#wabanaki — Public Fediverse posts

The #MaineGearLibraryNetwork.

"The Maine Gear Library Network exists to share resources and knowledge in order to grow equitable and low-barrier access to outdoor gear for communities across the state.

Gear libraries statewide:
Adaptive Outdoor Education Center – #BrunswickME
Katahdin Gear Library – #MillinocketME
#KindlingCollective – #PortlandME
Maine Bound Adventure Center – #OronoME
#MaineGearShare – #BrunswickME
Skowhegan Outdoors – #SkowheganME
#OldTownME / #OronoME Gear Library – In Development

Partners:
#CurtisMemorialLibrary of Things – #BrunswickME
#Wabanaki Public Health & Wellness – #BangorME
Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation – Statewide

The Maine Gear Library Network is a growing coalition of community organizations working together to make outdoor adventures more #accessible, #affordable, and #sustainable.

From #tents and #backpacks to #snowshoes and #kayaks, gear libraries around the state are helping more people get outside, regardless of income, experience, or zip code. By sharing resources and knowledge, the Maine Gear Library Network is building a culture of collaboration and sharing, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to explore and enjoy Maine’s incredible natural places.


What is a Gear Library?

A gear library is a community-powered lending program that provides low-cost access to outdoor equipment, such as kayaks, #bikes, backpacks, snowshoes, and more. Their models may differ, but these gear libraries share a common goal of supporting equitable access to the outdoors by removing the barrier of gear ownership, inviting more #Mainers to connect with nature."

FMI:
https://www.mainegearshare.org/maine-gear-library-network

#SolarPunkSunday #BorrowDontBuy #SharingEconomy #SpendTimeInNature #Kayaks #Hiking #Maine #GearHub #GearLibraries #SpendTimeOutdoors #BikeTooter #Biking #Kayaking #Camping

More about #BaunegBeg ! The name comes from the #Wabanaki word #Bannebeaugue, which means “spread out” and “still water.”

"Bauneg Beg Conservation Area in North Berwick includes 89 acres of deciduous forest land surrounding the 866-foot, three-peaked Bauneg Beg Mountain. The land was acquired by Great Works Regional Land Trust in three parts over the course of seven months in 2000 and 2001.

The 0.65-mile trail winds through a deciduous forest, a pine grove and a section of large boulders described as "Devil's Den" before reaching the highest of the three peaks. Trail forks just before the summit with a choice of routes to the top. Easier trail veers to the right.

Rocky outcroppings offer views of nearby Mount Hope, parts of south Sanford and, according to Great Works Regional Land Trust, on a clear day, Mount Washington to the northwest and the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast."

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/maine/bauneg-beg-middle-mountain-trail

#SolarPunkSunday #ConservationLand #MaineTrails #MaineHikes #SpendTimeInNature #NorthBerwickME #ConservationLands #GreatWorksRegionalLandTrust

#Mainers! Here's your chance to help fight #EmeraldAshBorer!

#MaineForestryService - Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis) Update

September 22, 2025

"Since 2019, MFS has been releasing parasitoid wasps for the long-term management of emerald ash borer (#EAB) in the forests of Maine. These are tiny, non-stinging members of the order Hymenoptera, and they specialize in EAB. In most cases, they will not keep the mature trees already in the forest alive, but there is evidence from other states that have had EAB longer than we have that these #wasps provide protection to the seedlings and saplings as they grow. We are attempting to release them in as many areas with EAB as possible so that they can eventually spread throughout the state, allowing ash to remain in #Maine’s forests.

"As of 2025, we have released these #parasitoids in 20 sites throughout the range of EAB. Of the ten sites that are at the stage where we can start monitoring for their establishment, we have recovered one or both of Spathius or Tetrastichus at five of them: four in #YorkCounty and one in northern #Aroostook. We are still years away from actual control of EAB, but it is encouraging to start recovering parasitoids.

"With the many new detections of EAB in Maine in recent years, we would like to establish new biological control release sites. The ash-dominated forests that serve as release sites can be public or privately owned. Many of our cooperators are private woodlot owners. Ideally, we would like to ship biological control directly to a local landowner or manager and have them conduct releases after training by MFS. The releases take 5-15 minutes, 4-6 times a summer for two summers. We are looking for new release sites in areas where EAB has recently become established. Specifically, we would like to find sites in or near #BarHarborME, #SolonME, #BelfastME, the #BathME / #BrunswickME area, #CoastalMaine south of #PortlandME, and #WesternMaine west of #LewistonME. If you have forested land in one of these areas and are potentially interested in having it become a biological release site, please review the guidelines and information about EAB biocontrol available on-line, and email foresthealth @ maine . gov (no spaces) with the town in which your ash stand is, the approximate acreage of ash, and the coordinates (approximate is fine) of the stand. If it looks like your land would be suitable for a biological control site, we will reach out to you."

Source:
Emailed newsletter

Link to guidelines (PDF):
https://www.maine.gov/dacf/mfs/forest_health/invasive_threats/eab/documents/meeting-082020/Emerald%20Ash%20Borer%20Biocontrol%20Info%20For%20Potential%20Cooperators.pdf

#InvasiveSpecies #AshTrees #SaveTheForests #ProtectTheSacred #Wabanaki #Basketry #SolarPunkSunday #Biocontrol

L’illimitato potenziale artistico del frassino nell’arte intrecciata dei Wabanaki
https://www.jacoporanieri.com/blog/?p=42996

#arte #cultura #artigianato #creatività #legno #intreccio #cestini #scultura #tecniche #artisti #personaggi #nativi americani #wabanaki #maine #nordamerica #tradizioni #società #ingegno #lavoro

#InterculturalInsights on #WMPG alternates between four different segments... A brand new one, #TheWeavers, airs on the first Tuesday of the month at 11:30am - 12 noon (right before #DemocracyNow). The other three shows are great as well... Shows available for five weeks after airdates via the audio archives...

"Intercultural Insights offers four different shows that air once a month.

On the first Tuesday of every month The Weavers are weaving the values of their ancestors into the world we share today. Hosts #LisaSockabasin and #NancyLaCoote explore #Wabanaki values and how these values are lived (or not lived) today.

"On the second Tuesday of each month, #ReturningTheLand is hosted by USM professor Dr. #DavidLowry, the founder of the #IndigenousPeoplesTrust—an initiative calling for justice and the return of Indigenous land.

"The third Tuesday of the month features Dr. #IdellaGlenn, the Vice President of Equity, Inclusion, and Community Impact at USM with her show: Building USM’s Beloved Community. Unspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Beloved Community, Dr. Idella Glenn sits down with members of the community to foster and embrace the all-#inclusive spirit of USM.

"And on the fourth Tuesday of each month, #VoicesAndVisions: The #Podcast is an #Artisttalk series that features #IndigoArts Alliance’s alumni artists in residence, highlighting their similarities, creative #intersections, distinct voices, and their residence experience. Each episode is a conversation between two artists while they were in residence at Indigo Arts Alliance."

