Text
SUSAN M. STEVEN3
3812 MONROE H.E.
AMjjQUERQUE, Ha 87110
M
AY 33
Wabanaki
mm
m
All
Published with the support of the Penobscot Nation and Diocesan Human Relations Services, Inc.
_
June 1982
Will State honor settlement?
Love cites
legal limits
0R0N0 — The Penobscot-Passamaquoddy land claims act has definite limita
tions, says the Penobscot tribal governor.
Speaking at the University of Maine,
Gov. Timothy Love talked about som e of
the things his people gave up in the
compromise settlement reached in 1980.
Tribal courts. Love said, have a very
limited jurisdiction under term s of the
federal/state settlement. Courts are limit
ed to Class E crimes — minor violations —
and civil matters. M ore serious crimes
must be handled in state or federal courts.
The two tribes who shared in the
settlement must pay sales, income and
county taxes, although reservation resi
dents continue to be free of any property
tax.
Gov. Tim Love
Hunting, trapping and fishing juris
diction for the tribes applies only to “
trust
lands." Trust lands are specially desig
nated areas the tribe may purchase with
its share of the $81 million settlement.
Love said. The Penobscots, however, have
bought thousands of acres of land that is
not designated trust land. It is called fee
lands, and all taxes must be paid, as would
be the case with non-Indian property
owners.
The limits to the Penobscots’
rights are,
in Love's words, a “
very deep gou ge to
any Indian nation’sovereignty."
s
After the settlem ent act was approved,
according to Love, “
people said, ‘
Gee, why
didn’ you rejoice?’It’ hard to rejoice
t
s
when you see what you had to give up.”
Other problem s
Love said besides limited jurisdiction,
tribal leaders are troubled because the
state is apparently not holding up its end
of the land claims bargain. L ove listed
Indian scholarship funds; m ortgage insur
ance; hunting, trapping and fishing rights;
and certain contractual obligations as
prom ises on which the state has reneged.
Love said the state’ obligations — on
s
which he says the state is backing down —
are “
very little considering what we gave
up.”
Asked about the purchase of fee lands.
Love said swaps are possible, because the
tribe has bought “ e damn good land.”
som
Comparing the Penobscot’ future with
s
the success of timber operations by
Oregon and Washington Indian tribes.
Love commented, “
money talks, land
talks,” and with som e 140,000 acres
already purchased, “ will have some
we
leverage.
(Continued on p age 2 )
FEATHER IN HAND, G eorge [Skipper] Mitchell, a Penobscot from Bucksport,
expresses the mood of commencement at the University of Maine at Orono. See story
inside.
Phillips places in canoe race
APPLETON — Neil Phillips, a Penob
scot native of Indian Island, paddled over
the finish line in third place, in a recent
six-mile race on the St. G eorge River,
between Searsmont and Appleton.
The river was reported high and fast.
and Phillips’
time was 44:08, in the “
OC-1”
division. The April race, in its sixth year,
was sponsored by the Belfast YMCA.
Phillips has won many races, and has been
involved in national whitewater canoe
organizations.
Poll shows Penobscots care about land
INDIAN ISLAND — A recent land use
survey among Penobscot Nation tribal
members reveals a sincere desire among
many to see careful planning and wise
development of resources.
For example, nearly 80 percent of those
surveyed think a “
comprehensive plan”
should be initiated “ soon as possible."
as
Per capita paid
every 3 months
INDIAN ISLAND — In a front page
story last month, we incorrectly re
ported per capita income as monthly. It
is quarterly, with average quarterly
income about $235. Average annual
income is estimated at close to $1,000
per individual tribal member.
The question was in reference to some
140,000 acres acquired by the tribe, thus
far, under provisions of the 1980 Maine
Indian land claims settlem ent act.
Only three percent disagreed that a
comprehensive plan should be adopted,
but 20 percent w ere “
uncertain.”
C. B. Mitchell, the tribal land use
planner who drafted, organized, conduct
ed and collated the survey last month,
said he is pleased with the number of
returns, and the quality of the responses.
He said the information gained will be a
useful tool in a long range planning
process for the tribe — which will include
social and economic development as well.
Mitchell said 241 questionnaires w ere
sent to on-reservation adults, and 715 to
off-reservation adults. There w ere 335
com pleted returns, or 35 percent who
responded. “ though the number is a good
I
response. Of course, any surveyor would
like more. I was very pleased with som e of
the comments. It covers the range,”
Mitchell said.
“
The purpose of the survey is to provide
background data to formulate specific
plans,” said.
he
Respondents, who remain anonymous,
made comments such as:
— “ would be advantageous to use the
It
land for ski resorts and holiday resorts. I
do not think it would be w ise to build
homes or apartments because I fear that
they would end up as disgraceful as the
reservation has become.”
—“
Any real estate ventures should be
considered only with 99 year leases.”
—“
The land should be enjoyed, shared
by all, not exploited as a money-making
venture.”
— “ a time such as this, we as Indian
At
people should set an example and not
disturb the land. W e have the pow er to be
rich with not much money.”
— “
Should benefit all tribal members,
not just Indian Island.”
— “
Hire at least two consulting firms
with expertise in land use, real estate, and
economic development. Should present
plans to tribe for approval before any
action is taken to initiate plans.”
— “ for sea-side lands; could get into
Go
commercial fishery. If land is sold, sell
land on our ed ges of land, and not land
here and there all over the place. Ski lodge
is big bucks, g o for it. Campsites with
electricity and good shower and modern
rest rooms, big bucks. Allright.”
Other comments w ere not precisely
relevant to the survey, but w ere never
theless revealing of attitudes:
— “
Don’ touch m y per capita (indi
t
vidual portion of money earned as interest
on a land claims trust fund.)”
— “ reservation Indians should have
Off
the same benefits as reservation Indians.
(Continued on page 7)
Page 2
Wabanaki Alliance June 1982
They scoffed
The Passamaquoddy Tribe earned several hundred thousand
dollars on their blueberry barrens, acquired through the recent
Maine Indian land claims settlement.
Penobscot officials derided the purchase o f blueberry fields, saying
there was no money in the business; that the Passamaquoddys were
foolish to think they could turn a profit.
Well, the Passamaquoddys laughed all the way to the bank. No
doubt they will make another profit this summer, and meanwhile,
the Penobscots must look to other ways of earning income from
newly acquired lands. Chalk one up for the Passamaquoddys.
SPEAKING OUT — Melvin [Tom] Vicaire of Mattawamkeag, left, and Owen [Sonny]
Young of Bangor, address southern Maine area Indians at a recent conference in
Portland. Vicaire is a board member and acting executive director of Central Maine
Indian Association, Young is president of the CMIA board. They explained services of
the Orono-based organization.
H ou sing: b etter m o u se tra p ?
WASHINGTON — Interior Depart
ment Assistant Secretary Ken Smith,
testifying before the Interior and Insular
Affairs Committee, said a task force on
Indian housing, which he chairs, is looking
for a more efficient way to get houses built
on Indian reservations.
He said the group was looking at
various options, including som e that
would involve private financing. Som e al
ternatives being studied are a housing
block grant program; a general block
Quotable
The Nation should become financially independent as soon as
possible. Continued dependence on BIA and federal government
programs must stop. Failure to do this will result in a permanent
welfare state for the Penobscot Indian Nation.
— Comment on recent tribal survey.
Quotable
On the land claims act: “ least we know we have something. We
At
can build our own future. We can make our own mistakes. W e’ got
ve
our chance now.”
— Penobscot Nation Gov. Tim Love
grant program to include housing; a loan
guarantee program; a direct loan pro
gram; and a housing voucher system,
which Smith said would probably not
benefit most reservations because of the
general lack of housing on the reserva
tions.
Congressman Morris Udall, chairman of
the committee, expressed concern that
HUD funding for Indian housing was
being rescinded in 1982, and not included
in the budget request for 1983.
Gov. Love on jurisdiction
(Continued from page 1
)
In the meantime, the tribe remains
dependent on federal grants to m eet its
payroll, d e liv e r health and w elfare
services, and function as a government.
“
Right now, w e’ dependent; w e’
re
re
feeling Reaganomics,”
Love said.
Love would like to see tribal members
take over wood harvesting and marketing
operations from Dead River Company of
Bangor, currently under contract to
provide these services for the tribe. Some
of the newly acquired lands contain
valuable peat bogs.
Wabanaki Alliance
Love would like to see tribal members
ge t private sector jobs, as “
most of our
people are employed by tribal govern
ment,”and “
you nqver know what will
happen."
The Penobscot Nation faces the chal
lenge of “
decreasing the .100 percent
dependency,” Love told interested stu
dents and faculty at UMO.
Despite the settlem ent act's drawbacks,
Love said, “ least we know we have
at
something. We can build our own future.
W e can make our own mistakes. W e’
ve
got our chance now.”
Vol. 6, No. 6
June 1982
Published monthly by Wabanaki Alliance, through a sustaining grant from the
Penobscot Nation, under contract with Diocesan Human Relations Services, Inc.
Offices at 95 Main Street, Orono, Maine 04473. Telephone [207] 866-4903. Typeset
by the Penobscot Times Company. Printed by the Ellsworth American.
Reporters
Quotable
“
The Senate, with full knowledge of what it was doing,” recog
nized the Houlton Band of Maliseets. “ e’ made history up here.
W ve
For the first time in history, Indians have a service area that extends
into Canada.”
—James Wherry, former Houlton
Band staffer
Brenda Polchies
Board of Directors
Jean Chavaree, Penobscot Nation, [chairman]
Donna Loring, Penobscot Nation
Jeannette LaPlante, Central Maine Indian Assoc.
Phone 532-9442
Indian Island
Old Town
Old Town
A non-profit corporation. Contributions are deductible for income tax purposes.
Rates: $5 per year [12 issues]; $6 Canada and overseas; S10 for institutions [schools,
government, business, etc.]
Page 3
Wabanaki Alliance June 1982
letters
Rather m isleadin g
Portland
To the editor:
The March, 1982 issue regarding the
change of the priest at Indian Township is
rather misleading. First, the reader is
allowed to peek into a door which sup
posedly exposes a host of problem s and
differences of opinion regarding “
Father
Joe.”
Then the last statement erroneously
identifies Father Raymond Picard as a
member of the Jesuit Community. He is a
diocesan priest.
If the reporter could not ascertain that
little fact, then one must seriously
question the validity and reliability of the
rest of the story.
Perhaps the Editor would wish to be
more selective and factual in articles and
limit “
extemporaneous descant” to his
editorials on page two.
Neil D. Michaud
Diocesan Director
EDITOR RESPONDS: The Alliance
stands behind its article as factual report
ing.
W ick eeg a n
Bangor
To the editor:
We saw ‘
Wickeegan’
tonight, and would
like to subscribe to the Alliance for one
year.
John J. Halloran
Another year
Indian Island
To the editor:
I am writing to say that I have enjoyed
reading the Wabanaki Alliance this past
year. I am enclosing a check for another
year.
Annie Paul
Enjoyed TV sh ow
Falmouth
To the editor:
I enjoyed watching Mr. Cartwright on
TV, Monday, May 3rd, concerning the
Indians. I would like to receive the news
paper he spoke about.
Frederick E. Jones
Still her h o m e
Connecticut
To the editor:
I was so happy when they started to
send m e the paper about the Island, and
all the people up there.
I only know the older crowd, as I’
ve
been down in Connecticut since 1942. But
the Island is still my home. I hope to get
up there this summer for a visit, if my
health permits. Thanking you so much.
Eleanor Tom er Lajila
M ak e no mistake
Indian Township
To the editor:
It’ election year at Indian Township,
s
and hopefully this community woun’
t
make the same mistake it did four years
ago.
Maybe this letter will open som e eyes
and maybe a few minds. Our community
needs improvements, especially starting
at the Tribal Office, and Police Depart
ment.
Before you decide who you want as our
chief, keep in mind that this person is
representing “
you” Washington, as our
in
local government. W here is our constitu
tion? Why is our local government
dragging its feet? Do we have any laws? It
is my conclusion that our chief of police
makes his own laws as he goes along, and
his continuous harassment of our com
munity mem bers has to stop. W e are not
criminals, and we shouldn’be treated as
t
such. I have tried talking to our chief of
police, but was asked to remove myself
from his office, or be removed.
Here is the thought: What are we doing
with him as chief of police? I mean, with
the land case settlement, we are mil
lionaires; we can afford the best. What are
we doing with someone who works against
our community. A few community mem
bers, are running for our chief position.
W e should keep in mind what their
platform is, and what he or she has to offer
to our community.
Harry Stevens
subscribe!
JUMP! Rachel Sockabasin, captain of the Indian Township junior high girls basketball
team, displays her form in a recent gam e against Eastport.
Brother Smith ordination set
PLEASANT POIN T — Brother Law
rence (Larry) Smith, a Jesuit who became
the first deacon at the Passamaquoddy
reservation, is scheduled to be ordained
into the priesthood, June 19.
The Roman Catholic ordination cere
mony will be performed by Bishop Law
rence Burke, of the Diocese of Nassau in
the Bahamas, at St. Joseph’ Chapel at
s
C ollege of the Holy Cross, W orcester,
Mass.
A special mass of thanksgiving, in
Smith’honor, will take place at Pleasant
s
Point, on the Fourth of July, at 11 a.m.
That event will be held at St. Ann's
Church on the reservation, where the
Rev. Joseph Mullen is resident priest.
Brother Smith has been studying for
the priesthood in Berkeley, California, and
will move to Spokane, Washington, by
August, according to a letter received by
this newspaper.
A Brockton, Mass, native. Brother
Smith entered the New England Province
of the Society of Jesus in 1962, taking his
first vows as a Jesuit Brother in 1965.
