PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 11, 2021
The history of colonialism in what we now call Maine is rife with theft, violence, discrimination and exclusion committed by settlers against Native people. The tribes in Maine have had complicated relationships with the state and federal governments. It wasn’t until the passage of the Maine Indian Claims Act in 1980 that federal recognition was granted to three tribes, Penobscot, Passmaquoddy, Houlton Band of Maliseets, but even that has not conveyed to them the rights recognized for other tribes around the country. This year we should all take the opportunity to deepen our knowledge of the past and commit to building a better future.