Link to audio archives:
https://www.wmpg.org/show/tue1130/

#CommunityRadio #WMPGFM #MaineCommunityRadio #DiversityInMaine #MaineResists #CommunitySupportedRadio #Justice #LandBack #ArtistsVoices #BlackArtists #BlackAndBrownArtists #UniversityOfSouthernMaine

Zoom Conference: #Wabanaki #FoodSovereignty

Monday, September 1, 2025
9am - 10am

FMI:
https://www.niweskok.org/events

#WabanakiConfederacy #Wabanakik #Niweskok #FoodSovereignty #FoodAndMedicine #FoodForests #Maine #SolarPunkSunday

Some highlights from the #APCAW conference on #AshTrees and #EmeraldAshBorer

#JohnDaigle mentioned chemical treatment on selected trees combined with biological control releases. May not need to keep using chemical treatments if the bio-control takes hold.

EricTopper: "Pheromones could draw EAB away from places which would fall under the bio-control umbrella."
John replied that it has not been tested, as far as he knows.

John Daigle: "The goal ultimately is to co-exist. Get brown ash to evolve to be more resistant, possibly by cross-breeding with other ash trees. That is being done with Manchurian ash and is having success."

Ella MacDonald: "Brown ash used for Wabanaki basket making. Green ash not as suitable for basket making.
We might breed brown with green ash - green ash might be more resistant to EAB. Possibly white ash with brown? However, there us no federal store of black or brown ash seeds. Seed collecting of those two are important. Folks can collect it themselves, after positively identifying the species."

FMI about #SeedCollecting from #APCAW / #UMaine

#Ash Protection Collaboration Across #Waponahkik

Seed Collection and Ash Regeneration

Includes:
- Collecting Ash Seed
- Seed Collection Map and Reporting Tool
- Processing and Storing Ash Seed
- Growing Ash From Seed

https://umaine.edu/apcaw/seed-collection-and-ash-regeneration/

#SolarPunkSunday #Biodiversity #Rewilding #PreserveTheSacred #Maine
#EAB #EmeraldAshBorer
#AshTrees #InvasiveSpecies #Wabanaki
#ProtectTheForests
#MaineNews #SaveTheTrees #WabanakiCulture #WabanakiBasketry #WabanakiTradition #Forestry #ProtectTheSacred #TraditionalEcologicalKnowledge #NativeAmericanBasketry #Sustainability #IndigenousStewardship #CulturalPreservation #InvasiveSpecies #EAB #PreservingNature #TEK #TIK #TraditionalIndigenousKnowledge #Basketry #PreservingTheSacred #PreservingTheForest #WabanakiConfederacy
#WabanakiAlliance

I posted the whole article because of the paywall. I listened to #EllenMacDonald at the #APCAW conference on #EmeraldAshBorer earlier this week. She and #JohnDaigle of #UMaine were facilitating the workshop. This article contains a lot of the same information I learned at the workshop! Seed banks + teaming up with the Wabanaki peoples - modern technology meets traditional knowledge!

Native seeds preserved, protected to counter surging invasives

Calling all home gardeners and eco enthusiasts! Lend a hand this spring: Assist Wabanaki tribes and scientists fighting to save ash trees or partner up with statewide neighbors through local seed banks.

March 17, 2025

"The sun radiated overhead as Tyler Everett surveyed the green hills of the Mi’kmaq Nation in Presque Isle.

"Ash trees, mainly brown ash, are cultural keystone species for Wabanaki communities and wetland ecosystems in the Northeast. However, they’re under threat due to the spread of the emerald ash borer.

"This collective of forest caretakers works together to raise awareness of ash trees’ significance and the efforts, such as seed banking, to conserve them. It continues the work the Brown Ash Taskforce set forth 20 years ago after tribal members detected early signs of the invasive pest.

" 'Emerald ash borer was discovered by basket makers who noticed the trees, whose bark they relied on, looked very unhealthy,' Everett said. 'Our work today still centers around our tribal partners who first sounded the alarm.'

"#APCAW resembles a national movement, the #IndigenousSeedKeepersNetwork, cultivating solidarity within the matrix of regional grassroots seed #sovereignty projects — collecting, growing and sharing #HeirloomSeeds to promote cultural diversity.

"Here’s a look at some of the seed lending and preservation happening here in the Maine, from brown ash to Wabanaki flint corn.

" 'It may be no Doomsday Vault (also known as Svalbard Global Seed Vault),' said Emily Baisden, seed center director at #WildSeedProject. "But we’re doing some great work.'

"So, what’s a seed bank? Picture a temperature-controlled vault with billions of period-sized seeds in foil packets.

"Through storage, the goal is to preserve genetic diversity for future use, protect rare species and develop new crop varieties. Not only do seed banks play a role in food security, but also, at their best, they can restore plant communities after natural disasters like droughts or fires and provide valuable insight on how best to combat environmental stress.

"#SeedBanks operate at the community, national or global level — such as the #PetalmaSeedBank in California, which preserves the region’s agricultural diversity, or the #SvalbardGlobalSeedVault, the global backup for all other seed banks.

"In the far reaches of the Nordic island of Spitsbergen, the aforementioned 'Doomsday Vault' provides the world’s genebank, kept safe in case some catastrophe threatens the planet’s crops. If seed banks are a computer’s filing system, where documents are stored, Svalbard is the external hard drive.

"Enter Maine’s Wild Seed Project, an APCAW partner organization. The group hand collects and distributes 3 million seeds representing over 100 species of Northeast native plants yearly.

" 'Long-term seed banking requires #cryopreservation, akin to flash freezing,' Baisden said. 'It allows seeds to last for decades, if not longer. … We try not to store seeds for more than four years at Wild Seed. We dry them, place them in jars and label them by location. The newest are sold, and the older ones are used in our Seeds for Teachers program.'

"Baisden acknowledged the correlation between landscape management and biodiversity. When native plants disappear, likely through urbanization, the insects that depend on and coevolve with them also decline, as do the animals that rely on those insects (like birds).

" 'Most seeds sold in garden centers are propagated through clonal reproduction,' Baisden said. 'This minimizes genetic diversity, and as we know, #biodiversity is crucial for communal stability.'

"For a long time, the horticulture industry pushed to introduce non-native species that lacked natural predators and could quickly reproduce. Later, when forests were clear-cut in the 1900s, trees like the brown ash fell to the wayside, and non-native vegetation crept in.

" 'Maine, so far, is the only state with non-quarantine habitats free from emerald ash borer,' Baisden said. 'Studying these helps us plan ahead and learn. We hope that by working with #BasketMakers, foresters and scientists, we can store or distribute emerald ash borer–resistant seeds.”

Management shaped by Indigenous wisdom

"The spread of emerald ash borer has already caused 99% brown ash tree mortality in parts of Turtle Island, a small island between Mount Desert Island and Schoodic Point.

"As a group committed to science-informed strategies that align with Wabanaki priorities, APCAW has been collecting seeds (viable for up to eight years) from 46 healthy ash trees to store in a refrigerator at the University of Maine in Orono.

"As Everett noted, Indigenous people have long used brown ash as the primary material for #basketry, valuing its soft, splinty texture as ideal for weaving. The brown ash tree is also part of one of the #Abenaki origin stories.

" 'Brown ash was the root from which all #Wabanaki people emerged,' Everett said.

"The species’ decline evokes deep emotion. Recognizing this, Indigenous communities are at the forefront of APCAW outreach and land-management strategies.