Smith held various posts at both Fairfield
University, and at Holy C ross College,
before continuing his own studies. H e
attended Quinsigamond Community Col
lege in W orcester, and Boston University,
graduating in 1972 with an AB degree in
Art History.
After graduation Smith was appointed
temporary administrator of the Jesuit
Novitiate in Boston's Back Bay, and
served as staff photographer for the
Jesuit newspaper, S. J. News. From 1973
to 1976 he was assistant chaplain at St.
Ann’ Indian Mission, Pleasant Point. He
s
left the reservation in 1976 to begin
studies for the newly restored Permanent
Diaconate.
While maintaining close contacts with
the Indian Mission and Indian people.
Smith studied theology at the Jesuit
W eston School of Theology, Cambridge,
Mass. He also studied at Episcopal
Divinity School and Harvard Divinity
School, taking summer courses at Boston
University. He took his vows as a Jesuit
Brother in October 1977.
For troubled youth
Orono
T o the editor:
My name is Rene McDougall and I
have recently started a position as a
VISTA Volunteer working the with
C.M.I.A. education staff. I graduated
from the University of Maine at Orono
in 1981 with a B.S. D egree in Education
and am presently enrolled in a Master’
s
Program in Counselor Education at the
UMO campus. I am a member of the
Penobscot Indian Nation presently
living on Indian Island, Old Town,
Maine and have five children and two
grandsons.
My position as a VISTA Volunteer
will involve setting up a support
system for troubled youth, specifically
high school drop-outs and potential
high school drop-outs. My duties will
include tutoring and linking up stu
dents to alternative educational pro
grams.
During the first month of service, I
will be contacting schools and agencies
to become familiar with existing edu
cational programs in the area.
If you, or som e one you know, has
need o f these services, please feel free
to contact me at Central Maine Indian
Association 866-5587 or evenings at
home 827-2386.
Rene McDougall
MAIL TO WABANAKI ALLIANCE, 95 MAIN STREET, ORONO, MAINE 04473
WABANAKI ALLIANCE SUBSCRIPTION FORM
(Make checks payable to Wabanaki Alliance)
j ENCLOSE:
$5 for one year
(Individual—U.S.)
□
N a m e .............................................................. | -- 1 for one year
- $6
I __ j(Canada)
_
Street ............................................................. I
|$10 for one year
1___I(Institutional rate)
_
Ruined business
An April snowstorm delineates the ruins of Lola’ Store at Peter Dana Point, Indian
s
Township. The business, located in a form er state-built residence, burned recently.
,_
Donation (Amount)
City/Town and S t a t e ............................................. ' ---’
Zip Code
Page 4
Wabanaki Alliance June 1982
TGI future uncertain
ORONO — A ray of sunshine has
reached the funding agency here. Tribal
Governors, Inc. (TGI). But the future of
the half-million dollar annual budget
agency is still clouded.
Things got so overcast recently, that
director Denise Mitchell, a Penobscot, was
making plans to close down TGI, which for
several years has rented a form er convent
at 93 Main St., Orono.
However, at a recent board meeting,
TGI directors decided — without a formal
vote — to support the agency for an un
specified period of time. This gives TGI a
new lease on life. Otherwise, Mitchell said,
the TGI would have folded April 30.
Mitchell sees som e signs of encourage
ment: "The fact of the m atter is,”
she told
Wabanaki Alliance, “ Reagan Adminis
the
tration is moving m ore into consortium
efforts because of such small pots of
money.”She said the U.S. Department of
Labor wants so-called consortium funding
plans, whereby one agency coordinates a
number of programs grouped together.
Still, Mitchell said “
money’ going to be
s
thin, we’ running a skeleton crew.”
re
TGI is awaiting word on an application
through federal Title VII, for $247,000, or
about half the annual budget. If approved,
funds would be available in October. In
that application, TGI seeks 15 job slots for
“
forestry inventory technicians,” which
has jokingly been referred to as “
counting
trees." Presumably, these jobs would
assist the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy
tribes in coping with newly acquired
lands, bought with land claims settlement
money.
Mitchell said Charles Tetro, director of
the Penobscot Consortium in Bangor, has
pledged his support of TGI’plans.
s
Meanwhile, TGI continues to sponsor
several federal program s for Indians, such
as Summer Youth Employment Program
(SYEP), Youth Employment Training
Program (YETP), Home E nergy A ssist
ance Program (HEAP), Em ergency Crisis
Intervention Program (ECIP), and a
C om m unity S e rv ice s A d m in istration
(CSA) food and nutrition program.
Current board mem bers of TGI are
tribal governors J. Hartley Nicholas of
Pleasant Point, Harold J. Lewey of Indian
Township and Timothy Love of Indian
Island; Mary Isaac of Millinocket, for
Central Maine Indian Association (CMIA);
Terrance Polchies of Bangor, for Houlton
Band of Maliseets; and Clair (Al) Sabattis
of Houlton, for Association of Aroostook
Indians (AAI).
Students attend Dartmouth powwow
INDIAN TOW NSHIP — Eight students
from Indian Township attended the 10th
annual Native American Pow W ow at
Dartmouth College, last month.
The trip was coordinated through the
Native Americans at Dartmouth (NAD)
office, and through Don Hebert, Narragansett, an admissions counselor at the
college. The students and four chaperones
were given a tour of the campus and
provided with rooms and meals during
their stay. On Saturday, May 15, students
were invited to watch the pow wow dance
contest all afternoon and evening. Some
Passamaquoddys plan to dance in next
year’event.
s
Dartmouth College was founded in 1769
as an Indian college. Today there are
about 80 Native Americans attending the
school.
Islander attends
Indian institute
INDIAN ISLAND - Bill McDougall of
Indian Island has enrolled at the Institute
of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New
Mexico. He is working toward a two-year
associate degree in creative writing. He
began his studies in March. He has pub
lished poetry in this newspaper.
Joining the trip w ere Township seniors
Franny Neptune, Carla LaCoote, David
Nicholas and Judy Stevens of Lee Aca
demy. Seniors from Calais High School
w ere Dawn Fitch and Belinda Tomah.
Kathy Mitchell and Janet Neptune also
attended, and are currently juniors at Lee
Academy. The chaperons included Sam
Dana, Sonia Dana, Sandy Newell and Rick
Kelley.
Blanche's 'special'
INDIAN TOW NSHIP - E ver had the
“
game warden special” It's moosemeat
?
stew, available from time to time at
Blanche’Take Out, on the Strip here.
s
Blanche Sockabasin is owner of the
former Maxine’ Take Out, m oved from
s
Peter Dana Point where Maxine Tomah
operated the business. Cooking and serv
ing is done by Sockabasin’ daughter,
s
Laura Nicholas, and pies are baked by
Kathy Tomah. There are pinball machines
to while away the time.
Hours are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., five days
per week. Daily specials are featured. “
My
mother always wanted a place like this,”
Nicholas said. Ed Sockabasin helps out,
bringing in wood for the stove.
Kids' testimony effective in D.C.
WASHINGTON — Tw o Penobscot
pupils from the Indian Island element
ary school used plain talk to tell the
federal government a new building is
needed.
As part of a Penobscot tribal effort
to convince C ongress and federal
bureaucrats that a new school should
be funded, Amanda Francis, seven, and
Renee Francis, nine, told of how crowd
ed and limited the old school can be.
It worked, everyone agreed, al
though the final word on funding has
not been heard at the reservation. And
it was fun, said Renee and Amanda,
who are the daughters of S. C. and
Cheryl Francis of Indian Island. Ac
companying the girls, and also part of a
delegation to sell the government on
the new school, was principal Sr. Helen
McKeough. Although a new school
could not include Catholic instruction,
the Sisters of Mercy could apparently
continue to supply teachers and prin
cipals.
Religious instruction is currently
offered in the St. Ann’ Church parish
s
hall, a building separate from the aged,
wood frame school.
Proposed is a $3.5 million school
complex that could open its doors to
Indian students by Sept. 1, 1984.
Junior high grades would be added to
the present kindergarten through
sixth-grade program. Graduates of the
Penobscot school would probably con
tinue to attend Old Town High School.
The U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs
(BIA) has indicated the new Indian
Island school, planned for a site near
the existing Community Building, is
top priority for funding.
It would be twice as big as the
Community Building.
CUTTING TH E CAKE is fun at a recent Easter party at the Penobscot Nation daycare
program at Indian Island. Daycare Director Matthew O’
Donnell says special thanks are
due Genevieve LaFranee of Indian Island for baking delicious cakes for many occasions.
book nook
Medicinal plants book valuable
INDIAN ISLAND — “
Medicine Plants”
is the title of an attractive, slim booklet
printed last year by the Penobscot Indian
D ep a rtm en t o f H ealth and Human
Services.
Author Debra Mitchell, listed as re
search associate, is a tribal member who
has executed pleasing sketches of plants
— from Blue Flag to Yarrow — to
accompany her informative text.
Lest anybody get carried away with
herbal medicines, there is a somewhat
frightening “
disclaimer” the front of the
in
booklet, noting, “
the use of any of the
information in this booklet for the purpose
of self treatment, without consulting a
physician, can be dangerous." Some edible
and medicinal plants look a lot like
poisonous varieties.
Once past the disclaimer, the book has
lively explanations of the Indian uses of
certain plants, plus other pertinent data.
Lady Slipper, for example, is a sedative
J.S. Attean dies
PISCATAWAY, New Jersey — Joseph
Stanley Attean, a Penobscot tribal mem
her who had retired here after years with
the railroad, died in April.
Details were not available at press time,
but it was learned that Attean worked for
the New York, New Haven and Hartford
Railroad as an engineer. At one time, he
modeled for a popular Levi’ rye bread
s
advertisement that proclaimed, “
You
don’ have to be Jewish to love Levi’
t
s.”
and nerve medicine, as well as cure for
insomnia. “ seem s also to quiet spasm s of
It
voluntary muscles, and hysterical attacks,
especially in women. The Penobscots
prepared a tea of a related species, and
drank it to calm the nerves,” author
Mitchell reports.
The Lady Slipper should be in bloom
about now, by the way.
Constipated? Try Milkweek, or Blue
Flag. Milweed is also good for fighting
dropsy, dysentery, asthma, warts, ring
worm and tapeworm. Not only that, it’
s
supposed to be good for catarrh, rheu
matism and “
secondary syphilis,”should
you be so unlucky as to have that.
If you’ suffering a coughing spell, try
re
Sarsparilla. Penobscots traditionally com
bined it with Flagroot for an effective
cough remedy. “
The Indians ate the roots
during the wars or hunts, because they
were able to subsist on them for long
periods of time. Penobscot women cut up
the roots, tied the pieces on a string, and
kept them in their lodges until needed,”
Mitchell states.
All in all, this is a worthwhile book, and
Mitchell is to be commended for under
taking the project.
One question that lingers is, why
doesn’ the health center prom ote use of
t
herbal medicine as bona fide treatment? If
Penobscots truly benefited from these
plants, and this information isn’a batch of
t
silly old myths, then why not take
advantage of traditional knowledge?
Instead, the book warns you not to m ess
with this stuff. Yet it is a nifty booklet.
Tw o Indians
g r a d u a te at UMO
ORONO — Am ong the graduating class
last month at the University of Maine at
Orono were G eorge (Skipper) Mitchell, a
Penobscot, and Jackie Precourt, a Choc
taw.
Mitchell earned a BS in education, and
Precourt com pleted requirem ents for a
BA in political science. Both students
w ere active in Native Americans at
Maine, a student club, and both of them
assisted this newspaper in a benefit
concert held at UMO, with proceeds
shared between the club and the paper.
M
IN D IAPPLIESR A F TM
NC
SU
c r c c 148
Page
Catalog
The world's largast
Indian Crafts Catalog.
More than 4,000 items
to choosa from I
cor «ro» o,. i
For free catalog,
...
Trade Beads, Tin Cones,
Brass Beads, Moire Taffeta
Ribbon, Ermine Skins,
Bone Elk Teeth, Shawl
Fringe and >fcm.
AREY o w l
113-15 Springfield Blvd.
Queens Village, N.Y. 11429
m
Page 5
Wabanaki Alliance June 1982
Chief Orono theme
of town festival
ORONO — An 18th century Penob
scot Indian chief will be the central
theme of an Orono town festival, June
26-27.
Chief Joseph Orono is something of a
legend, and scholars and others dispute
exactly who he was, and his Indian
genealogy. He was said to be fair
skinned. In 1911, the Knights of
Columbus in Orono erected a granite
monument to their town’ namesake,
s
calling him a Catholic Indian Chief.
(That monument stands in front of this
newspaper’offices, at 95 Main St.)
s
In any case, the festival, Orono’
s
third annual summer weekend event,
will feature an Indian crafts fair on
Saturday, and an ecumenical service,
Sunday. Festival organizer Lois LaBeau of Orono said she thought the
town of Orono should honor Chief
Orono “
because it had never been done
before,”and as a gestu re of friendship
with the Penobscot Nation at Indian
Island, and other Maine Indians.
LaBeau and Teri Morrow, another
Orono resident, have discussed plans
with tribal officials at Indian Island,
including Philip Guimond, administra
tive assistant to Gov. Timothy Love.
LaBeau said the Rev. John Civiello of
St. Ann’ Catholic Church, Indian
s
Island, has agreed to participate in the
ecumenical service, as have other area
clergy. “ will not be religious per se,
It
but to honor the mem ory of Joseph
Orono.” Organizers hope the service
can be held outdoors, on land between
the town offices and Asa Adams
School.
Talent of any kind is being sought,
and any Indian people who wish to
sing, dance or display arts and crafts
may contact LaBeau at 866-2126, or
Morrow at 866-4876. The exhibit fee
has been waived for Indian people.
