Latest news with #Wabanaki
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Asian American history poised to be added to Maine learning results
(Photo by Getty Images) Both chambers of the Maine Legislature passed a bill that would require Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander history to be taught in Maine schools. The Senate on Thursday passed LD 957 with a 19-13 vote, after the House did so one day prior without a roll call. The bill would require the Maine Department of Education to convene a volunteer advisory committee to collect information and prepare materials to teach this history. It would also require the department to develop a process to enable schools to conduct internal audits of their curriculum to ensure the history is being adequately and accurately taught. Though, with a one-time cost of $15,000 for the department to convene the advisory group and prepare teaching materials, the legislation is expected to be placed on the appropriations table. Bills that land on this table, which is managed by the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee that sets the budget, have already passed the full Legislature with initial votes. However, if they don't have a specific funding source, they have to vie for remaining unappropriated money. Essentially, that's everything being voted through with a fiscal note because lawmakers are still drafting what will be in the next two year budget plan. This bill is one of several being considered this session to ensure diverse histories are taught in Maine schools, though the other bills seek to make sure already required curricula are actually being taught. Lawmakers revisit bills to ensure diverse histories are taught in Maine schools Maine has required Wabanaki and African American studies to be taught in schools since 2001 and 2021, respectively. But, school districts have failed to consistently and appropriately include Wabanaki studies in their curricula, according to a 2022 report, and many caution African American studies could see the same fate without additional resources and accountability measures. Last year, two separate bills were combined into one that proposed establishing a commission on Wabanaki and African American studies but that legislation died without final action. This idea is back for consideration this session with distinct bills. LD 1474, sponsored by Rep. Laurie Osher (D-Orono), would permanently establish a Wabanaki studies specialist in the Maine Department of Education to ensure the standards are being met. LD 1202, sponsored by Talbot Ross, would create the African American Studies Advisory Council to serve as a resource for educators, schools and the Department of Education to ensure the implementation of the curricula in accordance with existing state law. Neither bills have received floor votes so far. Another bill, LD 339, that sought to pilot a Wabanaki-centered curriculum for Wabanaki children attending public schools has been rejected by both chambers and is now effectively dead.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Wabanaki film fest in Portland aims to tell the stories of Indigenous peoples
May 16—Mali Obomsawin would like Mainers to be more aware of the Indigenous people here and their legacy. Raised in Farmington, Obomsawin is a bassist who has toured the country. She's also composed music for films and TV projects that help tell the stories of native peoples, including the 2024 Oscar-nominated documentary "Sugarcane" and the popular FX comedy-drama series "Reservation Dogs," set in the Muscogee Nation in Oklahoma. She's also one of the organizers of the first-ever Wabanaki Film Festival, set for Sunday at the Portland Museum of Art. The free program includes five films — three involving Maine filmmakers — as well as panel discussions. Obomsawin is hoping the event will bring attention to Wabanaki filmmakers and artists, and their perspectives, and raise awareness of the struggles of Indigenous peoples in Maine and elsewhere. "We're not represented here the way tribal nations are in other cities around the country. You go to Minneapolis or Santa Fe or Tulsa, and the footprint of the Indigenous people of that place is really evident," said Obomsawin, 29, who lives in Portland and is a member of the Abenaki Nation at Odanak. "We're working to change that, particularly right now when the Indigenous community nationwide is having a bit of a renaissance. " Obomsawin's co-organizer is Penobscot artist Lokotah Sanborn of Portland. The two also worked on one of the short films screening at the festival, "Otherworld," which was directed by Sanborn with narrative written by Obomsawin. It's a poetic documentary about an island off the coast of Maine, where the Abenaki first came into contact with the English in 1605. It later became the seasonal home of painter Andrew Wyeth and was carefully managed by his wife, Betsy, in hopes it would inspire his art. "My film is about Abenaki connection to place, presence, and continuance despite historic and ongoing genocide. It is also about the uncanny synthetic nature of colonialism in how it curates and shapes Indigenous lands," said Sanborn. The film festival will start at 11 a.m. Sunday with