"Program registration links are first shared with tribal partners, and they are often invited to co-facilitate or lead the event discussions. Occasionally, exclusive gatherings are held to allow basket weavers to connect in a more intimate setting.

" 'My job is to engage in a dialogue with our tribal partners and address any reactions they have,' Everett said. 'There’s a strong sense of responsibility to save brown ash, but opinions vary. Some hesitate about allowing the seeds to be stored outside the community.'

"Everett is currently drafting a document to serve as a resource for the #HoultonBand of #Maliseet Indians, #Mikmaq, #Passamaquoddy and #PenobscotNations. By spring 2026, he hopes to publish a public report acknowledging the priorities of Maine’s #Wabanaki people.

"#EllaMcDonald, a colleague of Everett, has centered her master’s thesis on the effectiveness of APCAW’s outreach efforts in inspiring action that benefits both the Wabanaki people and their native forests’ ecosystems.

" 'Out west, we’ve already seen devastating mortality rates of brown ash,' McDonald said. 'It’s just a matter of time before our situation escalates.'

"The group is focused on a project that will test the resistance of native trees to the emerald ash borer next fall in collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service. This involves working with private #landowners, who will be asked to grow ash seeds and monitor their growth over time to assess their survival capacity.

"McDonald encouraged readers to get involved. The UMaine website will soon feature a map with priority areas for seed collection and locations where kits with all the necessary materials can be picked up. Those curious can contact [email protected] or sign up for the newsletter to receive updates on upcoming events.

" 'We are witnessing an unprecedented change,' McDonald said. 'What inspires me is to see groups across sectors working together to prepare. So many people genuinely care about our environment. … Together we can make a difference.'

Get involved

"Wild Seed Project held its first online seed-sowing demonstration in November 2021. Now, it offers a range of in-person programs and community events. Courtesy of Wild Seed Project

"There are a few options to join the movement.

"Locals can donate resources to area seed banks, like the Wild Seed Project, or research projects, like APCAW.

"Or harness the power of the dollar and purchase #NativeSeeds for a #rewilding project or #AbenakiFlintCorn, a product that honors seed keepers of the past and pays royalties to APCAW.

"To get involved through volunteerism, the Wild Seed Project actively seeks #SeedStewards to collect, clean, process and package seeds.

" 'The nonprofit is also building a first-of-its-kind Native Seed Center at Cape Elizabeth Land Trust’s Turkey Hill Farm, where plants will grow among natural seed banks, along the woodland edge and throughout the farmstead meadow. To donate, visit wildseedproject.com/the-native-seed-center.

Source [paywall]:
https://www.pressherald.com/2025/03/17/native-seeds-preserved-protected-to-counter-surging-invasives/

#SolarPunkSunday #TraditionalEcologicalKnowledge #NativeAmericanBasketry #Sustainability #IndigenousStewardship #CulturalPreservation #InvasiveSpecies #EAB #PreservingNature #Biodiversity #PreservingTheSacred #PreservingTheForest

Today, June 5, 2025. Webinar: Everything #Ash Webinar Series: APCAW panel – Cultural importance of Ash, multicultural response to #EAB

Everything Ash Webinar Series: How & Why We Should Respond to the #EmeraldAshBorer Crisis

"During May and June, #MaineAudubon and partners will host a four-part series of evening webinars, each of which will focus on a specific aspect of the looming EAB crisis. Leaders from government, research, and cultural organizations will educate and inspire us about ash trees and what can be done to conserve them. The webinars will take place at 6 pm on select Thursdays.

"APCAW panel—Cultural importance of Ash, multicultural response to EAB

"A panel of #Wabanaki and non-Wabanaki researchers at the Ash Protection Collaboration Across #Waponahkik lab will share and discuss the benefits of a blended, multicultural approach to protecting our ash, as well as how people can get involved to support this work."

FMI and to register:
https://maineaudubon.org/events/everything-ash-webinar-series-june5/

#CulturalPreservation #Maine #MFS #EAB #EmeraldAshBorer #AshTree #AshTrees #APCAW #InvasiveSpecies #Wabanaki #ProtectTheForests #MaineNews #Maine #SaveTheTrees #WabanakiCulture #WabanakiBasketry #WabanakiTradition #Forestry #ProtectTheSacred

#AshTree Protection Collaboration Across #Wabanakik

"Ash trees, in particular brown ash (used interchangeably with black ash, Fraxinus nigra), are a cultural keystone species for Wabanaki communities and a crucial part of wetland ecosystems in the Northeast. The spread of the invasive forest pest EAB has caused 99% brown ash tree mortality in other areas of Turtle Island, and will have a considerable effect on ecosystems and traditions as it spreads through the Dawnland.

"Partners of the Ash Protection Collaboration Across Wabanakik’s (APCAW) have been working for 20 years to prepare for the onset of EAB in Northeastern forests. We are committed to identifying research-informed strategies to protect the future of ash in the Dawnland that align with Wabanaki priorities. The purpose of this website is to share practical knowledge with those who seek to take actions to maintain ash on the landscape. If you’d like to receive event announcements in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter here. Read on to find information about the cultural importance of ash, seed collection efforts, and emerald ash borer (EAB) management.

Why are we called the Ash Protection Collaboration Across Wabanakik?

"Our name emerged from collaborative conversations about the goals of our shared work. We decided to use the word #Wabanakik to refer to the place where we are located in an effort to center Wabanaki language and ways of knowing. Wabanakik is a term with slightly different meanings in each eastern #Algonquin language, but can be understood in English to mean either 'in the location of the land which is referred to as the #Dawnland' or 'in the location of the People of the Dawn.' Wabanakik stretches from Newfoundland in the north, to mid-Maine in the south, and parts of Quebec in the west.

"APCAW members acknowledge that we are located in the homeland of the #WabanakiConfederacy, which includes the #Abenaki, Maliseet, Mi’kmaq, Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot Tribal Nations. Wabanakik has a ongoing legacy of #colonialism, of #StolenLand, broken treaties, forced removal and genocide of Wabanaki peoples which have fragmented Wabanaki relationships to land. The People of the Dawn maintain a sacred relationship with brown ash trees since time immemorial. APCAW’s work is to center, protect, and restore this ongoing relationship between Wabanaki peoples and ash ecosystems.

Who are we?

"The Ash Protection Collaboration Across Wabanakik (APCAW) is a group of Indigenous and non-indigenous researchers, Tribal members, and forest caretakers working together to bring more awareness of the cultural and ecological significance of ash trees and efforts to conserve them. APCAW continues the initiative set forth by the EAB and Brown Ash Taskforce, which began in the early 2000s to facilitate the collaborative capacity of Wabanaki basketmakers, Tribal Nations, state and federal foresters, and others to prevent, detect, and respond to the EAB. APCAW gives platform to the work of a broad range of partners, including:

• University of Maine School of Forest Resources

• Tribal Nations
#MikmaqNation, Presque Isle
#HoultonBand of #Maliseet Indians, Houlton
#PassamaquoddyTribe at #IndianTownship
Passamaquoddy Tribe at #PleasantPoint #Sipayik
#PenobscotNation, Indian Island

• Wabanaki basketmakers and the Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance

• State and Federal Forestry Agencies
USDA APHIS
State of Maine Department of Agriculture & Forestry
State, Private, and Tribal Forest Service

• Conservation organizations and seed saving organizations
The #WildSeedProject
#MaineLandTrustNetwork

Learn more (includes links to resources):
https://umaine.edu/apcaw/

#Maine #MFS #EAB #EmeraldAshBorer #AshTree #AshTrees #APCAW #InvasiveSpecies #Wabanaki #ProtectTheForests #MaineNews #Maine #SaveTheTrees #WabanakiCulture #WabanakiBasketry #WabanakiTradition #Forestry #ProtectTheSacred #SolarPunkSunday

How to protect #AshTrees and preserve a #Wabanaki tradition
October 29, 2024

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 29, 2024

"How to help protect the brown ash tree used in Wabanaki basketry from the invasive emerald ash borer.

