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DoomsdaysCWWhen it comes to standing up to <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Trump" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Trump</a>, I laud <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Maine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Maine</a> Governor <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/JanetMills" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#JanetMills</a>. But when it comes to <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Wabanaki" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Wabanaki</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Sovereignty" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Sovereignty</a>, building wind terminals on undeveloped islands (<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/SearsIsland" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#SearsIsland</a> / <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Wahsumkik" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Wahsumkik</a> ), destroying trees to supply <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WesternMass" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#WesternMass</a> with electrcitiy, or building highways through farmland (<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MDOT" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MDOT</a>), we definitely DO NOT always see eye-to-eye!Governor opposed to latest change to <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/SettlementAct" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#SettlementAct</a> backed by <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WabanakiNations" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#WabanakiNations</a>by Emma Davis Wed, April 9, 2025 "Discussion of legislation to afford the Wabanaki Nations more authority over their land revealed that Gov. Janet Mills does not support the change, presenting a steep path for a plan that otherwise has bipartisan support. "After not testifying during the public hearing last week, the governor’s counsel, Jerry Reid, told the Judiciary Committee on Wednesday that Mills’ concerns stem from the inability to predict the future needs of state government, an issue also raised in written testimony from the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MaineDepartmentOfTransportation" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MaineDepartmentOfTransportation</a>, which was made available after the hearing. "When pressed by committee members, Reid said he doesn’t have a specific example of an infrastructure project that would warrant seizing tribal land but that, 'We need to write the law mindful of the potential for problems.'"While Reid and Wabanaki leaders noted that progress has and continues to be made to improve the relationship between the state and Wabanaki Nations, Reid added, 'the fact that we have such a good relationship right now might not always be true.'"The U.S. government can seize private property for public use, a principle known as eminent domain, however that authority is restricted by the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which requires just compensation for land taken, as well as some federal laws."The 1834 federal Indian Nonintercourse Act prohibited land transactions with tribes unless authorized by Congress. However, the 1980 Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act specified that that federal law was not applicable to the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/HoultonBand" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#HoultonBand</a> of <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Maliseet" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Maliseet</a> Indians, the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PassamaquoddyTribe" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#PassamaquoddyTribe</a> and the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PenobscotNation" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#PenobscotNation</a>. "This is the act that has overall resulted in the Tribes being treated more akin to <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/municipalities" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#municipalities</a> than <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/SovereignNations" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#SovereignNations</a>. So far, sweeping changes to the act have failed due to opposition from Mills, but the governor, lawmakers and Wabanaki leaders have successfully made some targeted adjustments, including expanding tribal authority to prosecute crimes last year. "The legislation being considered this session, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/LD958" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#LD958</a>, would amend the Settlement Act to prohibit the state from exercising eminent domain on trust and reservation land, which is protected under federal law, though fee land — or private property for which the owner owns the title — would still be subject to the state taking."The bill would also amend the 2023 <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MikmaqNationRestorationAct" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MikmaqNationRestorationAct</a> to make this change for the Mi’kmaq Nation, which wasn’t included in the Settlement Act."On Tuesday, the Taxation Committee unanimously voted in favor of a bill to ensure equal tax treatment among all of the Wabanaki Nations, which Mills supports. <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/LD982" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#LD982</a> would provide the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MikmaqNation" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MikmaqNation</a> the same rights to sales tax revenue on its land that the other three tribes of the Wabanaki Nations were granted in 2022 through an amendment to the Settlement Act. State hasn’t exercised this authority in decades, but argues it’s necessary"The state hasn’t exercised eminent domain over <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/TribalLands" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#TribalLands</a> since the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/SettlementAct" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#SettlementAct</a>. However, testimony from Wabanaki leaders and state government officials underscore that it is a possibility."Source: <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/governor-opposed-latest-change-settlement-185134791.html" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank">https://www.yahoo.com/news/governor-opposed-latest-change-settlement-185134791.html</a><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MaineSettlementAct" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MaineSettlementAct</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EminentDomain" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#EminentDomain</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/LandTheft" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#LandTheft</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/FirstNations" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#FirstNations</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WabanakiConfederancy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#WabanakiConfederancy</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MaineFirstNations" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MaineFirstNations</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Maine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Maine</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MainePol" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MainePol</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NativeAmericanNews" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#NativeAmericanNews</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/TribalSovereignty" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#TribalSovereignty</a>

DoomsdaysCWLegislators seek equal tax treatment among <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Wabanaki" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Wabanaki</a> NationsEmma Davis, Maine Morning Star Wed, April 16, 2025 "Legislators are trying again to ensure equal treatment for the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MikmaqNation" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MikmaqNation</a>."Last session, legislation to provide the Mi’kmaq Nation the same rights to sales tax revenue on its land that the other three tribes of the Wabanaki Nations were granted in 2022 received favorable committee and floor votes, but got caught up in end-of-session procedural fights and ultimately died without final action when lawmakers adjourned."That measure was back before the Taxation Committee on Wednesday with the support of Gov. Janet Mills’ administration." 'This bill addresses a clear gap in state tax law,' said bill sponsor Sen. Rachel Talbot Ross (Democrat from Cumberland)."In 2022, the Legislature revised tax laws for the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/HoultonBand" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#HoultonBand</a> of <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Maliseet" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Maliseet</a> Indians, the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PassamaquoddyTribe" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#PassamaquoddyTribe</a> and the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PenobscotNation" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#PenobscotNation</a> to afford them many of the same tax rules that apply to tribal nations throughout the country. This law also formalized regular dialogue practices between the Wabanaki Nations and the state and established a regulatory framework for sports betting."The law ended up looking drastically different than the legislation had first been proposed by Talbot Ross."Talbot Ross’ bill originally sought to amend aspects of the 1980 <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MaineIndianClaimsSettlementAct" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MaineIndianClaimsSettlementAct</a>, which has left the Wabanaki Nations with authority more akin to municipalities than sovereign nations, putting them on different footing than all other federally recognized tribes. However, the bill was changed as a result of negotiations between three of the tribes and the governor’s office and overhauling the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/SettlementAct" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#SettlementAct</a> remains an ongoing battle."The Mi’kmaq Nation was not referred to in the Settlement Act and only received federal recognition later in 1991. Last session, the Legislature passed a law known as The Mi’kmaq Nation Restoration Act that put the Tribe on par with the rest of the Wabanaki Nations."Talbot Ross’ bill this session, LD 982, co-sponsored by Rep. Daniel Sayre (D-Kennebunk), builds upon this previous work and mirrors the earlier attempt to seek parity for the Mi’kmaq Nation when it comes to tax treatment, which had been proposed by State Treasurer Joseph Perry, then representing Bangor in the Maine House."<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/LD982" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#LD982</a> would specifically exempt the Mi’kmaq Nation from state sales and income tax for activities occurring on tribal trust or reservation lands and allow the Tribe to generate sales tax revenues from sales on their own lands — the same rights afforded to the other Wabanaki Nations."Source: <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/legislators-seek-equal-tax-treatment-220000073.html" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank">https://www.yahoo.com/news/legislators-seek-equal-tax-treatment-220000073.html</a><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MaineSettlementAct" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MaineSettlementAct</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/FirstNations" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#FirstNations</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WabanakiConfederancy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#WabanakiConfederancy</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MaineFirstNations" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MaineFirstNations</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Maine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Maine</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MainePol" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MainePol</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NativeAmericanNews" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#NativeAmericanNews</a>

