MAINE, Maine — From the Portland Press Herald:
Native Mainers plan to reflect and educate people on Indigenous Peoples' Day.
Maine is one of 14 states and the District of Columbia that now observes Native American or Indigenous Peoples' Day instead of, or in addition to, Columbus Day.
These events are scheduled online to recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day 2020:
• The ACLU of Maine and the Wabanaki Alliance will host a free educational webinar at noon Monday on “The Sovereignty and the Maine Tribes: Where We Are and What Comes Next.” Go to aclumaine.org for more information and to register for a Zoom link.
• The Upstander Project will offer free online screenings from 8 to 10 p.m. Monday of “Dawnland,” a film about the formation of the Maine Wabanaki-State Child Welfare Truth and Reconciliation Commission; and “Dear Georgiana,” a film about a Passamaquoddy elder’s journey to understand her removal from her native community at age 2 by child protective services. The event will include a live panel discussion with the filmmaker and question-and-answer period. Go to upstanderproject.org to register.
• The University of Southern Maine will host a free webinar panel discussion from 12:30 to 1:45 p.m. Tuesday on “Indigenous Peoples: Recognizing and Repairing Harms of Colonized Systems.” Panelists will include Katie Tomer, a USM alum and student adviser who has Wabanaki roots, and Rebecca Sockbeson, a member of the Penobscot Nation who is an assistant professor of education at the University of Alberta, where she teaches a graduate specialization in indigenous peoples education. Contact david.roussel@maine.edu for Zoom link information.