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Maliseet Indians gain a voice
Written by Jim McCarthy, Editorial Page Editor
from Times Record
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April 15, 2010 |
| Now that the 124th Legislature has wrapped up its second session, we give credit to Priest, Bliss and other lawmakers for enacting several bills that build a stronger foundation of respect and trust between the state and Maine’s native peoples.
A leading example is Priest’s LD 445, “An Act To Improve Tribal-State Relations,” which gives the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians the right to elect a tribal representative to the Legislature beginning in 2012. Gov. John Baldacci signed the measure into law on Monday.
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Tribal leaders: Maine governor’s consultation order is ‘a step forward
Written by Gale Courey Toensing
from Indian Country Today
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March 30, 2010 |
| Gov. John Baldacci has signed an executive order directing state agencies to develop and implement policies to consult with the Wabanaki nations when developing legislation, rules and policies on matters that affect them. |
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A step in the right direction
Written by Jim McCarthy, Editorial Page Editor
from Times Record
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February 26, 2010 |
| With a stroke of his pen on Wednesday, Gov. John Baldacci signed an executive order to promote “effective communication” between the Maine state government and the Native American tribes who live in Maine. In doing so, he took a major step toward improving the state’s relationship with Maine’s Wabanaki peoples — the Penobscot Nation, the Passamaquoddy tribes of Indian Township and Pleasant Point, the Houlton Band of Maliseets and the Aroostook Band of Micmacs.
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Tribes praise executive order
Written by Kevin Miller
from Bangor Daily News
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February 25, 2010 |
| Leaders of Maine’s Indian tribes praised an executive order signed Wednesday by Gov. John Baldacci that aims to improve communications between state agencies and tribal governments. |
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OPINION: Wabanaki-State of Maine Relations Strained
Written by John Dieffenbacher-Krall
from Wabanaki Legal News
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February 15, 2010 |
| Wabanaki-Maine relations remain severely strained for several major reasons. To improve the relationship, the State and Wabanaki would benefit from a more centralized and coordinated approach to tribal-state relations. |
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MITSC chairman Bisulca stepping down
Written by Michael R. Brown
from The Quoddy Tides
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February 12, 2010 |
| Citing lack of progress after four years as the chairman of the Maine Indian Tribal State Commission (MITSC), Paul Bisulca recently announced he is stepping down. While mentioning some progress has been made in tribal state relations since the settlement act of 1980, Bisulca cited the need for a process for executive and legislative branches to heed concerns expressed by the tribes because the state has not honored agreements to affirm the sovereignty of the Wabanaki nation. |
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Bill would require state to consult tribes first
Written by Kevin Miller
from Bangor Daily News
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January 27, 2010 |
| Maine’s tribal leaders are asking the Legislature to require that state agencies consult with tribes before beginning work on policy changes that could affect their communities. |
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State continues to disrespect tribal sovereignty
Written by Chiefs Brenda Commander and Kirk Francis
from Bangor Daily News
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January 23, 2010 |
| The struggle to exercise our right to self-determination, self-governance and our inherent sovereignty continues today. When we settled our land claims, we looked forward to a new relationship with the state, one based on mutual respect and the recognition of each signatory’s inherent sovereignty. The parent-child relationship that had characterized Wabanaki-Maine relations for most of the preceding 160 years should have ended. Sadly, it continues to manifest itself in many forms. |
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Tribal-state relations need repair
Written by Jim McCarthy, Editorial Page Editor
from Times Record
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January 22, 2010 |
| Paul Bisulca’s decision to step down as the unpaid chairman of the Maine Indian Tribal-State Commission should be a wake-up call to all Mainers — not just our political leaders in Augusta — that our relationship with Maine’s Wabanaki tribes needs some serious attention. |
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Tribal commission leader resigns, cites state failures
Written by Kevin Miller
from Bangor Daily News
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January 22, 2010 |