DoomsdaysCW<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/VoicesOfDecolonization" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#VoicesOfDecolonization</a> - <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Wabanaki" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Wabanaki</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Sustenance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Sustenance</a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/SelfDetermination" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#SelfDetermination</a>by Jillian Kerr, 7 November 2024 "Before <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/colonization" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#colonization</a>, the Wabanaki region was rich in food; Wabanaki Tribes had excellent knowledge of their environment and knew where to find each resource, when it was abundant, and in what quantities. They utilized natural resources and foods respectfully, creating little or no waste. This sustainable approach to food and natural resources made the Wabanaki among the healthiest people in the world. However, the arrival of Europeans disrupted this harmony, forcing the Wabanaki out of their homelands. Europeans imposed a different understanding of nature and harvesting, which led to unhealthy and unsustainable practices. The Wabanaki continue to strive for the restoration of their traditional foodways as a way to practice <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/FoodSovereignty" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#FoodSovereignty</a>."To develop food sovereignty and economic stability, the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Mikmaq" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Mikmaq</a> Nation in Aroostook County constructed an indoor fish hatchery on the site of Micmac Farms in Caribou, Maine. This farm, which previously only grew and sold fresh or preserved fruits and vegetables, now receives Nesowadnehunk Brook Trout eggs from the Maine State Hatchery in Enfield, Maine. The grown fish are then sold back to Maine’s Soil and Water Conservation District for public consumption throughout the state. In addition, they generously donate food to the local food bank and provide discounts for Tribal members, demonstrating a sustainable model for food sovereignty for the Mi’kmaq Nation. "The Houlton Band of <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Maliseet" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Maliseet</a> Indians launched a food sovereignty initiative to increase access to nutritious food, improve food sovereignty, and strengthen connections to Wabanaki culture by sharing traditional food production, storage, and preparation approaches. The lessons learned add to current knowledge about developing, implementing, and evaluating a model rooted in the principles of food sovereignty. Opportunities to learn and share knowledge about traditional storage and recipes are provided to community members, and existing partnerships have been leveraged to develop a sustainable model. Additional community gardens were also created to increase food production capacity, increasing food sovereignty for the Maliseet. "One way the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Passamaquoddy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Passamaquoddy</a> Tribe fights for food sovereignty is by restoring the watershed of the Skutik River, which was renamed the St. Croix River by colonists. The Skutik River is at the heart of the ancestral home of the Passamaquoddy Tribe.. This crucial watershed is the natural spawning ground and ancient homeland for many species of sea-run fish, including Atlantic salmon and sea-run alewife (river herring), a vital food source. Historically, the number of fish swimming up the Skutik River was massive and sustained the Passamaquoddy for thousands of years. Yet now, the alewife population is too small to feed or sustain the Tribe."The large amount of pollution produced by colonization upset the productivity and natural balance of the Skutik River and the life cycles of the native fishery, straining the river’s ecosystem. For many years, Maine law blocked sea-run alewives from accessing their natural and ancient spawning ground in the Skutik watershed, which diminished this important traditional sustenance food source and disturbed the cultural practices of Passamaquoddy Tribal members. The Passamaquoddy established the Skutik Watershed Strategic Sea-run Fish and River Restoration Plan to mitigate the damage and find a better way forward. They developed a collaborative of Skutik stewards, also known as the Skutik River Keepers, who work with various agencies to give the river the best chance at restoring the watershed, thereby giving the Passamaquoddy more access to traditional foods and strengthening their food sovereignty."The <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PenobscotNation" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#PenobscotNation</a> fights for food sovereignty in various ways, including rebuilding outlets on Tribal trust lands. The Penobscot ancestral homeland is located within the drainage area of the Penobscot River and its many tributaries, lakes, and ponds. The area was the fishing place for spearing and netting fish, like salmon and alewives. It was a primary nourishing source of food, medicine, connection, joy, and spirituality for the Penobscot during spring and early summer. The mills and mill dams built by colonizers upset the river's natural ecosystem, cutting off fish from places required to complete their life cycle. As a result, the river no longer contained the fish that had historically fed the Penobscot Tribe. The Penobscot successfully rebuilt outlets on Tribal trust lands in Mattamiscontis Stream, and they have completed many stream connectivity projects. This resulted in growing populations of alewives and blueback herring in the newly restored system, making more fish available as a food source for the Tribe."The land is a cornerstone of Native life. Before colonization, Wabanaki Tribes had developed an environmentally friendly and communal food system to protect the land and environment, using natural resources without harming the environment that provided bountiful food sources. However, centuries of colonization have separated the Wabanaki and other Native communities from their homelands and traditional foods. Natives were physically, culturally, and spiritually tied to their homelands, and forced relocation into unknown lands made it impossible to access traditional foods and harvest adequate nutrition from the land for survival. The lack of knowledge of unknown lands led to a dependence on government-issued rations and commodities. These rations and commodities consisted of dairy, processed wheat, sugars, etc., all foreign to the Native diet. The government's aim in providing these rations and commodities to Natives was not to provide nutrition but to prevent starvation."