will allow her to grow her own practice and also to keep teaching this art to others. "It really is beyond my wildest imagination," Secord said. "Even until 10 years ago, our basketry didn't exist in these places of honor, in these top museums. We worked really hard as an alliance to bring our baskets to the forefront. I think a lot of this recognition is due to the hard work of the present, but also the former mentors in the Maine Indian Basket Makers Alliance, those elderly basketmakers who really didn't see awards and recognition. They carried on this cultural art form in spite of so much hardship and so many obstacles, and now, we're really, really beneficiaries." The foundation announced this year's five winners Tuesday in a news release. Secord was the first and only from Maine. "Through the many challenges and ongoing complexities of sustaining a creative practice, there are countless artists who endure, who work with exceptional generosity, who are teachers and mentors for each other and for the next generation, who see art as a vehicle for social transformation," Nguyen said. "The awarded artists embody these values deeply, for not only their investment in their practices but their commitment to others — and we continue to learn from them each day." The other recipients of this year's Ruth Awards are Jennifer Harge of Michigan, Suzanne Jackson of Georgia, Carlos Motta of New York and Juan Sánchez of New York. Copy the Story Link