refreshments, mingling, followed by greetings and introductions. The first screening, at 11:45 a.m., is of the 1993 film "Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance." It's a documentary about an armed stand-off between protestors and police and military forces in Quebec, Canada, over a proposed golf course on Mohawk lands. The film was directed by Alanis Obomsawin, a cousin of Mali Obomsawin. After a discussion period and a break, three short Wabanaki films will be shown at 2:45 p.m. "Putep Qotatokot-te Elewestag (The Whale Was Speaking), is a poetry film voiced and written by Mihku Paul, touching on climate change, sea life and human survival. "Bay of Herons" by Jared Lank is about a Mi'kmaq man reflecting on seeing his homelands destroyed. Following the third film, "Otherworld," there will be a Q&A with filmmakers. At 3:30 p.m., there will be a screening of the 2012 film "Harvest of Empire: The Untold Story of Latinos in America," followed by a Q&A and a panel discussion. Sanborn said the films in the festival were chosen to illustrate the solidarity between Indigenous people across the Americas. The two feature-length documentaries, for instance, explore Western imperialism, colonial extraction and capitalist dominance, he said. "I hope that audiences take away a better understanding of immigration and ongoing fights for Indigenous sovereignty and how these issues inter-relate," Sanborn said. Copy the Story Link
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Legislature considers offering Wabanaki Nations more gambling revenue
Emma DavisMaine Morning Star Among the many federal laws that do not apply to the Wabanaki Nations due to a land settlement act is one that offers federally recognized tribes the right to exclusively regulate and take in revenue from gambling on tribal lands. Last month, the majority of the Maine Legislature's Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee voted in favor of a bill, LD 1164, that would give the Wabanaki Nations exclusive rights to operate internet gaming in Maine, though Wabanaki leaders say there is not much appetite from the governor for that change and the privately owned casinos are opposed, which could hamper that bill's chance of success. On Wednesday, the committee heard testimony on another proposal, LD 1851, which, rather than altering the structure of who controls gaming, seeks to provide equality among the Wabanaki Nations in how much revenue they are provided from slot machine income in the state. 'One of the primary purposes of this bill is parity,' said Zeke Crofton-Macdonald, Tribal Ambassador for the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians. The federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 codified that tribes have the exclusive right to regulate gaming on their lands, unless the state in which it operates prohibits such gaming under its criminal laws. However, the 1980 Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act has made it so the Wabanaki Nations are treated more akin to municipalities than independent nations, one way being that the Tribes are unable to benefit from any federal law passed after 1980, unless they are specifically mentioned in the law. In 2022, the Maine Legislature amended the Settlement Act to permit the Tribes to handle sports betting, so the legislation being considered this session would build off of that earlier expansion. Sponsored by Rep. Marc Malon (D-Biddeford) and co-sponsored by Sen. Rachel Talbot Ross (D-Cumberland), LD 1851 would increase the total net slot machine income to be collected and distributed by a casino from 39% to 46%, which would only impact Hollywood Casino, Hotel and Raceway in Bangor, as Oxford Casino is currently at that percentage. It would then provide 7% of that income to the tribal governments of the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians and the Mi'kmaq Nation. 'It is a matter of fairness and brings us a small step closer toward a more just relationship with the sovereign Indigenous nations whose land we live on,' Malon said. The bill would not change the arrangement that is currently in place between the Oxford Casino and the other two tribes of the Wabanaki Nations — the Passamaquoddy Tribe and Penobscot Nation. Oxford Casino pays 4% of its slot revenue to those two tribes, which Penobscot Chief Kirk Francis said was a deal struck when the casino first opened as a way for the Tribes to benefit without pursuing competing gaming, an agreement he said has been helpful for economic development. 'We don't want to take from the other tribes,' Chief of the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians Clarissa Sabattis said, regarding the reasoning as to why the bill doesn't pull from the same pot of revenue as the other two tribes. While the percentages are different, they equate to roughly the same revenue, around $3.5 million. The bill would also bring parity among the casinos, as Mi'kmaq Nation Chief Edward Peter Paul put it, because it would raise the slot machine income provided by both casinos to the same percentage. However, Chris Jackson, a partner in the lobby firm Mitchell Tardy Jackson in Augusta who spoke on behalf of his client Hollywood Casino, argued that change would be harmful to the casino financially because it would alter its tax rate. 