A display of Indian artifacts is
planned at the United Methodist
Church on Oak Street, and the loan of
items is requested.
M. E. Gridley, in a 1974 book called
“
American Indian Tribes,”writes that
Chief Joseph Orono “
was once an im
portant historic figure. He became
prominent after he reached the age of
fifty, and he did not becom e head chief
until he was seventy-five. At the
beginning of the French and Indian
War against the English, Orono strong
ly advocated peace. At the beginning of
the Revolution, he offered his services
to the Massachusetts colonists and
proved to be a faithful ally during the
struggle for independence. When he
was 108 years old, he entered into
treaties with Massachusetts, which
fixed the permanent title to the Penob
scot reservation.”
School chief to decide if he stays on
INDIAN TOW NSHIP - Forest Os
good, a native of Carroll Plantation, has
been hired as acting principal at the
Passamaquoddy reservation elementary
school.
He replaces Edmund F. Vandall of
Lincoln, the first Indian principal the
school ever had, who resigned a couple of
months ago.
Osgood is only the second principal of
the school who is not a member of the
Roman Catholic Sisters of Mercy. The
sisters have partly or fully staffed the
school since its founding 100 years ago.
O sgood has been principal of Smithfield
elementary school in the Skowhegan area.
A graduate of Washington State Teachers
College (now University of Maine at
Machias), he holds a masters degree in
elementary principalship from University
of Maine at Orono, and a Certificate of
Advanced Study from UMO. He and his
wife have four children, the eldest of
whom graduates from Skowhegan high
school.
Osgood said he will decide soon if he
wishes to commit himself to take the
Passamaquoddy principalship on a perm
anent basis. One drawback is that he does
not wish to relocate his family from
Skowhegan. He currently stays during the
week with his father, in Carroll.
Oakes hired
BOSTON — Bruce Oakes, a planner
with Boston Indian Council (BIC) was
selected from am ong a large number of
applicants, for the job of coordinator,
Indian Task Force, of the Federal R e
gional Council of New England. He
succeeds Barbara Namias, a Mohawk.
James G. Sappier, a Penobscot from
Indian Island, is co-chairman of the task
force.
POOL SHARK — This Penobscot youngster at the Indian Island Community building
looks like she’ ready to take on anybody. Stripes or solids?
s
New health boss lost
case for same job
INDIAN ISLAND - Dr. Eunice Baumann-Nelson was selected by tribal of
ficials to head the Penobscot Health &
Human Services Department, from a field
of at least five candidates, but she lost a
tribal court case seeking reinstatement to
that job.
Baumann-Nelson and her deputy health
director, Denise Mitchell, were fired from
their jobs in 1980, by then Gov. Wilfred
Pehrson. Mitchell and Baumann-Nelson,
both Penobscots, claimed their dismissal
was groundless. Informed sources said
t here was a personality clash between the
late Governor Pehrson and BaumannNelson and Mitchell. The Maine Human
Rights Commission found that the direc
tor and her deputy were relieved of their
jobs because they had filed sex discrimina
tion charges after they w ere at first
suspended from work.
The tribal administration said the two
officials were fired for refusing to acknow
ledge the ultimate authority of the gover
nor and council. Baumann-Nelson said
Pehrson wanted certain records which
w ere confidential, and she refused to
release those records.
Mitchell and Baumann-Nelson took their
grievance to tribal court, but recently, an
appellate tribal court ruled that the tribe
is protected by the doctrine of sovereign
immunity. Tribal court cannot handled
charges against the administration, the
ruling said.
After Baumann-Nelson was dismissed,
Timothy Love, now tribal governor,
assumed the role of acting health director.
Alan Sanborn, a Penobscot who recently
resigned to take a post with the Episcopal
Church, succeeded Love.
Baumann-Nelson com peted for the job
against applications from Penobscots,
Irene Pardilla, Richard Hamilton and Pat
ricia Knox. Form er Indian Island welfare
agent, Larry Finch, also applied for the
job, but one source said his application
was not competitive because he is a nonIndian, and the tribe exercises Indian
preference in hiring.
Baumann-Nelson, who holds a PhD from
New York University, recently taught a
course on “
Native American Studies in the
Northeast" at College of the Atlantic, Bar
Harbor. She has completed work on a
bibliography on Indian literature, pub
lished by American Friends Service Com
mittee, a Quaker-sponsored group. Her
AFSC job was paid through a federal
CETA grant.
Denise Mitchell has been employed as
executive director of Tribal Governors,
Inc., in Orono, an agency that channels
federal funds to Maine Indians.
Sanborn looks ahead
Alan Sanborn, who held the top health
post two years, had been a hairdresser in
Milo for 15 years. He holds a degree from
University of Maine in substance abuse
counseling, and recently accepted the job
of executive director, National Committee
on Indian Work of the Episcopal Church,
in New York City. He is a former board
member of that committee, and is on the
board of the Native American Theological
Association.
Sanborn plans to take courses at
General Seminary in New York, toward
ordination as a priest.
Describing his new job, Sanborn said,
“ s talking to the Indians, getting down
it’
and listening. What we’ trying to do is
re
incorporate the native American into
Christianity — what we can interface
between the two.
“ first call to the ministry came from
My
the public; people said ‘ d make a good
you’
priest.' I said no. It’funny; what I wanted
s
when I was 10, I’ getting now.
m
“ m still going to be working with
I’
Indians; that was my goal when I went
back to school,” said Sanborn, adding,
“ ve done all I can here. W e haven’been
I’
t
cut (in federal funds). Things seem to be
going pretty smoothly . . . I’ really
m
excited about the new job.”
Sanborn, 42, is married and the father
of three sons and a daughter.
nmERO’S SPORT SHOP
GUNS & ACCESSORIES
FISHING EQUIPMENT
Potters at work
S. C. Francis of Indian Island has been teaching pottery to young people aged seven to
17, in weekday afternoon classes, 3:30-4:30, at the Drop-In Center, on the reservation.
Interested persons should simply “
drop in,” and S.C. says adult classes will be
scheduled, and a small fee will b e involved. He has a kiln and potters wheel ready to go.
BLACK POWDER & SUPPLIES
Hours — Mon., Tues., Wed., Thurs., Sat. 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Friday 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
Bennoch Road
Old Town, Maine 04468
207-827-7032
Ask for A1 or Dave
Page 6
Wabanaki Alliance Jane 1982
Cancer study set
for Indian Island
INDIAN ISLAND — The Penobscot
Nation will participate in a national cancer
research study, according to tribal health
official, Maynard Krieder.
Krieder, who is coordinating the study,
commented, “
cancer is a real fear, it’ a
s
fear everywhere.”But on Indian Island,
where Kreider has kept his own records
between 1976 and 1980, ten of 32 deaths
were identified as caused by cancer of one
kind or another. (Ten w ere due to heart
disease, 12 to “
other causes.” In the year
)
1978, 22 percent of Indian Island deaths
were due to cancer.
Among recent Penobscot victims of
cancer w ere form er tribal governors
Wilfred Pehrson, Nicholas Sapiel and
John Mitchell.
The American Cancer Society sponsor
PASSAMAQUODDY — The tribal forestry department’ good morale is represented ed study — which will stretch over six
s
here by, from left, Raphael Sockabasin, Audrey Socoby, Joe Socobasin. Bruce Francis, years — will involve 85,000 volunteers and
cost upwards of $12 million. Krieder said
not shown, is in charge.
“ overall purpose of the study is to find
the
out what factors in lifestyle and environ
ment contribute to the development of
cancer.”
Wherry cited for work
FREDERICTON, N.B. — James
Wherry, who earned a M asters degree
in anthropology from the University of
New Brunswick in 1979, is the winner
of the Praxis Award presented by the
Washington (D.C.) Association of Pro
fessional Anthropologists.
The prestigious annual award was
given in recognition of Wherry’ “
s out
standing example of the translation of
anthropological knowledge into action.”
Anthropology is the study of mankind’
s
origins, development and customs.
While a graduate student at UNB,
Wherry focused on the social organiza
tion of northeastern Indian tribes,
particularly the Eastern Algonquians.
After completing his program, he was
employed by the Association of Aroos
took Indians to aid them in the settle
ment of the Passamaquoddy Land
Claim. Through his efforts, the pre
viously unrecognized Houlton Band of
Maliseets was certified as a tribal
group and became eligible for benefits
under the land claim.
According to William Dalton, chair
man of UNB’ anthropology depart
s
ment, W herry’ achievement is evi
s
dence of the success of UNB’ “
s social
approach to anthropology" which pre
pares students for meaningful work in
society. Dalton says U.S. organizations
tend to take advantage of this training
more than Canadians do.
W herry did his undergraduate work
in anthropology and archeology at
California State College of Pennsyl
vania, and came to UNB because he
was interested in the practical applica
tion of anthropological theory.
He currently lives in Lawrence,
Kansas, and works with Native Ameri
can Research Institute.
STANDPIPE TO COME DOWN — The old Indian Township wooden standpipe and
water main on The Strip will be replaced, tribal officials say, with a new tank and main.
There are reportedly only two firms in the U.S. that make this kind of tank. The new
one will hold 200,000 gallons: the old one [above] holds 75,000 gallons. Low bidder was
Stetson, of East Holden, at $157,565. The only other bidder was Pine Tree of Augusta,
at $165,227.50.
Chavaree in Spain
GRANADA, Spain — Mark Chavaree of
Indian Island, a Penobscot attending Dart
mouth College, will return home this
month, after ten weeks in this Spanish
community.
As part of Dartmouth’ language study
s
abroad, Chavaree has been living with a
host Spanish family that speaks no
English. His parents, Francis and Jean
Chavaree of Indian Island, recently spent
ten days in Granada.
Chavaree, com pleting his sophom ore
year, has received an award from Maine
Indian Scholarship Committee, for aca
demic excellence.
Also attending Dartmouth is Tina
Farrenkopf, a Passamaquoddy from Ban
gor.
Obituaries
CHRISTOPHER ERIC BLANEY
W O O D L A N D — C h r isto p h er E ric
Blaney, 5, died May 13, 1982, at his home
as the result of a structural fire.
He was born in Bangor, March 12,1977,
the son of George and Pamela (Nicholas)
Blaney. Surviving besides his parents are
one brother, Harold, of Woodland; his
maternal grandparents, Edward and
Blanche Sockabasin of Indian Township;
his paternal grandparents, Lloyd and
Mazie Blaney of Princeton; several aunts,
uncles, great-aunts and great-uncles; two
great-great-aunts and uncles. A Mass of
Christian Burial was celebrated at St.
Ann’ Church, Peter Dana Point, with the
s
Rev. Norman Carpentier celebrant.
Interment was in the tribal cemetery.
PAUL E. TOMAH
HOULTON — Paul E. Tomah, 56, died
May 12,1982, in a Bangor hospital.
He was born in Houlton, Feb. 4, 1926,
the son of Charles and Minnie (Clark)
Tomah. He was a member of the St.
Mary’Church. He is survived by his wife,
s
Catherine (Gravel) Tomah of Houlton; two
daughters, Janice Ellis and Caroline
Young, both of Florenceville, N.B.; four
brothers, Leroy, John, and Dean, all of
Houlton, William of Hartford, Conn.;
three sisters, Mary Kelley and Gloria
Tomah of Houlton, Debra Haley of
Presque Isle; three grandchildren; eight
foster children. Mass of Christian Burial
was held Friday, May 14 at St. Mary’
s
Church with the Rev. Coleman P. O’
Toole
officiating. Interment was in St. Mary’
s
Cemetery, Houlton.
On the Island, he said, “ don’think it
we
t
would be very hard to ge t maybe 100
people.”
In a letter to Gov. Timothy Love of the
Penobscot Nation, an American Cancer
Society worker wrote, “
Information re
garding cancer in the American Indian is
limited; through this study, w e would like
to learn more. This can only be done if we
survey a sampling of the American Indian
population.”
A press release from the Society
declared:
“ large-scale study of this kind is
A
needed to help us find out, as well as t o ,
help get the answers to questions about
such things as long-term exposure to low
level radiation; the health effects associat
ed with air and water pollution; risks
associated with nutrition, drugs, and
various occupational exposures; the pos
sible interplay of multiple cancer-causing
substances which m ight not independent
ly cause cancer, and the possibility of
increased vulnerability to cancer in cer
tain racial, religious, geographic or genetic
groups.”
BIA sifts 1,700 claims
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Bureau of
Indian Affairs has com pleted the pro
cessing of m ore than 95 percent of ap
proximately 1,200 Indian claims for dam
ages still considered active.
Sam St. Arnold, head of the bureau’
s
rights protection division, said the bureau
was winding up its work on a few
remaining claims and the remainder were
in the solicitor’ office for review, before
s
being sent to the Justice Department by
the June 1 target date. This would give
the Justice Department six months to
review the claims, obtain any further
needed information and file suits before
Decem ber 31.
In testimony before the Senate Select
Committee on Indian Affairs, April 1,
Interior Deputy Assistant Secretary Roy
Sampsel reported that of the original
17,000 claims, som e have been reviewed
and rejected, some resolved administra
tively, some are considered appropriate
for legislative settlem ent and some in
volved titled claims, rather than damages,
and will not be subject to the statute of
limitations.
Sampsel said that nearly 4,000 of the
claims involved unapproved rights-of-way
which have been determ ined to be
beneficial with little or no damage to the
property. He said the Bureau would seek
to validate these rights-of-way adminis
tratively. Sampsel said the Bureau would
recommend legislation to reim burse In
dian trust estates whose funds w ere
diminished without the consent of heirs to
repay state or county welfare agencies for
Old A ge Assistance payments. These
claims totaled approximately $1.5 million.
The 1,200 claims remaining active,
Sampsel testified, involved such things as
damage to tribal fisheries and other
natural resources, or diversion of water.
NOTICE OF DEAD LIN E FOR
COPY, ADVERTISING
Wabanaki Alliance announces that
all advertising and editorial copy
should be submitted to the newspaper
offices by the 15th day of the month
preceding the issue in which you wish
your copy to appear. For example,
June 15 is the deadline for the July
issue of Wabanaki Alliance. Mail all
copy to Wabanaki Alliance, 95 Main
St., Orono, ME 04473.
Wabanaki Alliance June 1982
Page 7
Penobscots polled
Don and Becky Daigle
(Continued from page 1
)
Coastal lands
An overwhelming 65 percent of those
Many off reservation Indians often aren’
t
responding want the tribe to buy som e of
involved or aware of certain things.”
—“
Did not approve of settlem ent but the Maine coast,' while only 13 percent
said “
no.” date, the tribe has bought no
To
now must live with it.”
— “
The Nation should becom e finan coastal property.
About half of those responding said the
cially independent as soon as possible.
Continued depepdence on BIA and federal tribe should en gage in real estate, as the
very sluggish.”
government program s must stop. Failure timber/wood market is “
to do this will result in a permanent But members have mixed feelings about
welfare state for Penobscot Indian Na real estate ventures. They are split over
land swaps, subdivisions, ski lodges,
tion.”
— “
There should be no individually hydro power, camping areas, etc.
If a profit is turned from land uses, most
owned, lands. Those tribal mem bers
owning land should donate their holdings respondents want the money forked over
and take a tax deduction or simply have as per capita payments. One suggestion,
however, is to place such income in a trust
the land taken.”
—“
Housing ON the reservation should fund.
take priority.”
Sixty-five percent of respondents live
— “
Money for fire department should off reservation; 22 percent make less than
not be taken from per capital funds. They $5,000 per year, while 12 percent report
should ju st have a contract with the Old making m ore than $20,000.
Town fire department.”
Mitchell pointed out that personal
—“
God created the land and created us income is a concern for many respondents.
to enjoy the land.”
Based on the 1980 census figure of $21,020
Mitchell said the survey project has as median U.S. family income, 77 percent
taken about four months, but full scale of respondents are below average, while
planning will involve several years. He 43 percent are below $10,000 ... less than
thanked all mem bers who participated, half the median family income.
with special thanks to help provided by
Postmarks on returned questionnaires
Millie Paul, Alison Sapiel, the Penobscot included California, New York, Florida
Nation land committee, and staff of the and New England states.
tribla real estate and demography de
Meanwhile, Daigle said the old, asphalt
partment.
sided (to look like bricks) Baptist church
A majority of those surveyed think land
“ in tremendous need of a pastor.”He
is
said an area pastor will fill in, on a use should be a combination of tribal and
temporary basis. Stained glass windows in individual interests, not wholly one or the
the church apparently came from an older, other. As for land use, timber and natural
SANTA FE, N.M. — The Institute of
coastal church, as a nautical anchor is a resource development ranked highest, at
about 70 percent, with agriculture running American Indian Arts will hold a first
centerpiece.
annual literary festival.
second choice. Forty-two percent said
Daigle said a new roof, and new furnace “
The festival will feature four U.S.
preserve”
the land first.
have been installed at the church during
Respondents easily favored having the native American authors: N. Scott Momahis tenure, and the Sunday school hall has tribe’ own comprehensive plan replace day, Duane Niatum, Wendy Rose, and
s
been fixed up. But there has never been a state Land U se Regulation Commission Ray A. Young Bear. The festival will take
living wage from the church. “
Sixty (LURC) jurisdiction over “
trust (non-tax- place from July 13-16, in Santa Fe, New
percent of our living came off the land, and able) tribal lands.
Mexico at the College of Santa Fe campus.
the other 40 percent we’ worked for”in
ve
various other jobs, Daigle said.
Daigle takes post
with Arizona church
INDIAN ISLAND — After a four-year
hitch as pastor of the Indian Island Baptist
Church, the Rev. Donald Daigle, a Penob
scot, is leaving this month to assume
similar duties with an independent Indian
church in Arizona.
Daigle, his wife Becky, and their
children, Chris and Michele, will m ove to
Verde Valley, where they hope to live on
an Apache reservation. The valley is
about 40 miles from Flagstaff, where the
Daigles previously lived. Don Daigle has
preached throughout Arizona Indian
country, and some of the Apaches re
member him, he said.
“ e really felt that our work here was
W
completed, and that the Lord was calling
us," explained Daigle, adding that the
independent Indian church “
has a good
sound doctrine.
“
The work that I’ going into is
m
basically what I do here on the Island.
W e’ going to be missionaries,”Daigle
re
said, explaining that his wife is part of the
“ team.”
the
Commenting on his years with the
Penobscot Baptist Church, Daigle said,
“ s been a blessing. We got a lot accom
it’
plished. When we first came here, there
were only three to five people attending.
It’been as high as 33; we’ in a low right
s
re
now, about 13-15.”Almost all Penobscots
have been raised as Roman Catholics, al
though many do not attend the Island
church on a regular basis.
Daigle said the Island priest, the Rev.
John Civiello, has been a good friend. The
two of them presided together at tradi
tional inauguration cerem onies for tribal
Gov. Timothy Love. Civiello told Daigle he
would galdly help out with moving.
Indian authors
on event agenda
He is picking fiddleheads to raise money
for moving expenses, he said. 'The
struggle to make a living has not bothered
the Daigles. “ ve enjoyed my work out
I’
here.” Daigle said with his customary,
friendly grin.
Perhaps the most personal accomplish
ment for Daigle has been the trust and
respect he has earned from his fellow
tribal members, including the elderly. In
his youth, Daigle had a reputation for
being in trouble, but all that is a thing of
the past — and he thanks God for the
change.
VETERANS ADMINISTRATION
Owned Homes For Sale
in Washington County
Equal Housing
OPPORTUNITY
As for Becky Daigle, she is looking
forward to the long grow ing season and
the warmer winters, plus the spectacu
larly scenic countryside of Arizona.
And as for the Baptist church, Daigle
observed, “ will go through trials and
it
tests, but it’ been through them before,
s
and it will survive.”
AMERICAN INDIA'! BOOKS
■Legends
■Art
•Poetry
■Fiction
■Children’s
■Social Science
■Tribal/Biography
■Education
For order list:
...OVER 300 TITLES
write
NAES COLLEGE BOOKSTORE
or
4550 N. Hermitage, Dept. 6
call
Chicago, II. 60640
(312) 728-1662
BEING
TRANSFERRED?
Contact the VA for
information about
properties available
throughout the State.
These homes are available to veterans or
non-veterans without preference.
Rt. 1, Woodland
$40,000.
Rt. 1 39 Dublin St., Machias
,
$36,500.
$500 I).P.
18 Freemont St., Machias
$25,500.
Main Street, Baring
26,800.
9 Academy Street, Calais
25,900.
8 Chapel Street, Calais
12,500.
1 Temperance Street, Calais
1
26,000.
Summer Street, Calais
19,000.
Route #1- -Houlton Road, Woodland 27,500.
31 Chapel Street, Calais
19,000.
FINANCED FOR 30 YEARS BY VA
NO DOWN PAYMENTS REQUIRED
SE E YOUR LOCAL
REAL ESTA TE BROKER
All VA financed
At
p r e v a ilin g in te re s t ra te s
VETERANS ADMINISTRATION
LOAN GUARANTY DIVISION
TOGUS, MAINE 04330
Tel. 207-623-8411 Ext. 433
Page 8
Wabanaki Alliance June 1982
news notes
Flashback
State of Alaska anti-sovereignty
The state of Alaska is challenging the
authority of Native villages to organize as
sovereign entities under the Indian Re
organization Act, and is challenging the
constitutionality of the Indian Child
Welfare Act.
In a letter to Interior Secretary James
Watt, Alaska Governor Jay Hammond
questions the right of Alaska villages to
re-organize because of a provision of the
Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of
1971 which, Hammond contends, ex
tinguished forever any aboriginal claims
to the land.
Hammond noted in his letter that the
Bureau of Indian Affairs recently ap
proved a tribal constitution for the Village
of Circle and that 17 other villages have
applied for constitutions under the Indian
Reorganization Act.
Spud Williams, the president of the
Tanana Chiefs Conference, commented:
“
Part of the problem with the state
government is they don’understand . . .
t
the trust relationship Natives have with
the federal government. They have a state
rights attitude.”
The state has also filed a suit contesting
the applicability of the Indian Child
Welfare Act to Alaska. An attorney for
the Tanana Chiefs Conference said the
state’ contention is apparently based on
s
two reasons: 1) That Alaska Natives have
never been treated legally as political
entities as are the Indians in the lower 48
states; and 2) the Alaska Native Claims
Settlement Act terminated any political
status Alaska Natives might have had.
Details of the suit w ere not revealed
because it involved a minor child.
Hopi-Navajo dispute topic of TV special
ORONO — Maine Public Broadcasting
Network (MPBN) will broadcast a special
radio program on the historic Hopi-Navajo
land dispute, June 2, at 1 p.m., over its
Maine stations.
The special was announced by Robert P.
Robinson, program manager of the MPBN
station based at the University of Maine
at Orono campus.
Robinson explained that the program
deals with relocation of a handful of Hopi
Indians, and thousands of Navajos, as a
result of federal legislation to reconcile
the two tribes.
In 1882, 2.5 million acres of land in the
southwest were set aside for the Hopi and
“
such other Indians as the secretary of the
NACIE meets
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — A full council
meeting of the National Advisory Council
on Indian Education (NACIE) was sched
uled here, at a hotel near Harvard Square,
April 17-20. Part of the m eeting — by the
executive committee — was closed to the
public, a Federal R egister announcement
said. Michael P. D oss is NACIE executive
director, and head offices are in Washing
ton.
interior may see fit to settle there." Since
that time, a series of widely debated
government rulings have led to the
Navajo/Hopi land settlem ent act of 1974,
legislation which equally divided the con
tested land between both tribes.
The legislation requires the resettle
ment of 100 Hopi and an estimated 9,000
Navajo by 1986, som e of whose ancestors
have lived on the land even before 1882.
P e n o b s co ts take hon ors
in ph oto s h ow
ORONO — The photographs of two
Penobscot men are included in a current
exhibit of the Marsh Island Photography
Contest, at University of Maine at Orono’
s
Memorial Union.
The grand prize was awarded to George
(Skipper) Mitchell of Bucksport, for a
subtle-toned color photo entitled, “
Fog.”
Also selected for exhibit w ere color photos
by C. B. Mitchell o f Indian Island, who
received an honorable mention for a photo
called “
Fall’ fading splendor.” Another
s
C. B. Mitchell photo showed the Old Town
hydro-electric plant. Skipper Mitchell’
s
work on display, along with “
Fog,”con
sisted of a black and white photo, entitled
“
Barn,”
and a color work, “
Pushaw Pond.”
YOUNGEST BASKETWEAVER, at Indian Island, was Vivian Polchies, at about age
four, here shown at a somewhat younger age, with her mother, Frances Sappier
Polchies. The photo was taken 50 years ago, in front of the St. Ann’convent boathouse,
s
no longer standing. [Lent by Janet [Minnie] Polchies Donado, Norfolk, Va.]
C o l l e g e h osts s u m m e r Indian pr ogr a m
COLORADO SPRINGS, C olo .- E n erg y
and power are the them es of an eightweek summer educational program on the
Colorado College campus, which will run
June 13 through August 16, for Indian
students. The program is jointly spon
sored by Colorado C ollege and the Council
of E nergy Resource Tribes (CERT).
The Tribal Resource Institute in Busi
ness, Engineering, and Sciences (TRIBES)
is designed to enhance the academic skills
of recently graduated American Indian
high school students interested in careers
in business, engineering, and science.
Students successfully com pleting the
courses offered in mathematics, physics,
research, and computer science will
receive ten and one-half sem ester hours of
college credits. In addition to pursuing
academic courses, the students will visit
industry in the region and m eet American
Correction
INDIAN ISLAND — A front page story
in the May issue of this newspaper in
correctly identified a man who chose not
to vote on the 1880 census question. He
should have been identified as James
Peter Francis, not Manfred Francis.
Manfred is James’
father.
Skitikuk «j * Outfitters
.
Specialists in wilderness travel.
Cohen's wife gets into 'act'
Diane Cohen, center, wife of U.S. Sen. William S. Cohen of Maine, discusses a recent
Washington, D.C., benefit called “
Night of the First Americans,”with Jeanie Smith,
left, wife of BIA chief Ken Smith, and Ella Udall, wife of Rep. Morris Udall of Arizona.
Senator Cohen is chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Indian Affairs.
Sales - Rentals - Guide Service
Home of Igas Island custom-made
packs and equipment
38 Main St.
O ro n o
866-4878
Indian professionals w ho work in the
fields of energy and power. During the
eight-week period students will be able to
assess their academic backgrounds and
receive guidance toward entering the
college or university of their choice.
CAN’ FIND A JOB?
T
Try the
JOB CORPS
Would yob like to be trained as a ...
Bookkeeper
Secretary/ Stenographer
Clerk Typist
Nursing Assistant
If you are 16 to 21 and not in school,
the Penobscot Job Corps Center has
training programs which may be of
interest to you.
The Penobscot Job Corps Center
provides all trainees with a place to
live, meals, health care and a cash
monthly stipend while you learn. And
when you finish, we'll also help you
find a job.
SOUND GOOD?
IT IS GOOD.
ASK FOR JOB CORPS
—in the Portland area—775-7225
—in the Auburn area—786-4190
—in the Bangor area—947-0755
—or toll free anywhere in Maine
at 1-800-432-7307
ASK FOR
JOB CORPS RECRUITMENT
3812 MONROE H.E.
AMjjQUERQUE, Ha 87110
M
AY 33
Wabanaki
mm
m
All
Published with the support of the Penobscot Nation and Diocesan Human Relations Services, Inc.
_
June 1982
Will State honor settlement?
Love cites
legal limits
0R0N0 — The Penobscot-Passamaquoddy land claims act has definite limita
tions, says the Penobscot tribal governor.
Speaking at the University of Maine,
Gov. Timothy Love talked about som e of
the things his people gave up in the
compromise settlement reached in 1980.
Tribal courts. Love said, have a very
limited jurisdiction under term s of the
federal/state settlement. Courts are limit
ed to Class E crimes — minor violations —
and civil matters. M ore serious crimes
must be handled in state or federal courts.
The two tribes who shared in the
settlement must pay sales, income and
county taxes, although reservation resi
dents continue to be free of any property
tax.
Gov. Tim Love
Hunting, trapping and fishing juris
diction for the tribes applies only to “
trust
lands." Trust lands are specially desig
nated areas the tribe may purchase with
its share of the $81 million settlement.
Love said. The Penobscots, however, have
bought thousands of acres of land that is
not designated trust land. It is called fee
lands, and all taxes must be paid, as would
be the case with non-Indian property
owners.
The limits to the Penobscots’
rights are,
in Love's words, a “
very deep gou ge to
any Indian nation’sovereignty."
s
After the settlem ent act was approved,
according to Love, “
people said, ‘
Gee, why
didn’ you rejoice?’It’ hard to rejoice
t
s
when you see what you had to give up.”
Other problem s
Love said besides limited jurisdiction,
tribal leaders are troubled because the
state is apparently not holding up its end
of the land claims bargain. L ove listed
Indian scholarship funds; m ortgage insur
ance; hunting, trapping and fishing rights;
and certain contractual obligations as
prom ises on which the state has reneged.
Love said the state’ obligations — on
s
which he says the state is backing down —
are “
very little considering what we gave
up.”
Asked about the purchase of fee lands.
Love said swaps are possible, because the
tribe has bought “ e damn good land.”
som
Comparing the Penobscot’ future with
s
the success of timber operations by
Oregon and Washington Indian tribes.
Love commented, “
money talks, land
talks,” and with som e 140,000 acres
already purchased, “ will have some
we
leverage.
(Continued on p age 2 )
FEATHER IN HAND, G eorge [Skipper] Mitchell, a Penobscot from Bucksport,
expresses the mood of commencement at the University of Maine at Orono. See story
inside.
Phillips places in canoe race
APPLETON — Neil Phillips, a Penob
scot native of Indian Island, paddled over
the finish line in third place, in a recent
six-mile race on the St. G eorge River,
between Searsmont and Appleton.
The river was reported high and fast.
and Phillips’
time was 44:08, in the “
OC-1”
division. The April race, in its sixth year,
was sponsored by the Belfast YMCA.
Phillips has won many races, and has been
involved in national whitewater canoe
organizations.
Poll shows Penobscots care about land
INDIAN ISLAND — A recent land use
survey among Penobscot Nation tribal
members reveals a sincere desire among
many to see careful planning and wise
development of resources.
For example, nearly 80 percent of those
surveyed think a “
comprehensive plan”
should be initiated “ soon as possible."
as
Per capita paid
every 3 months
INDIAN ISLAND — In a front page
story last month, we incorrectly re
ported per capita income as monthly. It
is quarterly, with average quarterly
income about $235. Average annual
income is estimated at close to $1,000
per individual tribal member.
The question was in reference to some
140,000 acres acquired by the tribe, thus
far, under provisions of the 1980 Maine
Indian land claims settlem ent act.
Only three percent disagreed that a
comprehensive plan should be adopted,
but 20 percent w ere “
uncertain.”
C. B. Mitchell, the tribal land use
planner who drafted, organized, conduct
ed and collated the survey last month,
said he is pleased with the number of
returns, and the quality of the responses.
He said the information gained will be a
useful tool in a long range planning
process for the tribe — which will include
social and economic development as well.
Mitchell said 241 questionnaires w ere
sent to on-reservation adults, and 715 to
off-reservation adults. There w ere 335
com pleted returns, or 35 percent who
responded. “ though the number is a good
I
response. Of course, any surveyor would
like more. I was very pleased with som e of
the comments. It covers the range,”
Mitchell said.
“
The purpose of the survey is to provide
background data to formulate specific
plans,” said.
he
Respondents, who remain anonymous,
made comments such as:
— “ would be advantageous to use the
It
land for ski resorts and holiday resorts. I
do not think it would be w ise to build
homes or apartments because I fear that
they would end up as disgraceful as the
reservation has become.”
—“
Any real estate ventures should be
considered only with 99 year leases.”
—“
The land should be enjoyed, shared
by all, not exploited as a money-making
venture.”
— “ a time such as this, we as Indian
At
people should set an example and not
disturb the land. W e have the pow er to be
rich with not much money.”
— “
Should benefit all tribal members,
not just Indian Island.”
— “
Hire at least two consulting firms
with expertise in land use, real estate, and
economic development. Should present
plans to tribe for approval before any
action is taken to initiate plans.”
— “ for sea-side lands; could get into
Go
commercial fishery. If land is sold, sell
land on our ed ges of land, and not land
here and there all over the place. Ski lodge
is big bucks, g o for it. Campsites with
electricity and good shower and modern
rest rooms, big bucks. Allright.”
Other comments w ere not precisely
relevant to the survey, but w ere never
theless revealing of attitudes:
— “
Don’ touch m y per capita (indi
t
vidual portion of money earned as interest
on a land claims trust fund.)”
— “ reservation Indians should have
Off
the same benefits as reservation Indians.
(Continued on page 7)
Page 2
Wabanaki Alliance June 1982
They scoffed
The Passamaquoddy Tribe earned several hundred thousand
dollars on their blueberry barrens, acquired through the recent
Maine Indian land claims settlement.
Penobscot officials derided the purchase o f blueberry fields, saying
there was no money in the business; that the Passamaquoddys were
foolish to think they could turn a profit.
Well, the Passamaquoddys laughed all the way to the bank. No
doubt they will make another profit this summer, and meanwhile,
the Penobscots must look to other ways of earning income from
newly acquired lands. Chalk one up for the Passamaquoddys.
SPEAKING OUT — Melvin [Tom] Vicaire of Mattawamkeag, left, and Owen [Sonny]
Young of Bangor, address southern Maine area Indians at a recent conference in
Portland. Vicaire is a board member and acting executive director of Central Maine
Indian Association, Young is president of the CMIA board. They explained services of
the Orono-based organization.
H ou sing: b etter m o u se tra p ?
WASHINGTON — Interior Depart
ment Assistant Secretary Ken Smith,
testifying before the Interior and Insular
Affairs Committee, said a task force on
Indian housing, which he chairs, is looking
for a more efficient way to get houses built
on Indian reservations.
He said the group was looking at
various options, including som e that
would involve private financing. Som e al
ternatives being studied are a housing
block grant program; a general block
Quotable
The Nation should become financially independent as soon as
possible. Continued dependence on BIA and federal government
programs must stop. Failure to do this will result in a permanent
welfare state for the Penobscot Indian Nation.
— Comment on recent tribal survey.
Quotable
On the land claims act: “ least we know we have something. We
At
can build our own future. We can make our own mistakes. W e’ got
ve
our chance now.”
— Penobscot Nation Gov. Tim Love
grant program to include housing; a loan
guarantee program; a direct loan pro
gram; and a housing voucher system,
which Smith said would probably not
benefit most reservations because of the
general lack of housing on the reserva
tions.
Congressman Morris Udall, chairman of
the committee, expressed concern that
HUD funding for Indian housing was
being rescinded in 1982, and not included
in the budget request for 1983.
Gov. Love on jurisdiction
(Continued from page 1
)
In the meantime, the tribe remains
dependent on federal grants to m eet its
payroll, d e liv e r health and w elfare
services, and function as a government.
“
Right now, w e’ dependent; w e’
re
re
feeling Reaganomics,”
Love said.
Love would like to see tribal members
take over wood harvesting and marketing
operations from Dead River Company of
Bangor, currently under contract to
provide these services for the tribe. Some
of the newly acquired lands contain
valuable peat bogs.
Wabanaki Alliance
Love would like to see tribal members
ge t private sector jobs, as “
most of our
people are employed by tribal govern
ment,”and “
you nqver know what will
happen."
The Penobscot Nation faces the chal
lenge of “
decreasing the .100 percent
dependency,” Love told interested stu
dents and faculty at UMO.
Despite the settlem ent act's drawbacks,
Love said, “ least we know we have
at
something. We can build our own future.
W e can make our own mistakes. W e’
ve
got our chance now.”
Vol. 6, No. 6
June 1982
Published monthly by Wabanaki Alliance, through a sustaining grant from the
Penobscot Nation, under contract with Diocesan Human Relations Services, Inc.
Offices at 95 Main Street, Orono, Maine 04473. Telephone [207] 866-4903. Typeset
by the Penobscot Times Company. Printed by the Ellsworth American.
Reporters
Quotable
“
The Senate, with full knowledge of what it was doing,” recog
nized the Houlton Band of Maliseets. “ e’ made history up here.
W ve
For the first time in history, Indians have a service area that extends
into Canada.”
—James Wherry, former Houlton
Band staffer
Brenda Polchies
Board of Directors
Jean Chavaree, Penobscot Nation, [chairman]
Donna Loring, Penobscot Nation
Jeannette LaPlante, Central Maine Indian Assoc.
Phone 532-9442
Indian Island
Old Town
Old Town
A non-profit corporation. Contributions are deductible for income tax purposes.
Rates: $5 per year [12 issues]; $6 Canada and overseas; S10 for institutions [schools,
government, business, etc.]
Page 3
Wabanaki Alliance June 1982
letters
Rather m isleadin g
Portland
To the editor:
The March, 1982 issue regarding the
change of the priest at Indian Township is
rather misleading. First, the reader is
allowed to peek into a door which sup
posedly exposes a host of problem s and
differences of opinion regarding “
Father
Joe.”
Then the last statement erroneously
identifies Father Raymond Picard as a
member of the Jesuit Community. He is a
diocesan priest.
If the reporter could not ascertain that
little fact, then one must seriously
question the validity and reliability of the
rest of the story.
Perhaps the Editor would wish to be
more selective and factual in articles and
limit “
extemporaneous descant” to his
editorials on page two.
Neil D. Michaud
Diocesan Director
EDITOR RESPONDS: The Alliance
stands behind its article as factual report
ing.
W ick eeg a n
Bangor
To the editor:
We saw ‘
Wickeegan’
tonight, and would
like to subscribe to the Alliance for one
year.
John J. Halloran
Another year
Indian Island
To the editor:
I am writing to say that I have enjoyed
reading the Wabanaki Alliance this past
year. I am enclosing a check for another
year.
Annie Paul
Enjoyed TV sh ow
Falmouth
To the editor:
I enjoyed watching Mr. Cartwright on
TV, Monday, May 3rd, concerning the
Indians. I would like to receive the news
paper he spoke about.
Frederick E. Jones
Still her h o m e
Connecticut
To the editor:
I was so happy when they started to
send m e the paper about the Island, and
all the people up there.
I only know the older crowd, as I’
ve
been down in Connecticut since 1942. But
the Island is still my home. I hope to get
up there this summer for a visit, if my
health permits. Thanking you so much.
Eleanor Tom er Lajila
M ak e no mistake
Indian Township
To the editor:
It’ election year at Indian Township,
s
and hopefully this community woun’
t
make the same mistake it did four years
ago.
Maybe this letter will open som e eyes
and maybe a few minds. Our community
needs improvements, especially starting
at the Tribal Office, and Police Depart
ment.
Before you decide who you want as our
chief, keep in mind that this person is
representing “
you” Washington, as our
in
local government. W here is our constitu
tion? Why is our local government
dragging its feet? Do we have any laws? It
is my conclusion that our chief of police
makes his own laws as he goes along, and
his continuous harassment of our com
munity mem bers has to stop. W e are not
criminals, and we shouldn’be treated as
t
such. I have tried talking to our chief of
police, but was asked to remove myself
from his office, or be removed.
Here is the thought: What are we doing
with him as chief of police? I mean, with
the land case settlement, we are mil
lionaires; we can afford the best. What are
we doing with someone who works against
our community. A few community mem
bers, are running for our chief position.
W e should keep in mind what their
platform is, and what he or she has to offer
to our community.
Harry Stevens
subscribe!
JUMP! Rachel Sockabasin, captain of the Indian Township junior high girls basketball
team, displays her form in a recent gam e against Eastport.
Brother Smith ordination set
PLEASANT POIN T — Brother Law
rence (Larry) Smith, a Jesuit who became
the first deacon at the Passamaquoddy
reservation, is scheduled to be ordained
into the priesthood, June 19.
The Roman Catholic ordination cere
mony will be performed by Bishop Law
rence Burke, of the Diocese of Nassau in
the Bahamas, at St. Joseph’ Chapel at
s
C ollege of the Holy Cross, W orcester,
Mass.
A special mass of thanksgiving, in
Smith’honor, will take place at Pleasant
s
Point, on the Fourth of July, at 11 a.m.
That event will be held at St. Ann's
Church on the reservation, where the
Rev. Joseph Mullen is resident priest.
Brother Smith has been studying for
the priesthood in Berkeley, California, and
will move to Spokane, Washington, by
August, according to a letter received by
this newspaper.
A Brockton, Mass, native. Brother
Smith entered the New England Province
of the Society of Jesus in 1962, taking his
first vows as a Jesuit Brother in 1965.
