PENOBSCOT, Maine — Friday kicks off the annual Community Days for the Penobscot Nation.
Community Days are like holidays for the tribal community. It’s a tradition that's been around for decades.
The time is set aside for tribal members to honor their ancestry, reflect on their past, and present, and make future plans on what matters most to them.
This year’s two-day celebration is devoted to community wellness. It started out with a ceremonial sacred fire at the boat landing on Indian Island Friday morning.
There were other planned activities for the day, including a health and safety walk guided by the tribe’s police, and a drumming and dancing social at the ballfield on the island in the evening.
A senior’s breakfast, a health fair, airboat rides, canoe racing, and an all-day fishing tournament island-wide are planned for Saturday.
“It’s really a chance for the community to come together to do some fun activities, some cultural activities, to have meals together. We cap it off with fireworks display for the community," Maulian Bryant, Penobscot Nation Tribal Ambassador, said.
These activities are designed for tribal members to take time off to care for and celebrate each other.
“It's just a really nice time to take a breather, I think, from the everyday stresses in life, and celebrate each other and our families, and the things that make our communities so strong," Bryant said.
While these activities are an important way for tribal members to come together, Bryant hopes the Maine community can celebrate them too.
“People don't always know that tribal folks are still here, and there are vibrant living communities of indigenous people throughout the state. We just really like when people see our humanity, see our celebration, see our people coming together and working on things together,” Bryant implored.
For Bryant, these Community Days are a reminder for her and other tribal members to honor their ancestors as they work towards building a strong legacy.