<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ForcedRelocation" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ForcedRelocation</a> and other federal policies devastated many Tribes’ food systems, disrupting their hunting, fishing, farming, and harvesting traditions. The disruption continues today as the federal government still decides what foods they will distribute to Native communities. The government also makes agreements with the producers, a system that favors large-scale vendors, leading to missed opportunities for Native farmers. Problems with food quality also still exist; many traditional foods are still unavailable, and it is not uncommon for produce to travel long distances and arrive spoiled. Despite this upheaval, the Wabanaki have shown remarkable resilience and are determined to restore their traditional food practices and reclaim their food sovereignty." Source [includes references]: <a href="https://www.wabanakireach.org/wabanaki_sustenance_and_self_determination_by_jillian_kerr" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank">https://www.wabanakireach.org/wabanaki_sustenance_and_self_determination_by_jillian_kerr</a><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WabanakiConfederacy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#WabanakiConfederacy</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MaineFirstNations" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MaineFirstNations</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/LandBack" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#LandBack</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/sovereignty" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#sovereignty</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Wabanakik" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Wabanakik</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WabanakiAlliance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#WabanakiAlliance</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Decolonize" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Decolonize</a>

DoomsdaysCWReturning land to tribes is a step towards justice and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/sustainability" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#sustainability</a>, say <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Wabanaki" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Wabanaki</a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EnvironmentalActivists" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#EnvironmentalActivists</a> by Emily Weyrauch, December 1, 2020"Last month, the Elliotsville Foundation gave back 735 acres to the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PenobscotNation" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#PenobscotNation</a>, a parcel of land that connects two Penobscot-held land plots. While this return of land is a significant milestone in terms of the work of conservation groups in Maine, it also reflects a larger shift in thinking about land ownership, from property and caretaking toward <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/IndigenousStewardship" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#IndigenousStewardship</a>. "Before European settlers arrived, the land in Maine was stewarded by the Wabanaki people—a confederacy of five nations including Penobscot, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Passamaquoddy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Passamaquoddy</a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Maliseet" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Maliseet</a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Mikmaq" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Mikmaq</a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Abenaki" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Abenaki</a>. "Early treaties between Indigenous tribes and settlers were signed, but not upheld. Early Maine court cases set the precedent for <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/LandTheft" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#LandTheft</a>. The state legally prohibited treaty obligations from being published in its constitution. Ever since the 1980 Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act, the state government has significantly limited tribes’ sovereignty and access to ancestral lands. Now, the Maine legislature is preparing to take up a bill that would make 22 law changes to the 1980 act to promote Wabanaki sovereignty and correct the impacts of the 40-year-old piece of legislation that placed Wabanaki people in a separate category from other federally-recognized tribes. "Currently, a vast majority—90 percent—of land in Maine is privately owned, unlike in states like Nevada, Utah and Idaho, where the vast majority of land is owned by the U.S. government. Less than one percent of Maine land is owned by <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Wabanaki" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Wabanaki</a> people. "To many Indigenous people, the legacy of white-led conservation groups in Maine and nationwide represents a failure of true environmental stewardship."'Across the country, land conservation groups and land trusts participated in depopulating, cutting off Indigenous access to certain lands and resources,' said Dr. Darren Ranco, associate professor of Anthropology and coordinator of Native American Research at the University of Maine."Dr. Ranco said that the history of environmental protection in the U.S. starts in the 19th century and focuses on two movements: conservation and preservation. " 'On the one hand, you have people saying, ‘You want to use the public lands wisely’ — and that often led to extreme forms of exploitation through oil and gas contracts. The other side of it was, ‘Let’s just keep it wild and preserve it as-is, as a wild space,' " said Dr. Ranco, who is a member of the Penobscot Nation. 'Ironically, both of those approaches in the 19th century sought to displace Indigenous people.'" 