Drummers and dancers performed against the backdrop of the Maine State House Dome in Augusta Monday. It was part of a celebration of Indigenous Peoples' Day hosted by the Wabanaki Alliance.
Former Penobscot Chief Barry Dana says in recent years, the Wabanaki Nations have successfully fought to establish Indigenous Peoples' Day and also get rid of offensive school mascots. But he says they're still waiting for the state to recognize their sovereignty.
"I would like for the state to finally get to the point where it doesn't see natives as a problem," Dana says. "It was once called 'The Indian Problem.' Well, we're not a problem. The problem is a lack of understanding by past state leaders, seemingly just not wanting the tribes to have any power to govern ourselves."
Under a 1980 law to settle land claims, the state of Maine retained broad authority over the tribes. Gov. Janet Mills vetoed a tribal sovereignty bill in 2023, saying the legislation was overly broad and could result in costly litigation.
The Wabanaki Nations are the only federally recognized tribes that are not governed by federal Indian law and can be excluded from its benefits.