• Cut, buy, or burn only local firewood.
• Monitor for telltale signs of infestation.
• If you own land, know if you have brown ash.
• If your ash is healthy, contact a forester or #MaineForestService about how to keep them alive.
• Collect seed pods from healthy brown ash for replanting.
• Consider offering Wabanaki artists access to your brown ash."

https://www.restore.org/maineenvironews/2024/10/29/how-to-protect-ash-trees-and-preserve-a-wabanaki-tradition

Source [may be behind a paywall]:
https://www.pressherald.com/2024/10/29/how-to-protect-ash-trees-and-preserve-a-wabanaki-tradition/
#Maine #MFS #EAB #EmeraldAshBorer #AshTree #AshTrees #APCAW #InvasiveSpecies #Wabanaki #ProtectTheForests #MaineNews #Maine #SaveTheTrees #WabanakiCulture #WabanakiBasketry #WabanakiTradition #Forestry #ProtectTheSacred #SolarPunkSunday #IndigenousPeoplesDay

#EmeraldAshBorer Confirmed on #MountDesertIsland

Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry sent this bulletin at 04/01/2025 03:42 PM EDT

AUGUSTA, #Maine — "Maine State Forester Patty Cormier today announced that the #MaineForestService (#MFS) Forest Health and Monitoring Division has confirmed the presence of emerald ash borer (#EAB) on Mount Desert Island (#MDI) outside of the previously regulated area.

"A licensed professional arborist in Bar Harbor made the detection. The infested area shows signs of a well-established EAB population, with visible damage to ash trees from public roads.

"'This is an unfortunate but not entirely unexpected discovery,' said Cormier. 'We’ve known that EAB continues to spread throughout Maine, and we appreciate the vigilance of local arborists and community members. Public awareness is important to detecting and responding to this destructive forest pest.'

"As a result of this detection, the Maine Department of Agriculture Conservation and Forestry will expand the current EAB quarantine to include all towns on MDI. This non-contiguous quarantine may help slow the spread.

"Key guidance for landowners, municipalities, and the public includes:

- #AshTree material should remain on MDI. Logs, branches, or wood waste from removed trees should be disposed of on-site or at an island-based disposal facility.
- Ash chips are not regulated and may be legally transported off the island.
- High-value ash trees that are not heavily infested can be evaluated and may be preserved through systemic insecticide treatment by licensed pesticide applicators. These treatments require periodic reapplication.
- Infested ash trees will decline quickly and become structurally unstable. Property owners and managers are urged to evaluate ash trees near infrastructure for potential treatment or removal.

"The MFS and collaborators, including the Ash Protection Collaboration Across #Wabanakik's (#APCAW), Sustaining Ash Partners Network (#SAPNe), and #USDA Animal and Plant Inspection Service, continue to support ongoing mitigation efforts, including:

- Release of biological control organisms from federal partners by MFS through community partnerships.
- Seed collection and protection for future restoration led by APCAW.
- Education and technical support by varied partners.
- Public tree management and replanting through state and federal funding opportunities.

"'Emerald ash borer is one of the most damaging forest pests we face,' added Cormier. 'By working together—with awareness, early detection, and coordinated response—we can slow its spread and protect Maine’s forest resources.'"

Learn more:
https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MEDACF/bulletins/3d9a239
#InvasiveSpecies #Wabanaki #ProtectTheForests #MaineNews #Maine #SaveTheTrees #WabanakiCulture #WabanakiBasketry #WabanakiTradition #Forestry

#Wabanaki Nations, allies celebrate progress in continued fight for #sovereignty

Emma Davis
Fri, July 12, 2024

"[The alliance] honored the contributions of #RenaNewell, former #Passamaquoddy Tribal Representative to the state Legislature and former chief of the reservation at #Sipayik, and #BethAhearn, who this year retired as director of government affairs for Maine Conservation Voters, a nonprofit focused on protecting the environment and one of the earliest members of the #WabanakiAlliance.

"Newell, who currently serves as interim associate director of the Wabanaki Alliance, said it is not the work of one individual that brings success but the relationships people have with one another that allow for collective learning and movement forward together.

"During her time in the State House, Newell led efforts to expand Tribal-State coordination, including paving the way for greater sovereignty for the Passamaquoddy two years ago. Newell sponsored legislation that provided tribal members at Sipayik, also known as #PleasantPoint, more power to regulate local #DrinkingWater by, among other means, removing barriers in the #SettlementAct that had prevented the tribe from fully accessing federal funds and remediation resources that were available to other federally recognized tribes."

Read more:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/wabanaki-nations-allies-celebrate-progress-113944863.html

#WabanakiConfederacy #WaterIsLife #Maine #NativeAmericans #PassamaquoddyNation

From 2020: Restoration of #LandStewardship

#SunlightMediaCollective, October 14, 2020

"A significant return of land #stewardship to the #PenobscotNation celebrates their history and cultural #resilience and serves to inspire similar land stewardship returns during and beyond this important moment of historical reckoning. On October 30th, 2020, in the Ancestral territory of the Penobscot Nation, #ChiefKirkFrancis and the Penobscot people received 735 acres of #LandBack in what is currently known as #WilliamsburgTownship. The land is located between two parcels of land already in Penobscot stewardship, to the West of the #PleasantRiver and the town of #Brownsville. This is a broad landscape of #RiverEcosystem and critical #AtlanticSalmon habitat that connects the #PenobscotRiver to #Katahdin."

Video link:
https://www.sunlightmediacollective.org/restoration-of-land-stewardship/

#Wabanaki #WabanakiAlliance #IndigenousPeoplesDay

#MaineTribes and Leading #Environmental Organizations Join Forces To Oppose Proposed #Mine in Shadow of #Katahdin

Proposed #ZincMine at #PickettMountain being pursued by virtually unknown Canadian company

June 28, 2023

"Two Tribes in Maine today joined forces with leading environmental groups and a national public interest environmental law organization to oppose a proposed mine that would be located in the shadow of #BaxterStatePark and the #KatahdinWoods & Waters National Monument.

"The proposed zinc mine at Pickett Mountain is being pursued by a virtually unknown Canadian company, #WolfdenResources, that has never operated a mine before. A previous version of Wolfden’s request was widely opposed because the region holds enormous cultural and natural significance to #Wabanaki Tribes, outdoor recreation businesses, and Maine people.

"The #HoultonBandOfMaliseets, the #PenobscotNation, and the #NaturalResourcesCouncilOfMaine [#NRCM], represented by #Earthjustice and #Brann&Isaacson, joined the #ConservationLawFoundation in petitioning to intervene in the review of Wolfden’s permit application to the Land Use Planning Commission (#LUPC) to rezone the area for #industrial uses.

