Headline News (2010)
/
Additional information about Headline News: Wabanaki Sovereignty in the 21st Century is also available in the exhibit catalog, Headline News Exhibit Catalog.
At the Abbe's 2010 Annual Meeting, Penobscot Chief Kirk E. Francis, Sr., was the guest speaker and his remarks about sovereignty can be found here.
With the signing of the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act in 1980, and later agreements, Maine distinguished itself from the
rest of the Nation by establishing a unique relationship with the four federally recognized Wabanaki tribes. The expression of these Acts creates a political arena much different than that of other states—federal statutes do not apply to American Indian communities in Maine unless explicitly noted within that federal legislation.
Maine has a direct relationship with the Wabanaki tribes, which in addition to federal recognition of their sovereignty, were granted municipal powers, and most concerns must be negotiated at the state level. The exhibit explores the ways in which the Micmac, Maliseet, Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot tribes are asserting their sovereignty in the areas of:
Recognition of Native veterans
Controversies regarding gaming
The retention of Native languages
The exercise of hunting and fishing rights
The fight against the invasive ash borer beetle
Environmental management of traditional territory
Concepts surrounding identity and positive and negative stereotypes
International border issues that has divided families and traditional lands.
Headline News seeks to engage the visitor and raise awareness of contemporary challenges to the Native peoples living in Maine. Visitors will have the opportunity to reflect on Native perspectives while exploring these topics through a variety of media. On display was an assortment of new and old artifacts including objects made of ash, birchbark, cedar, porcupine quills, and sweet grass, natural history specimens and faunal remains, hunting and trapping equipment, books and CDs illustrating the four languages, traditional games, maps, photographs, a full-sized birchbark canoe, and much more.
While the information presented was focused on the Wabanaki in Maine, the exhibit offered comparative information on federal Indian policy to highlight differences between the state and federal Indian policies. This ground breaking exhibit was curated by Raney Bench, former Curator of Education at the Abbe Museum, in conjunction with consultation from members of the Micmac, Maliseet, Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot tribes, and assistance from project team members Julia (Clark) Gray and Jason Brown.
The Headline News: Wabanaki Sovereignty in the 21st Century online exhibit introduces eight topics commonly covered in the media through first person voice of Wabanaki political and cultural leaders. Each topic is intimately connected to tribal sovereignty in Maine and continually evolving, allowing the exhibit to serve as a starting point for dialog and discussion in Maine communities and beyond. The content reflects the complex nature of these topics and the diverse opinions of Wabanaki people. The entire text of the show can be downloaded below by topic area.
CLICK ON A CATEGORY TO DOWNLOAD TEXT-ONLY CONTENT:
