The State of Maine cannot redefine the Penobscot Indian reservation. Stop asserting that the Penobscot Indian reservation, which consists of over 200 islands in the Penobscot River, does not include the water. And if you cannot stop, then Maine citizens deserve an explanation about WHY you are carrying out this mission, and on whose behalf?
Why is this important?
As a Penobscot and an historian I wondered how my ancestors felt as they endured the loss and destruction of their territory. Sadly, 190 years into this age-old clash of cultures, I'm experiencing for myself the deep sorrow and hopelessness. This latest threat to Penobscot ancestral territory has resulted in Penobscot Nation v. Mills, a federal court case that's sure to be lengthy and costly. The State of Maine needs to stop its ridiculous assertion that the ancient Penobscot Indian Nation does not include its ancestral waterways. Maine priorities should be elsewhere - not on dispossessing its indigenous peoples of yet more territory.
