Please do not leave this page until complete. This can take a few moments.
Sponsored by: GoNetspeed, a fiber internet provider
Since long before the state was a state or even part of one, Maine has been home to nations of indigenous people. Today, that relationship continues to make news.
On Nov. 17, Gov. Janet Mills met with representatives of the Wabanaki tribes to discuss how the Legislature might expand their rights to self-governance. Under an $82 million legal settlement reached in 1980, Maine tribes do not have the sovereign status that hundreds of federally recognized tribes across the U.S. enjoy.
The meeting came days after the state's legalized sports betting market opened for business, an enterprise granted almost exclusively to the Maine tribes — the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, the Mi’kmaq Nation, the Penobscot Nation, and the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township and at Sipayik.
Also in November, a national conservation group announced plans to turn over nearly 30,000 acres of northern Maine woodland to the Penobscot Nation.
The more one reads and does the research the more one sees how clearly the State needs to amend the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act to fully acknowledge Wabanaki sovereignty, and that doing so will benefit ALL Mainers.
Absolutely Yes!
The Giving Guide helps nonprofits have the opportunity to showcase and differentiate their organizations so that businesses better understand how they can contribute to a nonprofit’s mission and work.
Learn MoreWork for ME is a workforce development tool to help Maine’s employers target Maine’s emerging workforce. Work for ME highlights each industry, its impact on Maine’s economy, the jobs available to entry-level workers, the training and education needed to get a career started.
Learn MoreWhether you’re a developer, financer, architect, or industry enthusiast, Groundbreaking Maine is crafted to be your go-to source for valuable insights in Maine’s real estate and construction community.
Coming June 2025
Learn moreThe Giving Guide helps nonprofits have the opportunity to showcase and differentiate their organizations so that businesses better understand how they can contribute to a nonprofit’s mission and work.
Work for ME is a workforce development tool to help Maine’s employers target Maine’s emerging workforce. Work for ME highlights each industry, its impact on Maine’s economy, the jobs available to entry-level workers, the training and education needed to get a career started.
Whether you’re a developer, financer, architect, or industry enthusiast, Groundbreaking Maine is crafted to be your go-to source for valuable insights in Maine’s real estate and construction community.
Coming June 2025
In order to use this feature, we need some information from you. You can also login or register for a free account.
By clicking submit you are agreeing to our cookie usage and Privacy Policy
Already have an account? Login
Already have an account? Login
Want to create an account? Register
This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Our privacy policy
To ensure the best experience on our website, articles cannot be read without allowing cookies. Please allow cookies to continue reading. Our privacy policy
This is a civil rights issue. In 2012 the Maine Indian Tribal-State commission found the 1980 settlement act created structural inequalities and listed 22 issues to restore self-governance. Let’s do the right thing.