| The chairman of the intergovernmental commission that handles tribal-state relations said he is stepping down in large part because of his continued frustration over state government’s failure to address key issues important to Maine’s Indian tribes. |
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MITSC chair’s departure ‘a great loss’
Written by Gale Courey Toensing
from Indian Country Today
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January 20, 2010 |
| Citing the state’s unwillingness to honor agreements that were meant to affirm and enhance the Wabanaki nations’ sovereignty, the chairman of the Maine Indian Tribal-State Commission has declined to serve another term. |
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Chair of Tribal-State Commission Leaving Post
Written by Anne Mostue
from Maine Public Radio
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January 20, 2010 |
| The chair of the Maine Indian Tribal-State Commission is ending his four-year term amid growing frustration with what he says is the state's failure to validate the commission's recommendations or to recognize tribal sovereignty. Disputes over land use, gambling and other issues have strained the state-tribal relationship in recent years. |
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On a day of equality, let's not forget Maine's tribal communities
Written by Ron Conant
from Portland Press Herald
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January 18, 2010 |
| There is much to do before members of Native American society have their rights respected. |
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Maine state power
Written by
from Indian Country Today
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December 22, 2009 |
| In this 1829 letter from the Penobscot ‘Governors and Indians in Council’ to the governor of Maine, the Penobscot Nation leadership appeals to the governor to not request any more of the Tribe's land until all of the State's existing land has been "cleared and settled." |
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Penobscot chief calls on Obama to help stop state erosion of tribal so
Written by Gale Courey Toensing
from Indian Country Today
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December 22, 2009 |
| Penobscot Indian Nation Chief Kirk Francis has written to President Obama seeking intervention on behalf of Maine’s Wabanaki tribes to restore both the spirit and intention of the 1980 law that was meant to enhance the tribal nations’ inherent sovereignty, not increase and consolidate state power over the tribes. |
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Maine tribes heartened by Obama outreach
Written by Meg Haskell
from Bangor Daily News
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December 11, 2009 |
| Maine tribal leaders are encouraged by the straightforward approach President Barack Obama is taking to strengthening relations between all American Indian tribes and the federal government. |
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‘Honor’ settlement act by protecting sovereignty
Written by Gale Courey Toensing
from Indian Country Today
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November 17, 2009 |
| The leader of the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians could not attend the historic Tribal Nations Conference with President Barack Obama; instead she sent him a message. |
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Wabanaki: A New Dawn now available for online viewing
Written by
from
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October 19, 2009 |
| MITSC have posted Wabanaki: A New Dawn online. |
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Wabanaki Bates-Bowdoin-Colby Collaborative
Written by Gale Courey Toensing
from Indian Country Today
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October 19, 2009 |
| The Wabanaki/Bates, Bowdoin, and Colby Collaborative brings three of the most prestigious liberal arts colleges in the country together – Maine’s Bates, Bowdoin and Colby colleges – and the four Wabanaki tribes – the Penobscots, the Maliseets, the Passamaquoddy and the Micmacs – in a unique two-way educational partnership that aims to increase the number of Indian students attending colleges while expanding knowledge and understanding about Maine’s indigenous people in the college communities. |
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Four tribes from Maine to share culture at UMA
Written by Lynn Ascrizzi
from Bangor Daily News
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October 13, 2009 |
| The four tribes in Maine — Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Micmac and Maliseet — collectively called “Wabanaki” or “People of the Dawn Land” — will be represented at Wabanaki Perspectives and Human Awareness, whose goal is to generate greater awareness of the depth, beauty and relevancy of the tribal culture in our state. |
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An education in the ways of the Wabanaki
Written by Matthew Stone
from Kennebec Journal
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October 5, 2009 |
| The University of Maine at Augusta is hosting "Wabanaki Perspectives and Human Awareness," which runs October 13 - 16. Each day will feature a mix of discussion panels, presentations, demonstrations and hands-on activities. |
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