Smith held various posts at both Fairfield
University, and at Holy C ross College,
before continuing his own studies. H e
attended Quinsigamond Community Col
lege in W orcester, and Boston University,
graduating in 1972 with an AB degree in
Art History.
After graduation Smith was appointed
temporary administrator of the Jesuit
Novitiate in Boston's Back Bay, and
served as staff photographer for the
Jesuit newspaper, S. J. News. From 1973
to 1976 he was assistant chaplain at St.
Ann’ Indian Mission, Pleasant Point. He
s
left the reservation in 1976 to begin
studies for the newly restored Permanent
Diaconate.
While maintaining close contacts with
the Indian Mission and Indian people.
Smith studied theology at the Jesuit
W eston School of Theology, Cambridge,
Mass. He also studied at Episcopal
Divinity School and Harvard Divinity
School, taking summer courses at Boston
University. He took his vows as a Jesuit
Brother in October 1977.
For troubled youth
Orono
T o the editor:
My name is Rene McDougall and I
have recently started a position as a
VISTA Volunteer working the with
C.M.I.A. education staff. I graduated
from the University of Maine at Orono
in 1981 with a B.S. D egree in Education
and am presently enrolled in a Master’
s
Program in Counselor Education at the
UMO campus. I am a member of the
Penobscot Indian Nation presently
living on Indian Island, Old Town,
Maine and have five children and two
grandsons.
My position as a VISTA Volunteer
will involve setting up a support
system for troubled youth, specifically
high school drop-outs and potential
high school drop-outs. My duties will
include tutoring and linking up stu
dents to alternative educational pro
grams.
During the first month of service, I
will be contacting schools and agencies
to become familiar with existing edu
cational programs in the area.
If you, or som e one you know, has
need o f these services, please feel free
to contact me at Central Maine Indian
Association 866-5587 or evenings at
home 827-2386.
Rene McDougall
MAIL TO WABANAKI ALLIANCE, 95 MAIN STREET, ORONO, MAINE 04473
WABANAKI ALLIANCE SUBSCRIPTION FORM
(Make checks payable to Wabanaki Alliance)
j ENCLOSE:
$5 for one year
(Individual—U.S.)
□
N a m e .............................................................. | -- 1 for one year
- $6
I __ j(Canada)
_
Street ............................................................. I
|$10 for one year
1___I(Institutional rate)
_
Ruined business
An April snowstorm delineates the ruins of Lola’ Store at Peter Dana Point, Indian
s
Township. The business, located in a form er state-built residence, burned recently.
,_
Donation (Amount)
City/Town and S t a t e ............................................. ' ---’
Zip Code
Page 4
Wabanaki Alliance June 1982
TGI future uncertain
ORONO — A ray of sunshine has
reached the funding agency here. Tribal
Governors, Inc. (TGI). But the future of
the half-million dollar annual budget
agency is still clouded.
Things got so overcast recently, that
director Denise Mitchell, a Penobscot, was
making plans to close down TGI, which for
several years has rented a form er convent
at 93 Main St., Orono.
However, at a recent board meeting,
TGI directors decided — without a formal
vote — to support the agency for an un
specified period of time. This gives TGI a
new lease on life. Otherwise, Mitchell said,
the TGI would have folded April 30.
Mitchell sees som e signs of encourage
ment: "The fact of the m atter is,”
she told
Wabanaki Alliance, “ Reagan Adminis
the
tration is moving m ore into consortium
efforts because of such small pots of
money.”She said the U.S. Department of
Labor wants so-called consortium funding
plans, whereby one agency coordinates a
number of programs grouped together.
Still, Mitchell said “
money’ going to be
s
thin, we’ running a skeleton crew.”
re
TGI is awaiting word on an application
through federal Title VII, for $247,000, or
about half the annual budget. If approved,
funds would be available in October. In
that application, TGI seeks 15 job slots for
“
forestry inventory technicians,” which
has jokingly been referred to as “
counting
trees." Presumably, these jobs would
assist the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy
tribes in coping with newly acquired
lands, bought with land claims settlement
money.
Mitchell said Charles Tetro, director of
the Penobscot Consortium in Bangor, has
pledged his support of TGI’plans.
s
Meanwhile, TGI continues to sponsor
several federal program s for Indians, such
as Summer Youth Employment Program
(SYEP), Youth Employment Training
Program (YETP), Home E nergy A ssist
ance Program (HEAP), Em ergency Crisis
Intervention Program (ECIP), and a
C om m unity S e rv ice s A d m in istration
(CSA) food and nutrition program.
Current board mem bers of TGI are
tribal governors J. Hartley Nicholas of
Pleasant Point, Harold J. Lewey of Indian
Township and Timothy Love of Indian
Island; Mary Isaac of Millinocket, for
Central Maine Indian Association (CMIA);
Terrance Polchies of Bangor, for Houlton
Band of Maliseets; and Clair (Al) Sabattis
of Houlton, for Association of Aroostook
Indians (AAI).
Students attend Dartmouth powwow
INDIAN TOW NSHIP — Eight students
from Indian Township attended the 10th
annual Native American Pow W ow at
Dartmouth College, last month.
The trip was coordinated through the
Native Americans at Dartmouth (NAD)
office, and through Don Hebert, Narragansett, an admissions counselor at the
college. The students and four chaperones
were given a tour of the campus and
provided with rooms and meals during
their stay. On Saturday, May 15, students
were invited to watch the pow wow dance
contest all afternoon and evening. Some
Passamaquoddys plan to dance in next
year’event.
s
Dartmouth College was founded in 1769
as an Indian college. Today there are
about 80 Native Americans attending the
school.
Islander attends
Indian institute
INDIAN ISLAND - Bill McDougall of
Indian Island has enrolled at the Institute
of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New
Mexico. He is working toward a two-year
associate degree in creative writing. He
began his studies in March. He has pub
lished poetry in this newspaper.
Joining the trip w ere Township seniors
Franny Neptune, Carla LaCoote, David
Nicholas and Judy Stevens of Lee Aca
demy. Seniors from Calais High School
w ere Dawn Fitch and Belinda Tomah.
Kathy Mitchell and Janet Neptune also
attended, and are currently juniors at Lee
Academy. The chaperons included Sam
Dana, Sonia Dana, Sandy Newell and Rick
Kelley.
Blanche's 'special'
INDIAN TOW NSHIP - E ver had the
“
game warden special” It's moosemeat
?
stew, available from time to time at
Blanche’Take Out, on the Strip here.
s
Blanche Sockabasin is owner of the
former Maxine’ Take Out, m oved from
s
Peter Dana Point where Maxine Tomah
operated the business. Cooking and serv
ing is done by Sockabasin’ daughter,
s
Laura Nicholas, and pies are baked by
Kathy Tomah. There are pinball machines
to while away the time.
Hours are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., five days
per week. Daily specials are featured. “
My
mother always wanted a place like this,”
Nicholas said. Ed Sockabasin helps out,
bringing in wood for the stove.
Kids' testimony effective in D.C.
WASHINGTON — Tw o Penobscot
pupils from the Indian Island element
ary school used plain talk to tell the
federal government a new building is
needed.
As part of a Penobscot tribal effort
to convince C ongress and federal
bureaucrats that a new school should
be funded, Amanda Francis, seven, and
Renee Francis, nine, told of how crowd
ed and limited the old school can be.
It worked, everyone agreed, al
though the final word on funding has
not been heard at the reservation. And
it was fun, said Renee and Amanda,
who are the daughters of S. C. and
Cheryl Francis of Indian Island. Ac
companying the girls, and also part of a
delegation to sell the government on
the new school, was principal Sr. Helen
McKeough. Although a new school
could not include Catholic instruction,
the Sisters of Mercy could apparently
continue to supply teachers and prin
cipals.
Religious instruction is currently
offered in the St. Ann’ Church parish
s
hall, a building separate from the aged,
wood frame school.
Proposed is a $3.5 million school
complex that could open its doors to
Indian students by Sept. 1, 1984.
Junior high grades would be added to
the present kindergarten through
sixth-grade program. Graduates of the
Penobscot school would probably con
tinue to attend Old Town High School.
The U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs
(BIA) has indicated the new Indian
Island school, planned for a site near
the existing Community Building, is
top priority for funding.
It would be twice as big as the
Community Building.
CUTTING TH E CAKE is fun at a recent Easter party at the Penobscot Nation daycare
program at Indian Island. Daycare Director Matthew O’
Donnell says special thanks are
due Genevieve LaFranee of Indian Island for baking delicious cakes for many occasions.
book nook
Medicinal plants book valuable
INDIAN ISLAND — “
Medicine Plants”
is the title of an attractive, slim booklet
printed last year by the Penobscot Indian
D ep a rtm en t o f H ealth and Human
Services.
Author Debra Mitchell, listed as re
search associate, is a tribal member who
has executed pleasing sketches of plants
— from Blue Flag to Yarrow — to
accompany her informative text.
Lest anybody get carried away with
herbal medicines, there is a somewhat
frightening “
disclaimer” the front of the
in
booklet, noting, “
the use of any of the
information in this booklet for the purpose
of self treatment, without consulting a
physician, can be dangerous." Some edible
and medicinal plants look a lot like
poisonous varieties.
Once past the disclaimer, the book has
lively explanations of the Indian uses of
certain plants, plus other pertinent data.
Lady Slipper, for example, is a sedative
J.S. Attean dies
PISCATAWAY, New Jersey — Joseph
Stanley Attean, a Penobscot tribal mem
her who had retired here after years with
the railroad, died in April.
Details were not available at press time,
but it was learned that Attean worked for
the New York, New Haven and Hartford
Railroad as an engineer. At one time, he
modeled for a popular Levi’ rye bread
s
advertisement that proclaimed, “
You
don’ have to be Jewish to love Levi’
t
s.”
and nerve medicine, as well as cure for
insomnia. “ seem s also to quiet spasm s of
It
voluntary muscles, and hysterical attacks,
especially in women. The Penobscots
prepared a tea of a related species, and
drank it to calm the nerves,” author
Mitchell reports.
The Lady Slipper should be in bloom
about now, by the way.
Constipated? Try Milkweek, or Blue
Flag. Milweed is also good for fighting
dropsy, dysentery, asthma, warts, ring
worm and tapeworm. Not only that, it’
s
supposed to be good for catarrh, rheu
matism and “
secondary syphilis,”should
you be so unlucky as to have that.
If you’ suffering a coughing spell, try
re
Sarsparilla. Penobscots traditionally com
bined it with Flagroot for an effective
cough remedy. “
The Indians ate the roots
during the wars or hunts, because they
were able to subsist on them for long
periods of time. Penobscot women cut up
the roots, tied the pieces on a string, and
kept them in their lodges until needed,”
Mitchell states.
All in all, this is a worthwhile book, and
Mitchell is to be commended for under
taking the project.
One question that lingers is, why
doesn’ the health center prom ote use of
t
herbal medicine as bona fide treatment? If
Penobscots truly benefited from these
plants, and this information isn’a batch of
t
silly old myths, then why not take
advantage of traditional knowledge?
Instead, the book warns you not to m ess
with this stuff. Yet it is a nifty booklet.
Tw o Indians
g r a d u a te at UMO
ORONO — Am ong the graduating class
last month at the University of Maine at
Orono were G eorge (Skipper) Mitchell, a
Penobscot, and Jackie Precourt, a Choc
taw.
Mitchell earned a BS in education, and
Precourt com pleted requirem ents for a
BA in political science. Both students
w ere active in Native Americans at
Maine, a student club, and both of them
assisted this newspaper in a benefit
concert held at UMO, with proceeds
shared between the club and the paper.
M
IN D IAPPLIESR A F TM
NC
SU
c r c c 148
Page
Catalog
The world's largast
Indian Crafts Catalog.
More than 4,000 items
to choosa from I
cor «ro» o,. i
For free catalog,
...
Trade Beads, Tin Cones,
Brass Beads, Moire Taffeta
Ribbon, Ermine Skins,
Bone Elk Teeth, Shawl
Fringe and >fcm.
AREY o w l
113-15 Springfield Blvd.
Queens Village, N.Y. 11429
m
Page 5
Wabanaki Alliance June 1982
Chief Orono theme
of town festival
ORONO — An 18th century Penob
scot Indian chief will be the central
theme of an Orono town festival, June
26-27.
Chief Joseph Orono is something of a
legend, and scholars and others dispute
exactly who he was, and his Indian
genealogy. He was said to be fair
skinned. In 1911, the Knights of
Columbus in Orono erected a granite
monument to their town’ namesake,
s
calling him a Catholic Indian Chief.
(That monument stands in front of this
newspaper’offices, at 95 Main St.)
s
In any case, the festival, Orono’
s
third annual summer weekend event,
will feature an Indian crafts fair on
Saturday, and an ecumenical service,
Sunday. Festival organizer Lois LaBeau of Orono said she thought the
town of Orono should honor Chief
Orono “
because it had never been done
before,”and as a gestu re of friendship
with the Penobscot Nation at Indian
Island, and other Maine Indians.
LaBeau and Teri Morrow, another
Orono resident, have discussed plans
with tribal officials at Indian Island,
including Philip Guimond, administra
tive assistant to Gov. Timothy Love.
LaBeau said the Rev. John Civiello of
St. Ann’ Catholic Church, Indian
s
Island, has agreed to participate in the
ecumenical service, as have other area
clergy. “ will not be religious per se,
It
but to honor the mem ory of Joseph
Orono.” Organizers hope the service
can be held outdoors, on land between
the town offices and Asa Adams
School.
Talent of any kind is being sought,
and any Indian people who wish to
sing, dance or display arts and crafts
may contact LaBeau at 866-2126, or
Morrow at 866-4876. The exhibit fee
has been waived for Indian people.
