Archive
View our post archive below to find links to current and previous updates from the Wabanaki Alliance. We also track local, state and national news coverage of issues important to the Wabanaki tribes in Maine. Find a selection of that media coverage in our In the News list.
Public Hearings Draw Testimony from Hundreds of Wabanaki Citizens and Allies
Public hearings at the Maine State House on February 19 drew oral and written testimony from hundreds of Wabanaki citizens and allies who support two bills to expand Wabanaki sovereignty.
Take Action to Support Wabanaki Sovereignty
Legislators are considering LD 785 and LD 395, two bills that would expand Wabanaki sovereignty. Tribal leaders and allies are working to pass these important bills and need your help! Learn more about the bills and how you can #StandWithWabanaki in our Take Action Toolkit.
Legislative Tracker: Priority Bills in the 132nd Maine Legislature
The second half of the 132nd Maine Legislature is underway! Check out our Bill Tracker for updates on our priority legislation and find out you can support these bills!
Press Conference Highlights Wabanaki Alliance Legislative Priorities
The Wabanaki Alliance held a press conference on Monday, February 3 at the Maine State House to outline the coalition’s legislative priorities for the second session of the 132nd Maine Legislature.
Frequently Asked Questions
What would these bills do? Why do tribes in Maine support them? How will they benefit the state? Find answers to your questions about LD 785 and LD 395 in our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)!
LD 785 Talking Points
Conversations with legislators, friends, family, and neighbors offer an important opportunity to share why LD 785 is needed and how it will benefit the Wabanaki Nations and all of Maine.
LD 395 Talking Points
These talking points on LD 395 will help you as you talk with legislators, friends, family, and neighbors about why the bill is needed and how it will benefit the Wabanaki Nations and all of Maine.
Submit Testimony for LD 395 and LD 785
Legislators will hold public hearings for LD 395 and LD 785 on Thursday, February 19 and they need to hear from you! Follow our guide for submitting your testimony and testifying at the hearing.
Contact Your Legislators
Public hearings on LD 785 and LD 395 will be scheduled soon, so now is a great time to contact your legislators and tell them why you support these bills!
Write an LTE in Support of LD 785 and LD 395
Letters to the editor are a powerful way to persuade legislators to pass LD 785 and LD 395. Find everything you need to write and publish your LTE!
Read the Latest Wabanaki Alliance Newsletter
This latest Wabanaki Alliance newsletter includes updates on new staff, a preview of our legislative priorities, the latest Wabanaki Windows podcast episodes, and so much more.
Learn About the Wabanaki Alliance Coalition
Nearly 350 businesses and organizations that support Wabanaki inherent sovereignty have joined the Wabanaki Alliance Tribal Coalition! See the list of members and find out how your organization or business can help advance the work of the Wabanaki Alliance!
Charles Norman Shay, Penobscot Nation Citizen, Warrior, and Hero
Honoring the life of Charles Norman Shay, Penobscot Nation citizen, warrior, and hero.
Write a Letter to the Editor
Letters to the editor can help persuade legislators to pass legislation or change policy. Our LTE Guide offers tips to get your started and a list of newspapers.
Special MECEP Report: Land, Economy, and Tribal Rights in Maine
In October 2025, Wabanaki Coalition member organization Maine Center for Economic Policy (MECEP) released a special report, Sovereignty Starts Here: Land, Economy, and Tribal Rights in Maine. Learn more here.
Alliance Hosts ‘From Treaties to Today’ Panel
This fall, the Wabanaki Alliance was proud to host “From Treaties to Today: Wabanaki Tribal Sovereignty in Maine,” a panel discussion about the Alliance’s work and an overview on the future of sovereignty for the Wabanaki Nations.
Tribal Issues in the News
Read some of the latest news coverage of Wabanaki issues appearing in news organizations across Maine and nationwide.
#NotYourMascot
Navigating discussions about Indian-themed mascots is notoriously difficult and time consuming, but communities that invest the time to listen and learn from Indigenous peoples invariably find their communities strengthened as a result. With guidance from Wabanaki leaders, Wabanaki Alliance Coalition partner Suit Up Maine created this guide on how to talk about Indian-themed mascots.
Online Auction Showcases Works by Wabanaki Artists, Authors, and Others
Did you miss our Nihkaniyane: Let’s Go Forward Together event? You can still support the mission of the Wabanaki Alliance and the work that we do by participating in our online auction!