"'The Penobscot Nation strongly opposes the rezoning of this #ecologically important area. We share significant concerns over impacts to the #water quality and f#isheries of the area, which our members rely upon,' said #ChiefKirkFrancis of the Penobscot Nation. 'The West Branch of the #MattawamkeagRiver contains abundant, high-quality, cold-water fish habitat and Designated #CriticalHabitat for #endangered #AtlanticSalmon, identified as necessary for the recovery of Atlantic salmon in the Penobscot River. This mine would impact our traditional territories and forever alter our ability to maintain our relationship to this place.'

"The area Wolfden wants to mine is next to three State Heritage Fish Waters and is a centerpiece of the region’s growing outdoor economy. It contains the headwaters of the West Branch of the Mattawamkeag River, which is sacred to the Penobscot Nation and provides key, federally designated critical habitat for endangered Atlantic salmon.

"'The Katahdin region’s wild beauty and clean water are extraordinary. One look at this landscape demonstrates that this is no place to put a mine,' said Nick Bennett, staff scientist at the Natural Resources Council of Maine. 'Wolfden’s claims that it will treat #wastewater more effectively than any mining company on earth are not credible. This is too big a risk for #Maine.'

"'The legacy of metallic mineral #mining in Maine is one of empty promises of economic development, acid mine drainage #polluting waters and killing fish, and multi-million dollar c#leanups funded by taxpayers and not the fly-by-night mining companies like Wolfden,' said #SeanMahoney, vice-president and senior counsel at the Conservation Law Foundation. 'Rezoning this area to allow mining would fail to recognize the cultural and spiritual importance of the land to the #WabanakiTribes and threaten the natural resources and experiences valued by generations of Maine citizens.'

"After withdrawing its initial request because it was riddled with errors, Wolfden submitted a second rezoning petition in January that sparked another review by the LUPC. Comments by Wolfden’s CEO disrespecting Maine tribes and #MininLlaws have prompted outrage from the Penobscot Nation, Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, and #conservationists. The company has lost tens of millions of dollars over the past decade.

"'This is one of the absolute worst areas to rezone for a mine,' said Aaron Bloom, a senior attorney with Earthjustice. 'The region is known for its vast contiguous forest, pristine streams, high-quality lakes, and aquatic species like wild brook trout and landlocked salmon. Why would we risk that, along with the outdoor economy that depends on it, on a half-baked proposal from an unproven mining company? The Commission must put Maine’s unique natural resources, and the well-being of the people of Maine and Maine’s Wabanaki Tribes, before short-term industry profits.'

"More than 700 hundred Mainers and local businesses, including Bradford Camps, Chandler Lakes Camps and Lodge, and the #MaineWildernessGuidesOrganization, have spoken out against Wolfden’s plans. In May 2022, residents of #Pembroke voted overwhelmingly to ban industrial-scale metallic mineral mining in their town in response to Wolfden’s plans to develop a mine there."

Source:
https://earthjustice.org/press/2023/maine-tribes-and-leading-environmental-organizations-join-forces-to-oppose-proposed-mine-in-shadow-of-katahdin

#WaterIsLife #Maine #WabanakiNations #Environment #Mining #CorporateColonialism #NoMining

#WabanakiStudies should be taught at all #MaineSchools

OpEd by Hope Carroll, December 26, 2023

"#Wabanaki history is ingrained across #Maine and has deep rooted cultural relationships with major natural landmarks that many of us see everyday. However, there is a concerning gap surrounding the important aspects of our state’s rich Wabanaki history and what little many students learn about it in Maine schools.

"Wabanaki studies need to be consistently incorporated into all Maine school districts. According to a 2022 report done by the #AbbeMuseum, the #MaineACLU, the Maine Indian Tribal-State Commission and the #WabanakiAlliance, the Wabanaki studies law passed by Maine in 2001 is not appropriately enforced across the state.

"The law 'requires schools to teach Maine K–12 students about Wabanaki territories, economic systems, cultural systems, governments, and political systems, as well as the Wabanaki tribes’ relationships with local, state, national, and international governments,' the report says.

"The Portland public school system recently incorporated a Wabanaki studies program into its curriculum. This will hopefully be a good example for other districts across Maine and encourage them to do the same.

"Teaching Wabanaki studies will help children gain a better understanding of the state. In time, this can help them develop a closer relationship with the #land and our responsibility to ensure that it is cared for and treated with respect.

"'Through #traditional stories representing the terrestrial and aquatic systems, important [Wabanaki] values are imparted that safeguard culturally significant resources from overuse and ensure the persistence of the people and culture,' says Natalie Michelle, interdisciplinary studies and research assistant of native environmental studies in climate change at the University of Maine.

"It is more important than ever that we look to native science as we face irreversible damage to our climate. We must prioritize implementing these ideals early into the educational careers of children so they go on to practice them throughout their lives.

"Western science and education has taught the ideals of dominance over nature for centuries. This is reflected in practices that have contributed to the #extinction of animals, rises in #NaturalDisasters, food and water shortages and the numerous other effects of #ClimateChange. Instead of connecting with #nature, we are often taught to distance ourselves from the #NaturalWorld. We are taught to use vague and nonspecific naming tools like 'it' to refer to any non-human being.

"'We use it to distance ourselves, to set others outside our circle of moral consideration, creating #hierarchies of difference that justify our actions — so we don’t feel,' says Robin Kimmerer, professor of environmental and forest biology at the State University of New York College of #EnvironmentalScience and #Forestry.

"Kimmerer talks of alternatives to using 'it' to put ourselves on the same level as other living beings, recognizing them as relatives by calling them by their name. But she says that this can be difficult for many of her students because they were not taught these alternatives until now.

"In my experience growing up in Maine and going to school, I never encountered a class focused on Wabanaki studies until college. I am grateful to have this opportunity now. But it has been difficult for me to implement these new ideals into my thinking toward the land around me because they seem so foreign.

"Using the word 'foreign' seems wrong when describing ideals that have been used in Maine since long before any of us were here. But Maine schools and communities have an opportunity to change this.

"Children who grow up in this state have the right and responsibility to know the history of the land around them. They have the right and responsibility to understand the negative implications of #colonization and #ForcedRemoval of the #WabanakiTribes and how despite horrible #historical events, the Wabanaki people have endured and developed their own #sovereign structures.

"In order to create more inclusive classrooms that incorporate all aspects of our state history and work towards building respectful relationships with Maine land, other communities should follow the exciting example being set in #PortlandMaine."

Source:
https://www.bangordailynews.com/2023/12/26/opinion/opinion-contributor/wabanaki-studies-maine-schools-education/

#WabanakiConfederacy #LandBack #IndigenousPeoples
#IndigenousSovereignty #ClimateCrisis #LandStewards
#Stewardship #IndigenousNews #NativeAmericanNews

How to observe #IndigenousPeoplesDay in #Maine

Dan Neumann October 6, 2023

"Tribal members and supporters will rally outside the Maine State House in Augusta on Indigenous People’s Day for #Wabanaki self-determination and transparency around Maine’s #treaty obligations toward tribal nations.