A display of Indian artifacts is
planned at the United Methodist
Church on Oak Street, and the loan of
items is requested.
M. E. Gridley, in a 1974 book called
“
American Indian Tribes,”writes that
Chief Joseph Orono “
was once an im
portant historic figure. He became
prominent after he reached the age of
fifty, and he did not becom e head chief
until he was seventy-five. At the
beginning of the French and Indian
War against the English, Orono strong
ly advocated peace. At the beginning of
the Revolution, he offered his services
to the Massachusetts colonists and
proved to be a faithful ally during the
struggle for independence. When he
was 108 years old, he entered into
treaties with Massachusetts, which
fixed the permanent title to the Penob
scot reservation.”
School chief to decide if he stays on
INDIAN TOW NSHIP - Forest Os
good, a native of Carroll Plantation, has
been hired as acting principal at the
Passamaquoddy reservation elementary
school.
He replaces Edmund F. Vandall of
Lincoln, the first Indian principal the
school ever had, who resigned a couple of
months ago.
Osgood is only the second principal of
the school who is not a member of the
Roman Catholic Sisters of Mercy. The
sisters have partly or fully staffed the
school since its founding 100 years ago.
O sgood has been principal of Smithfield
elementary school in the Skowhegan area.
A graduate of Washington State Teachers
College (now University of Maine at
Machias), he holds a masters degree in
elementary principalship from University
of Maine at Orono, and a Certificate of
Advanced Study from UMO. He and his
wife have four children, the eldest of
whom graduates from Skowhegan high
school.
Osgood said he will decide soon if he
wishes to commit himself to take the
Passamaquoddy principalship on a perm
anent basis. One drawback is that he does
not wish to relocate his family from
Skowhegan. He currently stays during the
week with his father, in Carroll.
Oakes hired
BOSTON — Bruce Oakes, a planner
with Boston Indian Council (BIC) was
selected from am ong a large number of
applicants, for the job of coordinator,
Indian Task Force, of the Federal R e
gional Council of New England. He
succeeds Barbara Namias, a Mohawk.
James G. Sappier, a Penobscot from
Indian Island, is co-chairman of the task
force.
POOL SHARK — This Penobscot youngster at the Indian Island Community building
looks like she’ ready to take on anybody. Stripes or solids?
s
New health boss lost
case for same job
INDIAN ISLAND - Dr. Eunice Baumann-Nelson was selected by tribal of
ficials to head the Penobscot Health &
Human Services Department, from a field
of at least five candidates, but she lost a
tribal court case seeking reinstatement to
that job.
Baumann-Nelson and her deputy health
director, Denise Mitchell, were fired from
their jobs in 1980, by then Gov. Wilfred
Pehrson. Mitchell and Baumann-Nelson,
both Penobscots, claimed their dismissal
was groundless. Informed sources said
t here was a personality clash between the
late Governor Pehrson and BaumannNelson and Mitchell. The Maine Human
Rights Commission found that the direc
tor and her deputy were relieved of their
jobs because they had filed sex discrimina
tion charges after they w ere at first
suspended from work.
The tribal administration said the two
officials were fired for refusing to acknow
ledge the ultimate authority of the gover
nor and council. Baumann-Nelson said
Pehrson wanted certain records which
w ere confidential, and she refused to
release those records.
Mitchell and Baumann-Nelson took their
grievance to tribal court, but recently, an
appellate tribal court ruled that the tribe
is protected by the doctrine of sovereign
immunity. Tribal court cannot handled
charges against the administration, the
ruling said.
After Baumann-Nelson was dismissed,
Timothy Love, now tribal governor,
assumed the role of acting health director.
Alan Sanborn, a Penobscot who recently
resigned to take a post with the Episcopal
Church, succeeded Love.
Baumann-Nelson com peted for the job
against applications from Penobscots,
Irene Pardilla, Richard Hamilton and Pat
ricia Knox. Form er Indian Island welfare
agent, Larry Finch, also applied for the
job, but one source said his application
was not competitive because he is a nonIndian, and the tribe exercises Indian
preference in hiring.
Baumann-Nelson, who holds a PhD from
New York University, recently taught a
course on “
Native American Studies in the
Northeast" at College of the Atlantic, Bar
Harbor. She has completed work on a
bibliography on Indian literature, pub
lished by American Friends Service Com
mittee, a Quaker-sponsored group. Her
AFSC job was paid through a federal
CETA grant.
Denise Mitchell has been employed as
executive director of Tribal Governors,
Inc., in Orono, an agency that channels
federal funds to Maine Indians.
Sanborn looks ahead
Alan Sanborn, who held the top health
post two years, had been a hairdresser in
Milo for 15 years. He holds a degree from
University of Maine in substance abuse
counseling, and recently accepted the job
of executive director, National Committee
on Indian Work of the Episcopal Church,
in New York City. He is a former board
member of that committee, and is on the
board of the Native American Theological
Association.
Sanborn plans to take courses at
General Seminary in New York, toward
ordination as a priest.
Describing his new job, Sanborn said,
“ s talking to the Indians, getting down
it’
and listening. What we’ trying to do is
re
incorporate the native American into
Christianity — what we can interface
between the two.
“ first call to the ministry came from
My
the public; people said ‘ d make a good
you’
priest.' I said no. It’funny; what I wanted
s
when I was 10, I’ getting now.
m
“ m still going to be working with
I’
Indians; that was my goal when I went
back to school,” said Sanborn, adding,
“ ve done all I can here. W e haven’been
I’
t
cut (in federal funds). Things seem to be
going pretty smoothly . . . I’ really
m
excited about the new job.”
Sanborn, 42, is married and the father
of three sons and a daughter.
nmERO’S SPORT SHOP
GUNS & ACCESSORIES
FISHING EQUIPMENT
Potters at work
S. C. Francis of Indian Island has been teaching pottery to young people aged seven to
17, in weekday afternoon classes, 3:30-4:30, at the Drop-In Center, on the reservation.
Interested persons should simply “
drop in,” and S.C. says adult classes will be
scheduled, and a small fee will b e involved. He has a kiln and potters wheel ready to go.
BLACK POWDER & SUPPLIES
Hours — Mon., Tues., Wed., Thurs., Sat. 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Friday 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
Bennoch Road
Old Town, Maine 04468
207-827-7032
Ask for A1 or Dave
Page 6
Wabanaki Alliance Jane 1982
Cancer study set
for Indian Island
INDIAN ISLAND — The Penobscot
Nation will participate in a national cancer
research study, according to tribal health
official, Maynard Krieder.
Krieder, who is coordinating the study,
commented, “
cancer is a real fear, it’ a
s
fear everywhere.”But on Indian Island,
where Kreider has kept his own records
between 1976 and 1980, ten of 32 deaths
were identified as caused by cancer of one
kind or another. (Ten w ere due to heart
disease, 12 to “
other causes.” In the year
)
1978, 22 percent of Indian Island deaths
were due to cancer.
Among recent Penobscot victims of
cancer w ere form er tribal governors
Wilfred Pehrson, Nicholas Sapiel and
John Mitchell.
The American Cancer Society sponsor
PASSAMAQUODDY — The tribal forestry department’ good morale is represented ed study — which will stretch over six
s
here by, from left, Raphael Sockabasin, Audrey Socoby, Joe Socobasin. Bruce Francis, years — will involve 85,000 volunteers and
cost upwards of $12 million. Krieder said
not shown, is in charge.
“ overall purpose of the study is to find
the
out what factors in lifestyle and environ
ment contribute to the development of
cancer.”
Wherry cited for work
FREDERICTON, N.B. — James
Wherry, who earned a M asters degree
in anthropology from the University of
New Brunswick in 1979, is the winner
of the Praxis Award presented by the
Washington (D.C.) Association of Pro
fessional Anthropologists.
The prestigious annual award was
given in recognition of Wherry’ “
s out
standing example of the translation of
anthropological knowledge into action.”
Anthropology is the study of mankind’
s
origins, development and customs.
While a graduate student at UNB,
Wherry focused on the social organiza
tion of northeastern Indian tribes,
particularly the Eastern Algonquians.
After completing his program, he was
employed by the Association of Aroos
took Indians to aid them in the settle
ment of the Passamaquoddy Land
Claim. Through his efforts, the pre
viously unrecognized Houlton Band of
Maliseets was certified as a tribal
group and became eligible for benefits
under the land claim.
According to William Dalton, chair
man of UNB’ anthropology depart
s
ment, W herry’ achievement is evi
s
dence of the success of UNB’ “
s social
approach to anthropology" which pre
pares students for meaningful work in
society. Dalton says U.S. organizations
tend to take advantage of this training
more than Canadians do.
W herry did his undergraduate work
in anthropology and archeology at
California State College of Pennsyl
vania, and came to UNB because he
was interested in the practical applica
tion of anthropological theory.
He currently lives in Lawrence,
Kansas, and works with Native Ameri
can Research Institute.
STANDPIPE TO COME DOWN — The old Indian Township wooden standpipe and
water main on The Strip will be replaced, tribal officials say, with a new tank and main.
There are reportedly only two firms in the U.S. that make this kind of tank. The new
one will hold 200,000 gallons: the old one [above] holds 75,000 gallons. Low bidder was
Stetson, of East Holden, at $157,565. The only other bidder was Pine Tree of Augusta,
at $165,227.50.
Chavaree in Spain
GRANADA, Spain — Mark Chavaree of
Indian Island, a Penobscot attending Dart
mouth College, will return home this
month, after ten weeks in this Spanish
community.
As part of Dartmouth’ language study
s
abroad, Chavaree has been living with a
host Spanish family that speaks no
English. His parents, Francis and Jean
Chavaree of Indian Island, recently spent
ten days in Granada.
Chavaree, com pleting his sophom ore
year, has received an award from Maine
Indian Scholarship Committee, for aca
demic excellence.
Also attending Dartmouth is Tina
Farrenkopf, a Passamaquoddy from Ban
gor.
Obituaries
CHRISTOPHER ERIC BLANEY
W O O D L A N D — C h r isto p h er E ric
Blaney, 5, died May 13, 1982, at his home
as the result of a structural fire.
He was born in Bangor, March 12,1977,
the son of George and Pamela (Nicholas)
Blaney. Surviving besides his parents are
one brother, Harold, of Woodland; his
maternal grandparents, Edward and
Blanche Sockabasin of Indian Township;
his paternal grandparents, Lloyd and
Mazie Blaney of Princeton; several aunts,
uncles, great-aunts and great-uncles; two
great-great-aunts and uncles. A Mass of
Christian Burial was celebrated at St.
Ann’ Church, Peter Dana Point, with the
s
Rev. Norman Carpentier celebrant.
Interment was in the tribal cemetery.
PAUL E. TOMAH
HOULTON — Paul E. Tomah, 56, died
May 12,1982, in a Bangor hospital.
He was born in Houlton, Feb. 4, 1926,
the son of Charles and Minnie (Clark)
Tomah. He was a member of the St.
Mary’Church. He is survived by his wife,
s
Catherine (Gravel) Tomah of Houlton; two
daughters, Janice Ellis and Caroline
Young, both of Florenceville, N.B.; four
brothers, Leroy, John, and Dean, all of
Houlton, William of Hartford, Conn.;
three sisters, Mary Kelley and Gloria
Tomah of Houlton, Debra Haley of
Presque Isle; three grandchildren; eight
foster children. Mass of Christian Burial
was held Friday, May 14 at St. Mary’
s
Church with the Rev. Coleman P. O’
Toole
officiating. Interment was in St. Mary’
s
Cemetery, Houlton.
On the Island, he said, “ don’think it
we
t
would be very hard to ge t maybe 100
people.”
In a letter to Gov. Timothy Love of the
Penobscot Nation, an American Cancer
Society worker wrote, “
Information re
garding cancer in the American Indian is
limited; through this study, w e would like
to learn more. This can only be done if we
survey a sampling of the American Indian
population.”
A press release from the Society
declared:
“ large-scale study of this kind is
A
needed to help us find out, as well as t o ,
help get the answers to questions about
such things as long-term exposure to low
level radiation; the health effects associat
ed with air and water pollution; risks
associated with nutrition, drugs, and
various occupational exposures; the pos
sible interplay of multiple cancer-causing
substances which m ight not independent
ly cause cancer, and the possibility of
increased vulnerability to cancer in cer
tain racial, religious, geographic or genetic
groups.”
BIA sifts 1,700 claims
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Bureau of
Indian Affairs has com pleted the pro
cessing of m ore than 95 percent of ap
proximately 1,200 Indian claims for dam
ages still considered active.
Sam St. Arnold, head of the bureau’
s
rights protection division, said the bureau
was winding up its work on a few
remaining claims and the remainder were
in the solicitor’ office for review, before
s
being sent to the Justice Department by
the June 1 target date. This would give
the Justice Department six months to
review the claims, obtain any further
needed information and file suits before
Decem ber 31.
In testimony before the Senate Select
Committee on Indian Affairs, April 1,
Interior Deputy Assistant Secretary Roy
Sampsel reported that of the original
17,000 claims, som e have been reviewed
and rejected, some resolved administra
tively, some are considered appropriate
for legislative settlem ent and some in
volved titled claims, rather than damages,
and will not be subject to the statute of
limitations.
Sampsel said that nearly 4,000 of the
claims involved unapproved rights-of-way
which have been determ ined to be
beneficial with little or no damage to the
property. He said the Bureau would seek
to validate these rights-of-way adminis
tratively. Sampsel said the Bureau would
recommend legislation to reim burse In
dian trust estates whose funds w ere
diminished without the consent of heirs to
repay state or county welfare agencies for
Old A ge Assistance payments. These
claims totaled approximately $1.5 million.
The 1,200 claims remaining active,
Sampsel testified, involved such things as
damage to tribal fisheries and other
natural resources, or diversion of water.