'A lot of the [conservation] practices in the past actually marginalized native people, and didn’t allow for their voice to be heard, and discouraged their voices,' said Suzanne Greenlaw, a <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Maliseet" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Maliseet</a> forestry scientist and PhD student at the University of Maine." 'The native approach is very much in the center—we do harvest, but we harvest in a sustainable way that actually forms a relationship with the resource,” said Greenlaw, who conducts research on the sustainable harvesting of sweetgrass by Indigenous people."In fact, the way that Indigenous people understand land is markedly different from western ideas of ownership." 'The idea of private property puts us in this framing where the land, the water, and the air, and the animals, and everything else—all our relations—are meant to serve us, they are things below us, things to dominate and control and take ownership over,' said Lokotah Sanborn, a Penobscot activist." 'For us, it would be absurd to say ‘I own my grandmother,’ or ‘I own my cousin,’ or ‘I own my brother.’ You don’t talk about things like that. And so when we’re talking about land ownership, it’s that same idea —these are our relations, these are things that hold a lot of significance to us,' said Sanborn."While the planet’s Indigenous people make up less than five percent of the global population, they manage 25 percent of its land and support 80 percent of global biodiversity, research shows." 'We’ve been led down this path toward climate catastrophe and the extinction of millions of species, all to drive <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ExtractiveIndustries" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ExtractiveIndustries</a>,' said Sanborn. 'If we wish to reverse these things, we need to give land back into the hands of Indigenous peoples and to respect our ability to protect those lands,' said Sanborn."This growing recognition of Wabanaki <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/stewardship" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#stewardship</a> is part of the mission of First Light, a group that serves to connect Wabanaki people with conservation organizations who seek to expand Wabanaki access to land. Currently, 50 organizations are participating, including <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MaineAudubon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MaineAudubon</a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/TheNatureConservancy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#TheNatureConservancy</a>."Lucas St. Clair, president of the Elliotsville Foundation, participated in First Light’s year-long educational program before fulfilling a request by <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/JohnBanks" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#JohnBanks</a>, Natural Resources Director for the Penobscot Nation, to return the 735-acre property to the Penobscot Nation. This comes four years after the foundation gave 87,500 acres of land to the federal government for the establishment of Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. St. Clair said the foundation currently holds 35,000 acres of land." 'In the grand scheme of things, this is not a lot of land,' said St. Clair, about the foundation’s recent transfer of 735 acres. 'It was more about justice, relationship-building and awareness.'" 'You see this move toward Indigenous knowledge and practices of management and conservation that have existed for hundreds of years, and this possibility with land conservation groups and Wabanaki people having a more central role in understanding and managing the lands is coming to the fore,' said Dr. Ranco. "And while organizations undergo the learning and transformational processes that precede giving back land, and as the legislature and courts are taking up questions of Wabanaki sovereignty and stewardship, people are working on the ground everyday to re-imagine relationships with land."Alivia Moore, a Penobscot community organizer with the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EasternWoodlands" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#EasternWoodlands</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Rematriation" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Rematriation</a> collective, said that a crucial part of the work of expanding Indigenous access to land in Maine is recognizing and restoring the history of matriarchal Indigenous societies. " 'To restore land to Indigenous <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/matriarchies" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#matriarchies</a> is to make sure that everybody has what they need on and from the earth. There’s enough for everyone,' said Moore"With <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EasternWoodlandsRematriation" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#EasternWoodlandsRematriation</a>, Indigenous people are growing their connections to <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/RegenerativeFoodSystems" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#RegenerativeFoodSystems</a>. Whereas cultural use agreements are more formal ways Indigenous people can access resources from the private land of people and organizations, Moore said other relationships can form and strengthen even informally. "Years ago, a white farmer offered land to Indigenous women to use for farming to restore their connection to the land. That has been an ongoing relationship that became one of mutual exchange of information and resources, shared learning and shared meals, said Moore."The movement to give land back to Indigenous stewardship is not confined to a single organization, legal battle, or project. For Indigenous people—and a growing number of environmental organizations—it is a step toward justice and a sustainable future."'Land back is not just about righting past wrongs. The point of land back is that it’s the future, if we wish to adequately address and avoid further global devastation from climate change,' said Sanborn."<a href="https://mainebeacon.com/returning-land-to-tribes-is-a-step-towards-justice-and-sustainability-say-wabanaki-environmental-activists/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank">https://mainebeacon.com/returning-land-to-tribes-is-a-step-towards-justice-and-sustainability-say-wabanaki-environmental-activists/</a><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/LandBack" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#LandBack</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WabanakiConfederacy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#WabanakiConfederacy</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Wabanakik" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Wabanakik</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WabanakiAlliance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#WabanakiAlliance</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MaineFirstNations" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MaineFirstNations</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Maine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Maine</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/TraditionalEcologicalKnowledge" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#TraditionalEcologicalKnowledge</a>