"The rally, organized by the #WabanakiAlliance, a coalition that includes representatives from hundreds of organizations and businesses that support #Wabanaki inherent sovereignty, will start at 9:30 a.m. on Oct. 9 outside the capitol and conclude at 11:30 a.m.

"Participants will be able to make signs and learn more about the 'Yes on 6' campaign ahead of the rally.

"#Question6 on the November ballot asks whether voters support requiring 'that all of the provisions of the Maine Constitution be included in the official printed copies' distributed by the state.

"The tribes are supporting the ballot measure because, since 1876, printed copies of Maine’s Constitution have omitted three sections of the original document, including one pertaining to Maine’s treaty obligations toward the tribes.

"Monday’s Indigenous People’s Day marks a crossroads for the tribes and their allies, after legislation recognizing Wabanaki sovereignty was vetoed by Gov. Janet Mills last summer.

"The law would have amended the jurisdictional arrangement between the tribes and the state that Indigenous leaders have long criticized for leaving the #WabanakiNations with less authority over natural resources, gaming, taxation, criminal justice and economic development on their lands than 570 other federally recognized tribes.

"Celebration at Redbank in South Portland

"Also on Monday, the #SouthPortlandMaine #HumanRights Commission will be hosting an Indigenous People’s Day celebration from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Redbank Community Center, located at 95 MacArthur Circle West in South Portland.

"The celebration will feature speaker Corey Hinton, a citizen of the #Passamaquoddy Tribe at #Sipayik and a lead lawyer on tribal issues in Maine.

"The Cape Elizabeth Rotary will also be serving pancakes and maple syrup sourced from #PassamaquoddyMaple, a company that is '100% tribally owned, with a mission to provide a high-end, small batch, product that will not only sustain our tribal land, but also create jobs for our people.'

"South Portland’s Indigenous People’s Day event is free, family friendly, and open to the public.

"Other events

"The #AbbeMuseum in #BarHarbor is holding a week long series of events through Oct. 9 called “#Indigenous2023 – Celebrating Our Sovereignty“, including #storytelling, a #concert and free museum admission.

"University of Maine, #Farmington [#UMF] is holding events from Oct. 16-19 including a food tasting, storytelling, a film showing and a panel discussion on how to be an ally."

Source:
https://mainebeacon.com/wabanaki-to-rally-on-indigenous-peoples-day-for-self-determination/

#IndigenousAlly #GovernmentTransparency #RespectTheTreaties #PenobscotNation #PassamaquoddyNation #Maliseet

Amid Continued #Sovereignty Campaign, #Wabanaki REACH Creates Play as Part of Truth-Telling Project

Evan Popp, Maine Beacon
Thu, August 31, 2023

"As part of a truth-telling initiative that seeks to illuminate the issue of land claims and the 1980 #SettlementAct as well as celebrate the resilience of #Indigenous communities, the group #WabanakiREACH has partnered with a #Maine-based #theater organization to create a play developed by and for #Wabanaki people.

"The play, titled where the river widens, is an original, community-developed production and is being put on in partnership with #ThreadbareTheatreWorkshop, a group located on the Blue Hill peninsula. The work is the first public offering based on a project in which Wabanaki REACH — an organization supporting Indigenous self-determination through education and other restorative practices — spent a year gathering more than 40 oral history interviews from Wabanaki people and those in Maine about Maine Indian land claims and the 1980 Settlement Act.

"As Beacon previously reported, Wabanaki tribes have long argued that the Settlement Act has stifled tribes’ economic development and allowed the state to treat sovereign Indigenous nations as municipalities, creating a paternalistic and unfair relationship that no other federally-recognized tribe is subject to. Given that, the Wabanaki have created a grassroots movement in the last couple years behind reforming the Settlement Act to recognize the tribes’ inherent sovereignty, but opposition from Gov. #JanetMills has stymied such efforts despite broad support for change from the public.

"Earlier this year, tribal leaders also attempted to pass a bill to ensure that the Wabanaki would have access to most federal laws that benefit Indigenous tribes around the country. Proponents of that legislation noted that because of the Settlement Act, any federal law enacted after 1980 for the benefit of tribes across the U.S. that impacts the application of Maine law doesn’t apply to the Wabanaki unless they are specifically included in the measure by Congress. However, Mills in June vetoed the measure pushed by tribal leaders to rectify that situation.

"Given the power of the stories Wabanaki REACH was able to collect on the subject, Maria Girouard, the group’s executive director, said the organization felt it was important to share those experiences with a wider audience via theater.

“We were so moved by the stories we gathered, it was a natural next step to talk about theater as a way of continuing to move the conversation from the head to the heart, to reach more people, and to gather in community,” Girouard said.

"The play is set outdoors along the #PenobscotRiver, which itself has been the subject of land claim disputes and issues related to tribal sovereignty. It stitches together music, song, dance and the interviews from Beyond the Claims: Stories from the Land & the Heart — the name of the Wabanaki REACH truth-telling initiative.

"A news release about where the river widens also describes it as a 'poetic, spare, lyrical movement through stories, place, and time” and a thought-provoking play that “not only illuminates a complex and tumultuous era, but celebrates the beauty, creativity, and resilience of Wabanaki people.'

"#Threadbare said they are excited to be working with Wabanaki REACH on the play, which features #LilahAkins, #EstherAnne, #NickBear, #WolatqinBear, #AndreaFrancis, #MariaGirouard, #DaleLolar, #GeorgeLoring, #MargoLukens, #JoshuaMcCarey, and #ErlenePaul as co-creators and performers.

"'Threadbare’s way of co-creating, not only with community members but inspired by them, aligns so beautifully with Wabanaki REACH’s values of connection and joy,' said Kate Russell, artistic director of Threadbare Theatre Workshop. 'I am grateful for the generous folks who have come together this summer to create and perform this play — they are brilliant.'

"There will be two public performances of the hour-long play on Indian Island on Sept. 16 and Sept. 17 at 5 p.m. With space limited, those who want to attend must register ahead of time to reserve seats by visiting wabanakireach.org."

https://news.yahoo.com/amid-continued-sovereignty-campaign-wabanaki-222018960.html

#IndigenousNews #WabanakiConfederacy #PenobscotNation #Maliseet #Passamaquoddy #Mikmaq #FirstNations #MaineTribes #Arts #Theatre #TruthTelling #NativeAmericans

Amid Continued #Sovereignty Campaign, #Wabanaki REACH Creates Play as Part of Truth-Telling Project

Evan Popp, Maine Beacon
Thu, August 31, 2023

"As part of a truth-telling initiative that seeks to illuminate the issue of land claims and the 1980 #SettlementAct as well as celebrate the resilience of #Indigenous communities, the group #WabanakiREACH has partnered with a #Maine-based #theater organization to create a play developed by and for #Wabanaki people.

"The play, titled where the river widens, is an original, community-developed production and is being put on in partnership with #ThreadbareTheatreWorkshop, a group located on the Blue Hill peninsula. The work is the first public offering based on a project in which Wabanaki REACH — an organization supporting Indigenous self-determination through education and other restorative practices — spent a year gathering more than 40 oral history interviews from Wabanaki people and those in Maine about Maine Indian land claims and the 1980 Settlement Act.

"As Beacon previously reported, Wabanaki tribes have long argued that the Settlement Act has stifled tribes’ economic development and allowed the state to treat sovereign Indigenous nations as municipalities, creating a paternalistic and unfair relationship that no other federally-recognized tribe is subject to. Given that, the Wabanaki have created a grassroots movement in the last couple years behind reforming the Settlement Act to recognize the tribes’ inherent sovereignty, but opposition from Gov. #JanetMills has stymied such efforts despite broad support for change from the public.

"Earlier this year, tribal leaders also attempted to pass a bill to ensure that the Wabanaki would have access to most federal laws that benefit Indigenous tribes around the country. Proponents of that legislation noted that because of the Settlement Act, any federal law enacted after 1980 for the benefit of tribes across the U.S. that impacts the application of Maine law doesn’t apply to the Wabanaki unless they are specifically included in the measure by Congress. However, Mills in June vetoed the measure pushed by tribal leaders to rectify that situation.

"Given the power of the stories Wabanaki REACH was able to collect on the subject, Maria Girouard, the group’s executive director, said the organization felt it was important to share those experiences with a wider audience via theater.

“We were so moved by the stories we gathered, it was a natural next step to talk about theater as a way of continuing to move the conversation from the head to the heart, to reach more people, and to gather in community,” Girouard said.

"The play is set outdoors along the #PenobscotRiver, which itself has been the subject of land claim disputes and issues related to tribal sovereignty. It stitches together music, song, dance and the interviews from Beyond the Claims: Stories from the Land & the Heart — the name of the Wabanaki REACH truth-telling initiative.

"A news release about where the river widens also describes it as a 'poetic, spare, lyrical movement through stories, place, and time” and a thought-provoking play that “not only illuminates a complex and tumultuous era, but celebrates the beauty, creativity, and resilience of Wabanaki people.'

"#Threadbare said they are excited to be working with Wabanaki REACH on the play, which features #LilahAkins, #EstherAnne, #NickBear, #WolatqinBear, #AndreaFrancis, #MariaGirouard, #DaleLolar, #GeorgeLoring, #MargoLukens, #JoshuaMcCarey, and #ErlenePaul as co-creators and performers.

"'Threadbare’s way of co-creating, not only with community members but inspired by them, aligns so beautifully with Wabanaki REACH’s values of connection and joy,' said Kate Russell, artistic director of Threadbare Theatre Workshop. 'I am grateful for the generous folks who have come together this summer to create and perform this play — they are brilliant.'

"There will be two public performances of the hour-long play on Indian Island on Sept. 16 and Sept. 17 at 5 p.m. With space limited, those who want to attend must register ahead of time to reserve seats by visiting wabanakireach.org."

https://news.yahoo.com/amid-continued-sovereignty-campaign-wabanaki-222018960.html

#IndigenousNews #WabanakiConfederacy #PenobscotNation #Maliseet #Passamaquoddy #Mikmaq #FirstNations #MaineTribes #Arts #Theatre #TruthTelling #NativeAmericans

Amid Continued #Sovereignty Campaign, #Wabanaki REACH Creates Play as Part of Truth-Telling Project

Evan Popp, Maine Beacon
Thu, August 31, 2023

"As part of a truth-telling initiative that seeks to illuminate the issue of land claims and the 1980 #SettlementAct as well as celebrate the resilience of #Indigenous communities, the group #WabanakiREACH has partnered with a #Maine-based #theater organization to create a play developed by and for #Wabanaki people.

"The play, titled where the river widens, is an original, community-developed production and is being put on in partnership with #ThreadbareTheatreWorkshop, a group located on the Blue Hill peninsula. The work is the first public offering based on a project in which Wabanaki REACH — an organization supporting Indigenous self-determination through education and other restorative practices — spent a year gathering more than 40 oral history interviews from Wabanaki people and those in Maine about Maine Indian land claims and the 1980 Settlement Act.

"As Beacon previously reported, Wabanaki tribes have long argued that the Settlement Act has stifled tribes’ economic development and allowed the state to treat sovereign Indigenous nations as municipalities, creating a paternalistic and unfair relationship that no other federally-recognized tribe is subject to. Given that, the Wabanaki have created a grassroots movement in the last couple years behind reforming the Settlement Act to recognize the tribes’ inherent sovereignty, but opposition from Gov. #JanetMills has stymied such efforts despite broad support for change from the public.

"Earlier this year, tribal leaders also attempted to pass a bill to ensure that the Wabanaki would have access to most federal laws that benefit Indigenous tribes around the country. Proponents of that legislation noted that because of the Settlement Act, any federal law enacted after 1980 for the benefit of tribes across the U.S. that impacts the application of Maine law doesn’t apply to the Wabanaki unless they are specifically included in the measure by Congress. However, Mills in June vetoed the measure pushed by tribal leaders to rectify that situation.

"Given the power of the stories Wabanaki REACH was able to collect on the subject, Maria Girouard, the group’s executive director, said the organization felt it was important to share those experiences with a wider audience via theater.

“We were so moved by the stories we gathered, it was a natural next step to talk about theater as a way of continuing to move the conversation from the head to the heart, to reach more people, and to gather in community,” Girouard said.

"The play is set outdoors along the #PenobscotRiver, which itself has been the subject of land claim disputes and issues related to tribal sovereignty. It stitches together music, song, dance and the interviews from Beyond the Claims: Stories from the Land & the Heart — the name of the Wabanaki REACH truth-telling initiative.

"A news release about where the river widens also describes it as a 'poetic, spare, lyrical movement through stories, place, and time” and a thought-provoking play that “not only illuminates a complex and tumultuous era, but celebrates the beauty, creativity, and resilience of Wabanaki people.'

"#Threadbare said they are excited to be working with Wabanaki REACH on the play, which features #LilahAkins, #EstherAnne, #NickBear, #WolatqinBear, #AndreaFrancis, #MariaGirouard, #DaleLolar, #GeorgeLoring, #MargoLukens, #JoshuaMcCarey, and #ErlenePaul as co-creators and performers.

"'Threadbare’s way of co-creating, not only with community members but inspired by them, aligns so beautifully with Wabanaki REACH’s values of connection and joy,' said Kate Russell, artistic director of Threadbare Theatre Workshop. 'I am grateful for the generous folks who have come together this summer to create and perform this play — they are brilliant.'

"There will be two public performances of the hour-long play on Indian Island on Sept. 16 and Sept. 17 at 5 p.m. With space limited, those who want to attend must register ahead of time to reserve seats by visiting wabanakireach.org."

https://news.yahoo.com/amid-continued-sovereignty-campaign-wabanaki-222018960.html

#IndigenousNews #WabanakiConfederacy #PenobscotNation #Maliseet #Passamaquoddy #Mikmaq #FirstNations #MaineTribes #Arts #Theatre #TruthTelling #NativeAmericans

Amid Continued #Sovereignty Campaign, #Wabanaki REACH Creates Play as Part of Truth-Telling Project

Evan Popp, Maine Beacon
Thu, August 31, 2023

"As part of a truth-telling initiative that seeks to illuminate the issue of land claims and the 1980 #SettlementAct as well as celebrate the resilience of #Indigenous communities, the group #WabanakiREACH has partnered with a #Maine-based #theater organization to create a play developed by and for #Wabanaki people.