NOTICE OF DEAD LIN E FOR
COPY, ADVERTISING
Wabanaki Alliance announces that
all advertising and editorial copy
should be submitted to the newspaper
offices by the 15th day of the month
preceding the issue in which you wish
your copy to appear. For example,
June 15 is the deadline for the July
issue of Wabanaki Alliance. Mail all
copy to Wabanaki Alliance, 95 Main
St., Orono, ME 04473.
Wabanaki Alliance June 1982
Page 7
Penobscots polled
Don and Becky Daigle
(Continued from page 1
)
Coastal lands
An overwhelming 65 percent of those
Many off reservation Indians often aren’
t
responding want the tribe to buy som e of
involved or aware of certain things.”
—“
Did not approve of settlem ent but the Maine coast,' while only 13 percent
said “
no.” date, the tribe has bought no
To
now must live with it.”
— “
The Nation should becom e finan coastal property.
About half of those responding said the
cially independent as soon as possible.
Continued depepdence on BIA and federal tribe should en gage in real estate, as the
very sluggish.”
government program s must stop. Failure timber/wood market is “
to do this will result in a permanent But members have mixed feelings about
welfare state for Penobscot Indian Na real estate ventures. They are split over
land swaps, subdivisions, ski lodges,
tion.”
— “
There should be no individually hydro power, camping areas, etc.
If a profit is turned from land uses, most
owned, lands. Those tribal mem bers
owning land should donate their holdings respondents want the money forked over
and take a tax deduction or simply have as per capita payments. One suggestion,
however, is to place such income in a trust
the land taken.”
—“
Housing ON the reservation should fund.
take priority.”
Sixty-five percent of respondents live
— “
Money for fire department should off reservation; 22 percent make less than
not be taken from per capital funds. They $5,000 per year, while 12 percent report
should ju st have a contract with the Old making m ore than $20,000.
Town fire department.”
Mitchell pointed out that personal
—“
God created the land and created us income is a concern for many respondents.
to enjoy the land.”
Based on the 1980 census figure of $21,020
Mitchell said the survey project has as median U.S. family income, 77 percent
taken about four months, but full scale of respondents are below average, while
planning will involve several years. He 43 percent are below $10,000 ... less than
thanked all mem bers who participated, half the median family income.
with special thanks to help provided by
Postmarks on returned questionnaires
Millie Paul, Alison Sapiel, the Penobscot included California, New York, Florida
Nation land committee, and staff of the and New England states.
tribla real estate and demography de
Meanwhile, Daigle said the old, asphalt
partment.
sided (to look like bricks) Baptist church
A majority of those surveyed think land
“ in tremendous need of a pastor.”He
is
said an area pastor will fill in, on a use should be a combination of tribal and
temporary basis. Stained glass windows in individual interests, not wholly one or the
the church apparently came from an older, other. As for land use, timber and natural
SANTA FE, N.M. — The Institute of
coastal church, as a nautical anchor is a resource development ranked highest, at
about 70 percent, with agriculture running American Indian Arts will hold a first
centerpiece.
annual literary festival.
second choice. Forty-two percent said
Daigle said a new roof, and new furnace “
The festival will feature four U.S.
preserve”
the land first.
have been installed at the church during
Respondents easily favored having the native American authors: N. Scott Momahis tenure, and the Sunday school hall has tribe’ own comprehensive plan replace day, Duane Niatum, Wendy Rose, and
s
been fixed up. But there has never been a state Land U se Regulation Commission Ray A. Young Bear. The festival will take
living wage from the church. “
Sixty (LURC) jurisdiction over “
trust (non-tax- place from July 13-16, in Santa Fe, New
percent of our living came off the land, and able) tribal lands.
Mexico at the College of Santa Fe campus.
the other 40 percent we’ worked for”in
ve
various other jobs, Daigle said.
Daigle takes post
with Arizona church
INDIAN ISLAND — After a four-year
hitch as pastor of the Indian Island Baptist
Church, the Rev. Donald Daigle, a Penob
scot, is leaving this month to assume
similar duties with an independent Indian
church in Arizona.
Daigle, his wife Becky, and their
children, Chris and Michele, will m ove to
Verde Valley, where they hope to live on
an Apache reservation. The valley is
about 40 miles from Flagstaff, where the
Daigles previously lived. Don Daigle has
preached throughout Arizona Indian
country, and some of the Apaches re
member him, he said.
“ e really felt that our work here was
W
completed, and that the Lord was calling
us," explained Daigle, adding that the
independent Indian church “
has a good
sound doctrine.
“
The work that I’ going into is
m
basically what I do here on the Island.
W e’ going to be missionaries,”Daigle
re
said, explaining that his wife is part of the
“ team.”
the
Commenting on his years with the
Penobscot Baptist Church, Daigle said,
“ s been a blessing. We got a lot accom
it’
plished. When we first came here, there
were only three to five people attending.
It’been as high as 33; we’ in a low right
s
re
now, about 13-15.”Almost all Penobscots
have been raised as Roman Catholics, al
though many do not attend the Island
church on a regular basis.
Daigle said the Island priest, the Rev.
John Civiello, has been a good friend. The
two of them presided together at tradi
tional inauguration cerem onies for tribal
Gov. Timothy Love. Civiello told Daigle he
would galdly help out with moving.
Indian authors
on event agenda
He is picking fiddleheads to raise money
for moving expenses, he said. 'The
struggle to make a living has not bothered
the Daigles. “ ve enjoyed my work out
I’
here.” Daigle said with his customary,
friendly grin.
Perhaps the most personal accomplish
ment for Daigle has been the trust and
respect he has earned from his fellow
tribal members, including the elderly. In
his youth, Daigle had a reputation for
being in trouble, but all that is a thing of
the past — and he thanks God for the
change.
VETERANS ADMINISTRATION
Owned Homes For Sale
in Washington County
Equal Housing
OPPORTUNITY
As for Becky Daigle, she is looking
forward to the long grow ing season and
the warmer winters, plus the spectacu
larly scenic countryside of Arizona.
And as for the Baptist church, Daigle
observed, “ will go through trials and
it
tests, but it’ been through them before,
s
and it will survive.”
AMERICAN INDIA'! BOOKS
■Legends
■Art
•Poetry
■Fiction
■Children’s
■Social Science
■Tribal/Biography
■Education
For order list:
...OVER 300 TITLES
write
NAES COLLEGE BOOKSTORE
or
4550 N. Hermitage, Dept. 6
call
Chicago, II. 60640
(312) 728-1662
BEING
TRANSFERRED?
Contact the VA for
information about
properties available
throughout the State.
These homes are available to veterans or
non-veterans without preference.
Rt. 1, Woodland
$40,000.
Rt. 1 39 Dublin St., Machias
,
$36,500.
$500 I).P.
18 Freemont St., Machias
$25,500.
Main Street, Baring
26,800.
9 Academy Street, Calais
25,900.
8 Chapel Street, Calais
12,500.
1 Temperance Street, Calais
1
26,000.
Summer Street, Calais
19,000.
Route #1- -Houlton Road, Woodland 27,500.
31 Chapel Street, Calais
19,000.
FINANCED FOR 30 YEARS BY VA
NO DOWN PAYMENTS REQUIRED
SE E YOUR LOCAL
REAL ESTA TE BROKER
All VA financed
At
p r e v a ilin g in te re s t ra te s
VETERANS ADMINISTRATION
LOAN GUARANTY DIVISION
TOGUS, MAINE 04330
Tel. 207-623-8411 Ext. 433
Page 8
Wabanaki Alliance June 1982
news notes
Flashback
State of Alaska anti-sovereignty
The state of Alaska is challenging the
authority of Native villages to organize as
sovereign entities under the Indian Re
organization Act, and is challenging the
constitutionality of the Indian Child
Welfare Act.
In a letter to Interior Secretary James
Watt, Alaska Governor Jay Hammond
questions the right of Alaska villages to
re-organize because of a provision of the
Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of
1971 which, Hammond contends, ex
tinguished forever any aboriginal claims
to the land.
Hammond noted in his letter that the
Bureau of Indian Affairs recently ap
proved a tribal constitution for the Village
of Circle and that 17 other villages have
applied for constitutions under the Indian
Reorganization Act.
Spud Williams, the president of the
Tanana Chiefs Conference, commented:
“
Part of the problem with the state
government is they don’understand . . .
t
the trust relationship Natives have with
the federal government. They have a state
rights attitude.”
The state has also filed a suit contesting
the applicability of the Indian Child
Welfare Act to Alaska. An attorney for
the Tanana Chiefs Conference said the
state’ contention is apparently based on
s
two reasons: 1) That Alaska Natives have
never been treated legally as political
entities as are the Indians in the lower 48
states; and 2) the Alaska Native Claims
Settlement Act terminated any political
status Alaska Natives might have had.
Details of the suit w ere not revealed
because it involved a minor child.
Hopi-Navajo dispute topic of TV special
ORONO — Maine Public Broadcasting
Network (MPBN) will broadcast a special
radio program on the historic Hopi-Navajo
land dispute, June 2, at 1 p.m., over its
Maine stations.
The special was announced by Robert P.
Robinson, program manager of the MPBN
station based at the University of Maine
at Orono campus.
Robinson explained that the program
deals with relocation of a handful of Hopi
Indians, and thousands of Navajos, as a
result of federal legislation to reconcile
the two tribes.
In 1882, 2.5 million acres of land in the
southwest were set aside for the Hopi and
“
such other Indians as the secretary of the
NACIE meets
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — A full council
meeting of the National Advisory Council
on Indian Education (NACIE) was sched
uled here, at a hotel near Harvard Square,
April 17-20. Part of the m eeting — by the
executive committee — was closed to the
public, a Federal R egister announcement
said. Michael P. D oss is NACIE executive
director, and head offices are in Washing
ton.
interior may see fit to settle there." Since
that time, a series of widely debated
government rulings have led to the
Navajo/Hopi land settlem ent act of 1974,
legislation which equally divided the con
tested land between both tribes.
The legislation requires the resettle
ment of 100 Hopi and an estimated 9,000
Navajo by 1986, som e of whose ancestors
have lived on the land even before 1882.
P e n o b s co ts take hon ors
in ph oto s h ow
ORONO — The photographs of two
Penobscot men are included in a current
exhibit of the Marsh Island Photography
Contest, at University of Maine at Orono’
s
Memorial Union.
The grand prize was awarded to George
(Skipper) Mitchell of Bucksport, for a
subtle-toned color photo entitled, “
Fog.”
Also selected for exhibit w ere color photos
by C. B. Mitchell o f Indian Island, who
received an honorable mention for a photo
called “
Fall’ fading splendor.” Another
s
C. B. Mitchell photo showed the Old Town
hydro-electric plant. Skipper Mitchell’
s
work on display, along with “
Fog,”con
sisted of a black and white photo, entitled
“
Barn,”
and a color work, “
Pushaw Pond.”
YOUNGEST BASKETWEAVER, at Indian Island, was Vivian Polchies, at about age
four, here shown at a somewhat younger age, with her mother, Frances Sappier
Polchies. The photo was taken 50 years ago, in front of the St. Ann’convent boathouse,
s
no longer standing. [Lent by Janet [Minnie] Polchies Donado, Norfolk, Va.]
C o l l e g e h osts s u m m e r Indian pr ogr a m
COLORADO SPRINGS, C olo .- E n erg y
and power are the them es of an eightweek summer educational program on the
Colorado College campus, which will run
June 13 through August 16, for Indian
students. The program is jointly spon
sored by Colorado C ollege and the Council
of E nergy Resource Tribes (CERT).
The Tribal Resource Institute in Busi
ness, Engineering, and Sciences (TRIBES)
is designed to enhance the academic skills
of recently graduated American Indian
high school students interested in careers
in business, engineering, and science.
Students successfully com pleting the
courses offered in mathematics, physics,
research, and computer science will
receive ten and one-half sem ester hours of
college credits. In addition to pursuing
academic courses, the students will visit
industry in the region and m eet American
Correction
INDIAN ISLAND — A front page story
in the May issue of this newspaper in
correctly identified a man who chose not
to vote on the 1880 census question. He
should have been identified as James
Peter Francis, not Manfred Francis.
Manfred is James’
father.
Skitikuk «j * Outfitters
.
Specialists in wilderness travel.
Cohen's wife gets into 'act'
Diane Cohen, center, wife of U.S. Sen. William S. Cohen of Maine, discusses a recent
Washington, D.C., benefit called “
Night of the First Americans,”with Jeanie Smith,
left, wife of BIA chief Ken Smith, and Ella Udall, wife of Rep. Morris Udall of Arizona.
Senator Cohen is chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Indian Affairs.
Sales - Rentals - Guide Service
Home of Igas Island custom-made
packs and equipment
38 Main St.
O ro n o
866-4878
Indian professionals w ho work in the
fields of energy and power. During the
eight-week period students will be able to
assess their academic backgrounds and
receive guidance toward entering the
college or university of their choice.
CAN’ FIND A JOB?
T
Try the
JOB CORPS
Would yob like to be trained as a ...
Bookkeeper
Secretary/ Stenographer
Clerk Typist
Nursing Assistant
If you are 16 to 21 and not in school,
the Penobscot Job Corps Center has
training programs which may be of
interest to you.
The Penobscot Job Corps Center
provides all trainees with a place to
live, meals, health care and a cash
monthly stipend while you learn. And
when you finish, we'll also help you
find a job.
SOUND GOOD?
IT IS GOOD.
ASK FOR JOB CORPS
—in the Portland area—775-7225
—in the Auburn area—786-4190
—in the Bangor area—947-0755
—or toll free anywhere in Maine
at 1-800-432-7307
ASK FOR
JOB CORPS RECRUITMENT