Wabanaki Alliance Urges Voters to Reject Question 1 on Nov. 4
On November 4th, Maine voters will face a referendum question, Question 1, that seeks to fundamentally change Maine’s election laws and make it significantly harder for Wabanaki citizens and all Maine voters to cast their vote. Learn more about this voter suppression measure.
Alliance and MEEA Announce Wabanaki Youth Policy Initiative
Youth coordinators from Maine Environmental Education Association and the Wabanaki Alliance are partnering during the upcoming legislative session on a Wabanaki Youth Policy Initiative for Wabanaki youth, ages 16 to 22.
Wabanaki Windows: Korean & WWII History and Veterans
Listen to a specially curated episode of Wabanaki Windows, a monthly podcast that airs on WERU Community Radio and is hosted by Donna Loring, a Penobscot Nation Elder and Vice President of the Wabanaki Alliance. This episode, which aired July 22, 2025, features a discussion on Wabanaki veterans who served in the Korean War and World War II.
Oct. 8 Event to Celebrate Friendships and Alliances
Join the Wabanaki Alliance for our third annual Nihkaniyane: Let’s Go Forward Together event on Oct. 8 in Freeport as we celebrate friendships and alliances and honor John Banks, Brianne Lolar, and Emma Soctomah for their support, friendship, and dedication to the Wabanaki Alliance and Wabanaki people.
Wabanaki Alliance Welcomes Fellow, Intern
Sage Phillips and Keely Becker, both Penobscot Nation citizens and rising leaders, have joined the Wabanaki Alliance staff as a fellow and intern, respectively.
A tribute to Penobscot Elder Elizabeth Sockbeson
Family, Friends, and Wabanaki leaders pay tribute to the late Elizabeth Sockbeson, Penobscot Elder, Tribal Leader, and former Tribal Council representative.
On Wabanaki priorities, the Maine Legislature gets an incomplete grade
The August Wabanaki Voices column highlights how our legislative priorities faired during the first half of the legislative session. It was written by Maliseet Ambassador Osihkiyol Crofton-Macdonald, board president of the Wabanki Alliance, and Maulian Bryant, executive director of the alliance and a citizen of the Penobscot Nation.
Reuben “Butch” Phillips: A tribute to one who is now a Penobscot ancestor
Family, friends, and Wabanaki leaders pay tribute to the late Reuben “Butch” Phillips, a Penobscot Nation elder, former government official, and spiritual leader.
Support Wabanaki Studies in Maine Schools
Maine legislators are considering funding and final passage of a bill that would help the state come into compliance with a law that requires the teaching of Wabanaki studies in all public K-12 Maine schools. Take action now to pass this bill!
Support LD 958: Prohibit Eminent Domain on Wabanaki Land
Maine legislators have enacted a bill that would prevent the state from seizing Wabanaki Nations’ land for public uses and it’s headed to the governor’s desk. Learn more in our call to action and call Gov. Mills and ask her to sign LD 958 into law!
How land claims settlement has harmed tribes in Maine
The May Wabanaki Voices column highlights ways in which the 1980 land claims settlement act has harmed Wabanaki Nations in Maine. It was written by Donna Loring, Penboscot Nation elder and vice president of the Wabanaki Alliance board of directors.
Strengthening Tribal Sovereignty Can Improve Well Being of All Mainers
The April Wabanaki Voices column discusses legislative priorities in the 132nd Maine Legislature. It was written by Maliseet Ambassador Osihkiyol Crofton-Macdonald; Penobscot Nation Elder Donna Loring; Rena Newell, citizen of the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Sipayik; Mi’kmaq Nation Vice Chief Richard Silliboy; and Passamaquoddy Tribal Representative Aaron Dana, all members of the Wabanaki Alliance board.
Wabanaki Windows: State and Federal Tribal Recognition
Listen to a specially curated episode of Wabanaki Windows, a monthly podcast that airs on WERU Community Radio and is hosted by Donna Loring, a Penobscot Nation Elder and Vice President of the Wabanaki Alliance. This episode, which aired March 25, 2025, features a discussion on federal and state processes for tribal recognition.
Trump cuts already having devastating impacts on tribal communities
The March Wabanaki Voices column discusses the devastating impact the Trump administration is already having on tribal nations in Maine and across the country. It was written by Kirk Francis, Chief of the Penobscot Nation, president of United Southern and Eastern Tribes, and advisory board member for the Wabanaki Alliance.
Wabanaki Windows: Native American Citizenship
Listen to a specially curated episode of Wabanaki Windows, a monthly podcast that airs on WERU Community Radio and is hosted by Donna Loring, a Penobscot Nation Elder and Vice President of the Wabanaki Alliance. This episode, which aired February 25, 2025, features a discussion on Native American Citizenship under the US Constitution.
Wabanaki Windows: Isolation, Control and Elimination Series
Listen to a nine-part series on the “1942 Legislative Transcripts on the Indian Problem” from the Wabanaki Windows monthly podcast, which airs on WERU Community Radio and is hosted by Donna Loring, a Penobscot Nation Elder and Vice President of the Wabanaki Alliance. The series originally aired in 2023.
Wabanaki Alliance Announces New Officers, Welcomes Associate Director
The Wabanaki Alliance has elected new officers and board members and appointed a new associate director.
Wabanaki Windows: 2023 Response to LD 2004 Veto Letter
Listen to a two-part episode with a response from Wabanaki leaders to the June 2023 veto by Maine Gov. Janet Mills of LD 2004 “An Act to Restore Access to Federal Laws Beneficial to the Wabanaki Nations,” which originally aired in July 2023 on the Wabanaki Windows monthly podcast, which airs on WERU Community Radio and is hosted by Donna Loring, a Penobscot Nation Elder and Vice President of the Wabanaki Alliance.
From Selma to the Penobscot: A shared vision of justice
The January Wabanaki Voices column discusses the parallels between the work by Wabanaki leaders and citizens to restore tribal sovereignty and the work of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. It was written by Donna Loring, a Penobscot Nation Tribal Elder and member of the Wabanaki Alliance Board, and Maine Sen. Rachel Talbot Ross from Portland, the former Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives.
Wabanaki Alliance Media & Style Guide
The Wabanaki Alliance has launched a new media and style guide with common sense approaches to writing accurately and respectfully regarding Wabanaki people, history, land, and culture.
2024: A Year of Growth and Hard Work
2024 has been another year of growth and hard work toward shared goals for the Wabanaki Alliance and our network of friends across our homelands now called Maine. Help us continue that work with a year-end donation to the Wabanaki Alliance.
Wabanaki people have a right to be safe and heard
The December Wabanaki Voices column highlights the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and people and was written by Maulian Dana, a citizen of the Penobscot Nation and executive director of the Wabanaki Alliance.
Priority Bills in the 131st Maine Legislature
The Wabanaki Alliance tracked nearly 20 priority bills during the 131st Maine Legislature — many of which are now law! Find details on the legislation we tracked in 2023 and 2024 below.
Wabanaki Alliance Appeal for GivingTuesday
On GivingTuesday, the Wabanaki Alliance looks back at the past year and the promise in the years ahead.
Incoming Alliance Director Testifies at Congressional Hearing on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
On Nov. 20, 2024, incoming Wabanaki Alliance Executive Director Maulian Bryant joined other Indigenous leaders at a Congressional hearing in Washington, DC. Held by the US House of Representatives Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, the hearing focused on the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women in the US.
Wabanaki Alliance Statement on Biden’s Apology on U.S. Indian Boarding School Policy
Officers and members of the Board of the Wabanaki Alliance have offered a statement in response to President Joe Biden’s recent formal apology for the atrocities committed against Indigenous children, families, and communities under the United States Indian Boarding School policy.
The enduring value of freedom
The November Wabanaki Voices column highlights the story of Wabanaki citizen and World War II veteran Charles Shay and was written by Donna Loring, a Penobscot Nation Tribal Elder, Vietnam Veteran, and Wabanaki Alliance Board Member.
Wabanaki Alliance Endorses Congressman Jared Golden for Re-Election
The Wabanaki Alliance has enthusiastically endorsed Congressman Jared Golden for re-election.
Legislative scorecard is building sovereignty through education and awareness
The Alliance published two Wabanaki Voices columns in October. This second one highlights the 131st Maine Legislature Scorecard and was written by Maliseet Ambassador Osihkiyol Crofton-Macdonald, Passamaquoddy Tribal Representative Aaron Dana, Penobscot Nation Elder Donna Loring, and Mi’kmaq Nation Vice Chief Richard Silliboy.
Wabanaki Alliance Seeks Associate Director
The Wabanaki Alliance is seeking a committed, experienced professional for the position of Associate Director. Read on for details about the position and requirements.
131st Maine Legislature Scorecard Released
The Wabanaki Alliance has released its legislative scorecard for the 131st session of the Maine State Legislature, an analysis and compilation of votes on Wabanaki-related bills tracked by the organization as part of the alliance’s commitment to educating the people of Maine on issues of tribal sovereignty. Learn more and check your legislators’ ratings in our House and Senate Scorecards.