DoomsdaysCW<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/AshTree" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#AshTree</a> Protection Collaboration Across <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Wabanakik" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Wabanakik</a>"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 <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Wabanakik" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Wabanakik</a> 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 <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Algonquin" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Algonquin</a> language, but can be understood in English to mean either 'in the location of the land which is referred to as the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Dawnland" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Dawnland</a>' 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 <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WabanakiConfederacy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#WabanakiConfederacy</a>, which includes the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Abenaki" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Abenaki</a>, Maliseet, Mi’kmaq, Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot Tribal Nations. Wabanakik has a ongoing legacy of <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/colonialism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#colonialism</a>, of <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/StolenLand" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#StolenLand</a>, 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 <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MikmaqNation" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MikmaqNation</a>, Presque Isle <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/HoultonBand" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#HoultonBand</a> of <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Maliseet" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Maliseet</a> Indians, Houlton <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PassamaquoddyTribe" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#PassamaquoddyTribe</a> at <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/IndianTownship" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#IndianTownship</a> Passamaquoddy Tribe at <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PleasantPoint" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#PleasantPoint</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Sipayik" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Sipayik</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PenobscotNation" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#PenobscotNation</a>, 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 <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WildSeedProject" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#WildSeedProject</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MaineLandTrustNetwork" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MaineLandTrustNetwork</a>Learn more (includes links to resources): <a href="https://umaine.edu/apcaw/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank">https://umaine.edu/apcaw/</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Maine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Maine</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MFS" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MFS</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EAB" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#EAB</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EmeraldAshBorer" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#EmeraldAshBorer</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/AshTree" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#AshTree</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/AshTrees" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#AshTrees</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/APCAW" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#APCAW</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/InvasiveSpecies" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#InvasiveSpecies</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Wabanaki" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Wabanaki</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ProtectTheForests" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ProtectTheForests</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MaineNews" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MaineNews</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Maine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Maine</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/SaveTheTrees" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#SaveTheTrees</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WabanakiCulture" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#WabanakiCulture</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WabanakiBasketry" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#WabanakiBasketry</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WabanakiTradition" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#WabanakiTradition</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Forestry" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Forestry</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ProtectTheSacred" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ProtectTheSacred</a>

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