"The play, titled where the river widens, is an original, community-developed production and is being put on in partnership with #ThreadbareTheatreWorkshop, a group located on the Blue Hill peninsula. The work is the first public offering based on a project in which Wabanaki REACH — an organization supporting Indigenous self-determination through education and other restorative practices — spent a year gathering more than 40 oral history interviews from Wabanaki people and those in Maine about Maine Indian land claims and the 1980 Settlement Act.

"As Beacon previously reported, Wabanaki tribes have long argued that the Settlement Act has stifled tribes’ economic development and allowed the state to treat sovereign Indigenous nations as municipalities, creating a paternalistic and unfair relationship that no other federally-recognized tribe is subject to. Given that, the Wabanaki have created a grassroots movement in the last couple years behind reforming the Settlement Act to recognize the tribes’ inherent sovereignty, but opposition from Gov. #JanetMills has stymied such efforts despite broad support for change from the public.

"Earlier this year, tribal leaders also attempted to pass a bill to ensure that the Wabanaki would have access to most federal laws that benefit Indigenous tribes around the country. Proponents of that legislation noted that because of the Settlement Act, any federal law enacted after 1980 for the benefit of tribes across the U.S. that impacts the application of Maine law doesn’t apply to the Wabanaki unless they are specifically included in the measure by Congress. However, Mills in June vetoed the measure pushed by tribal leaders to rectify that situation.

"Given the power of the stories Wabanaki REACH was able to collect on the subject, Maria Girouard, the group’s executive director, said the organization felt it was important to share those experiences with a wider audience via theater.

“We were so moved by the stories we gathered, it was a natural next step to talk about theater as a way of continuing to move the conversation from the head to the heart, to reach more people, and to gather in community,” Girouard said.

"The play is set outdoors along the #PenobscotRiver, which itself has been the subject of land claim disputes and issues related to tribal sovereignty. It stitches together music, song, dance and the interviews from Beyond the Claims: Stories from the Land & the Heart — the name of the Wabanaki REACH truth-telling initiative.

"A news release about where the river widens also describes it as a 'poetic, spare, lyrical movement through stories, place, and time” and a thought-provoking play that “not only illuminates a complex and tumultuous era, but celebrates the beauty, creativity, and resilience of Wabanaki people.'

"#Threadbare said they are excited to be working with Wabanaki REACH on the play, which features #LilahAkins, #EstherAnne, #NickBear, #WolatqinBear, #AndreaFrancis, #MariaGirouard, #DaleLolar, #GeorgeLoring, #MargoLukens, #JoshuaMcCarey, and #ErlenePaul as co-creators and performers.

"'Threadbare’s way of co-creating, not only with community members but inspired by them, aligns so beautifully with Wabanaki REACH’s values of connection and joy,' said Kate Russell, artistic director of Threadbare Theatre Workshop. 'I am grateful for the generous folks who have come together this summer to create and perform this play — they are brilliant.'

"There will be two public performances of the hour-long play on Indian Island on Sept. 16 and Sept. 17 at 5 p.m. With space limited, those who want to attend must register ahead of time to reserve seats by visiting wabanakireach.org."

https://news.yahoo.com/amid-continued-sovereignty-campaign-wabanaki-222018960.html

#IndigenousNews #WabanakiConfederacy #PenobscotNation #Maliseet #Passamaquoddy #Mikmaq #FirstNations #MaineTribes #Arts #Theatre #TruthTelling #NativeAmericans

Amid Continued #Sovereignty Campaign, #Wabanaki REACH Creates Play as Part of Truth-Telling Project

Evan Popp, Maine Beacon
Thu, August 31, 2023

"As part of a truth-telling initiative that seeks to illuminate the issue of land claims and the 1980 #SettlementAct as well as celebrate the resilience of #Indigenous communities, the group #WabanakiREACH has partnered with a #Maine-based #theater organization to create a play developed by and for #Wabanaki people.

"The play, titled where the river widens, is an original, community-developed production and is being put on in partnership with #ThreadbareTheatreWorkshop, a group located on the Blue Hill peninsula. The work is the first public offering based on a project in which Wabanaki REACH — an organization supporting Indigenous self-determination through education and other restorative practices — spent a year gathering more than 40 oral history interviews from Wabanaki people and those in Maine about Maine Indian land claims and the 1980 Settlement Act.

"As Beacon previously reported, Wabanaki tribes have long argued that the Settlement Act has stifled tribes’ economic development and allowed the state to treat sovereign Indigenous nations as municipalities, creating a paternalistic and unfair relationship that no other federally-recognized tribe is subject to. Given that, the Wabanaki have created a grassroots movement in the last couple years behind reforming the Settlement Act to recognize the tribes’ inherent sovereignty, but opposition from Gov. #JanetMills has stymied such efforts despite broad support for change from the public.

"Earlier this year, tribal leaders also attempted to pass a bill to ensure that the Wabanaki would have access to most federal laws that benefit Indigenous tribes around the country. Proponents of that legislation noted that because of the Settlement Act, any federal law enacted after 1980 for the benefit of tribes across the U.S. that impacts the application of Maine law doesn’t apply to the Wabanaki unless they are specifically included in the measure by Congress. However, Mills in June vetoed the measure pushed by tribal leaders to rectify that situation.

"Given the power of the stories Wabanaki REACH was able to collect on the subject, Maria Girouard, the group’s executive director, said the organization felt it was important to share those experiences with a wider audience via theater.

“We were so moved by the stories we gathered, it was a natural next step to talk about theater as a way of continuing to move the conversation from the head to the heart, to reach more people, and to gather in community,” Girouard said.

"The play is set outdoors along the #PenobscotRiver, which itself has been the subject of land claim disputes and issues related to tribal sovereignty. It stitches together music, song, dance and the interviews from Beyond the Claims: Stories from the Land & the Heart — the name of the Wabanaki REACH truth-telling initiative.

"A news release about where the river widens also describes it as a 'poetic, spare, lyrical movement through stories, place, and time” and a thought-provoking play that “not only illuminates a complex and tumultuous era, but celebrates the beauty, creativity, and resilience of Wabanaki people.'

"#Threadbare said they are excited to be working with Wabanaki REACH on the play, which features #LilahAkins, #EstherAnne, #NickBear, #WolatqinBear, #AndreaFrancis, #MariaGirouard, #DaleLolar, #GeorgeLoring, #MargoLukens, #JoshuaMcCarey, and #ErlenePaul as co-creators and performers.

"'Threadbare’s way of co-creating, not only with community members but inspired by them, aligns so beautifully with Wabanaki REACH’s values of connection and joy,' said Kate Russell, artistic director of Threadbare Theatre Workshop. 'I am grateful for the generous folks who have come together this summer to create and perform this play — they are brilliant.'

"There will be two public performances of the hour-long play on Indian Island on Sept. 16 and Sept. 17 at 5 p.m. With space limited, those who want to attend must register ahead of time to reserve seats by visiting wabanakireach.org."

https://news.yahoo.com/amid-continued-sovereignty-campaign-wabanaki-222018960.html

#IndigenousNews #WabanakiConfederacy #PenobscotNation #Maliseet #Passamaquoddy #Mikmaq #FirstNations #MaineTribes #Arts #Theatre #TruthTelling #NativeAmericans