Since time immemorial, the indigenous Wabanaki people have lived on the land that is now called Maine and Canada. Today, there are four federally recognized tribal nations in Maine: the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, the Mi’kmaq Nation, the Passamaquoddy Tribe, and the Penobscot Nation. Collectively, they are known as the Wabanaki, or “People of the First Light or Dawnland.”
The Wabanaki Confederacy’s support of the American colonists against the British during the Revolutionary War was critically important. In 2020, the Wabanaki Alliance was formed to educate people about the need to secure the sovereignty of the Wabanaki tribal nations in Maine.
Judd Esty-Kendall's talk at the 2023 Common Ground Fair revolves around the themes discussed in MITSC’s special report, SEA RUN, particularly focusing on the detrimental effects of colonial and modern policies on the quantity and quality of tribal fish stocks, sustenance fishing, and lifeways practices. He highlights the severe decline in fish populations due to dams, pollution, and overfishing, contrasting past abundant fish stocks with the current endangered status of many species. He also discusses efforts to restore fish populations, such as dam removals and improved fish passageways.
ViewMITSC maintains an online library of resources on the Settlement Act, produces Tributaries, a narrative journalism series about the Wabanaki peoples, their history and concerns, and supports the implementation of the Wabanaki Studies Law of 2001.
LEARN MOREMITSC promulgates fishing rules that balance fisheries conservation with tribal sustenance rights, publishes reports, such as SEA RUN, which highlights the impact of historical Maine policies on tribal fisheries and offer solutions, and monitors environmental threats to Wabanaki lands and populations.
LEARN MOREMITSC promotes Wabanaki inclusion in state land decision-making, expands opportunities to preserve and share Wabanaki culture and language, and ensures the repatriation of Wabanaki lands, remains, funerary objects, and cultural heritage items.
LEARN MOREMITSC analyzes the 151 federal laws passed since the 1980 Settlement Act to assess their impact on Maine's tribal lands, facilitates discussions among Wabanaki people to share business experiences and strategize future development, and monitors the Wabanaki nations' entry into sports betting, providing recommendations for improvements if needed.
LEARN MOREWe are building a comprehensive library collection of legal, historical, and culturally informative materials concerning the history of Tribal-State relations and the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act of 1980.
Visit the MITSC LibraryIn December, 2022, MITSC completed and published a special report, Sea Run, which addresses the impact of Maine policies and activity on the quality and quantity of traditional tribal fish stocks and sustenance lifeways practices, spanning from the time of first contact between Europeans and the Wabanaki Nations to the present day. This report provides a broad overview of actions and inactions by the State of Maine, whether those actions/inactions were based on express policy, informal policy, or on decisions simply not to have any policy at all. The report includes specific recommendations for implementation that are intended to promote discussion and cooperative action.
Twenty-one years after the Maine Legislature passed a groundbreaking law requiring all 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, four organizations are releasing a report analyzing the law’s implementation thus far and suggesting ways to improve compliance at the state and local level.
MITSC regulates fishing on certain waters within and bordering Indian territory under the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act of 1980. You can find our current fishing rules here. We are in the process of updating them, so please check back for updates.
Create and maintain a comprehensive online library of resources concerning the Settlement Act.
Produce Tributaries — narrative journalism about the Wabanaki peoples, their history, and their concerns.
Support the implementation of the Wabanaki Studies Law of 2001.
Develop fishing rules that strike a balance between fisheries conservation and tribal sustenance rights.
Publish SEA RUN to inform about the impact of historical Maine policies on tribal fisheries and provide remedial recommendations.
Monitor environmental situations posing potential harm to Wabanaki lands and populations.
Promote Wabanaki inclusion in State land decision-making.
Multiply opportunities for Wabanaki culture and language to be preserved and shared.
Ensure proper repatriation of Wabanaki lands, remains, funerary objects, and items of cultural heritage.
Research and analyze the 151 federal laws beneficial to tribes and tribal citizens that have been passed since the enactment of the 1980 Settlement Act to determine which of them may affect or preempt the application of State of Maine laws to tribal lands.
Gather Wabanaki people together to share successes and barriers to doing business in Maine and develop strategies for future business development.
Monitor the outcome of the Wabanaki nations' foray into sports betting and make recommendations for operational improvements, if necessary.
A new documentary from Sunlight Media Collective about Penobscot Nation’s intrinsic kinship connection to the Penobscot River.
Stay current on Tribal-State relations, legal developments, resources, and stories from our communities.
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