'As long as our effective tax rate stays the same,' Jackson said, 'we are open to suggestions.' While both bills related to gaming revenue could be passed, Sabattis told Maine Morning Star she anticipates the slot revenue bill will not be as necessary should the Tribes gain control of internet gaming, though she sees that path as the less likely outcome. Testimony from the casinos against the online gaming bill also signal that. Steve Silver, chair of the Maine Gambling Control Board, argued that should that bill pass, Oxford Casino should no longer be required to pay slot revenue to the tribes. Another bill the committee heard on Wednesday, LD 1838, would authorize electronic wagering terminals to conduct electronic beano by federally recognized tribes, among some other changes, which Sabattis and Francis testified in support of. Overall, Wabanaki leaders argue their inability to access the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, and other restrictions under the Settlement Act, has caused them to lose out on revenue and therefore hurt their ability to provide services to their citizens. This is supported by a 2022 report by a team of researchers from the Harvard Kennedy School that the comparatively lower economic growth the Wabanaki Nations have seen compared to other federally recognized tribes and the average Mainer is likely the result of the Settlement Act. 'All of our tribes have significant unmet needs and underfunded programs,' Sabattis told the committee, noting that her tribe would put revenue provided through this bill toward its wellness court, in turn reducing strain for social services on the state and towns. The Wabanaki Alliance, a nonprofit created in 2020 to advocate for the recognition of the Wabanaki Nations' inherent sovereignty, hasn't taken a position on LD 1851, according to executive director Maulian Bryant.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Maine Legislature rejects state recognition process following tribes' request
Emma DavisMaine Morning Star The Legislature on Tuesday rejected two bills related to the state recognition of tribes, a longstanding effort that Wabanaki leaders argue would have undermined their continued push for the sovereignty afforded to other federally recognized tribes. The Wabanaki Nations — the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, Mi'kmaq Nation, Passamaquoddy Tribe and Penobscot Nation — have federal recognition, which, in theory, gives them the right to self-govern and makes them entitled to certain benefits and federal protections. However, the 1980 Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act has left the Wabanaki Nations with footing more akin to municipalities than independent nations. Overhauling that act is the fight for sovereignty Wabanaki leaders and a growing number of bipartisan lawmakers have been pushing for years, though so far have only seen success with piecemeal change. The Wabanaki Nations do not have state recognition, though that's not as abnormal. Some states have adopted state recognition processes, affording non-federally recognized tribes a path to official acknowledgement but in a way that doesn't afford the same sovereignty or access to resources. That's the type of process Rep. Jennifer Poirier (R-Skowhegan) tried to establish in Maine, though lawmakers rejected it, arguing the state recognition process would subvert the federal process, which is also comparatively a more rigorous one. 'This feels like a step backwards,' Wabanaki Alliance Executive Director Maulian Bryant told Maine Morning Star about the state recognition attempt. 'We feel strongly about the validity of the federal process, and going through that. We don't want to complicate an already complicated situation that's been going on for over 40 years now while we're trying to make progress.' Poirier's bill, LD 813, would have established a commission appointed by the governor to review applications for state recognition. The House voted 82-57 against this measure on Tuesday and the Senate rejected it without a roll call vote or discussion on Wednesday. On the floor on Tuesday, Rep. Adam Lee (D-Auburn) pointed to what's happened with Vermont's state recognition process as a reason for Maine to not establish its own. After a Canadian tribe asserted groups afforded state recognition by Vermont are not Indigenous and are instead appropriating their identity and culture, Vermont is now considering a task force to reconsider past tribal recognition decisions by the state. Poirier has said she'd hoped LD 813 would be unnecessary because of another bill she proposed, LD 812, which sought to provide state recognition for a group called the Kineo St. John Tribe. That measure would afford such recognition without the processes detailed by the former bill. The House rejected the bill without a roll call vote on Tuesday and the Senate followed suit on Wednesday. This group, formerly under the name the Kineo Band of Malecite, another spelling for Maliseet, has pushed for this recognition for more than a decade but legislative attempts have so far failed.
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
