WAYS TO ENGAGE 2020
WABANAKI ALLIANCE:
In June of 2020, the tribes in Maine (Aroostook Band of Micmac, Houlton Band of Maliseet, Passamaquoddy Tribe and Penobscot Nation) formed the Wabanaki Alliance. The Wabanaki Alliance was formed to educate the people of Maine about the need for securing sovereignty for the Wabanaki tribes in Maine. We hope you will join us in our efforts by supporting the Wabanaki Alliance. https://wabanakialliance.com/who-we-are/
Wabanaki Food Security and Food Sovereignty
(shared by Maine Initiatives)
Maine-Wabanaki REACH
As we highlighted in a recent spotlight on Wabanaki Sovereignty, this pandemic has exacerbated inequities for Indigenous communities in Maine and across the country. Maine-Wabanaki REACH has been providing support to Wabanaki peoples, most recently to address food insecurity. In a call to action they shared, “During this crisis, many people are not able to work, without a safety net to catch them. Maine-Wabanaki REACH established a Community Response Fund to help those in need. Largely, we have sought to put food on the tables in Wabanaki homes.” They are also supporting food sovereignty by assisting gardening and growing efforts by Wabanaki people and in Tribal communities by providing seeds and seedlings.
Eastern Woodlands Rematriation Collective
Eastern Woodlands Rematriation Collective (EWRC) has been doing critical work around Wabanaki food sovereignty. They were recently featured in an article by Cultural Survival, highlighting the importance of their work to restore Indigenous food systems. Co-founder Kristen Wyman explains the ways in which EWRC has had to adapt their programming in response to the pandemic sharing, “COVID-19 has amplified the struggles Indigenous communities already face. Since mid-March we have been hosting weekly community care sessions offered to our member families and Indigenous kin networks. Each week is either focused on food as medicine or as a space for participants to speak about their experiences and find community.” The article also shares that during this time EWRC is “strengthening their mutual aid response for Tribal families by surveying members and identifying their needs, as well as distributing seeds, seedlings, remedies, and produce from Maine to Massachusetts and parts of Connecticut and Rhode Island.”
Nibezun
Nibezun, which resides on sacred Wabanaki land along the Penobscot River, shared exciting updates in regards to their food sovereignty efforts including the addition of goats, the start of an orchard, beekeeping, harvesting fiddleheads and maple syrup, and soon they will be acquiring chickens and a greenhouse! In addition, they’ve been planting an abundance of trees and plants on their land sharing, “Nibezun's goal is a bounty of beautiful fruit, berries, and vegetables for all in the coming years!
American Friend Service Committee
American Friends Service Committee - Wabanaki Program has also been addressing food insecurity within Maine’s Tribal communities. In addition to planting community gardens, they’ve delivered 102 jars of applesauce and bread to families at Sipayik. Denise Altavater, coordinator of the Wabanaki Youth Program shares, “In the midst of these trying times, our youth and our community have come together to do something amazing for our community. Our youth stepped up and made homemade apple sauce and baked bread for those within our community who have nothing. Our people have not been receiving the help that they need, and we could no longer sit by in silence. We were able to reach more than 60 households, and our hope is to reach the whole tribe. It was such an honor to be able to help our community in the time of need.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A LETTER FROM MIAG SPRING, 2020:
Dear Friends,
We at Midcoast Indigenous Awareness Group (MIAG) send love your way in this challenging and transformative time. We have been grateful for the Pause, which has allowed for some of us increased time for personal reflection and sharing. We have been grateful for the changes in our own and other’s habits, as well as the clearer skies, the increase in birdlife, the small but clear sounds of earth, life and waters coming alive and healing. At the same time we have an increased awareness of the continuing inequities among us and their disastrous and unacceptable consequences.
With all of this in mind, MIAG is inviting those of us who are able and willing to consider donating part or all of our government issued stimulus checks to native led and recommended organizations and projects (see list below). We see this sharing to be a small offering toward bringing things into a much needed balance, a tiny step towards repairing the continuing harm that has resulted from the mostly unacknowledged genocidal beginnings of what we now call the "united states" and "maine", as well as contributing to a healthier future.
As residents of the land of the Peoples of the Dawn, honoring Wabanaki sovereignty benefits us all. We have seen how the waters, lands, and all the beings thrive when under Wabanaki leadership. Many of us have experienced how Wabanaki knowledge and technologies have benefited our lives. We need Wabanaki leadership to help us learn how to live on this land and care for it for generations to come.
Wishing you all health and wellbeing. Thank you for reading this email. Please forward it widely and share its message!
With humility and gratitude,
MIAG
P.S. Please let us at MIAG know if you would like support or input as you reflect on this decision. We would be pleased to think out loud with you. Some of us have appreciated the guidance of the following questions, paraphrased from and inspired by words of Seth Woody.
-Has the crisis of COVID-19 diminished my ability to support myself or my family financially?
-Do I have the resources I need to support my health, my housing and my general wellbeing?
-Do I continue to enjoy a stable and secure lifestyle because I benefit from the inequities created by the long history and continued presence of colonization and racism in our society?
We are thankful to our Wabanaki friends for suggesting the following list:
-- Indigenous Women of Wabanaki Territories: https://iwwt.ca, donation link at bottom of homepage
-- Wabanaki Health and Wellness: http://www.wabanakihw.org (donation button on home page)
-- Wabanaki Women's Coalition (all 5 of the Wabanaki Domestic and Sexual Violence Advocacy Centers are member programs): https://www.wabanakiwomenscoalition.org/donate/
Wicuhkemtultine Kinship Community and Learning Center- - https://spiret.org/land-peace-foundation-donation/
Maine Wabanaki-REACH: http://www.mainewabanakireach.org/donate
Sunlight Media- http://sunlightmediacollective.org/index.php/donate
The following organizations were suggested by our Wabanaki friends as needing support, but do not list on-line donations. These are respected organizations that could use your support if they speak to you.
--The Elder's Garden -- Write checks to the Penobscot Nation Housing Department, ATTN: Elder's Garden, 12 Wabanaki Way, Indian Island, ME 04468
--The People's Garden -- Write checks c/o Maria Girouard, 11 West Street, Indian Island, ME 04468
--Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township Food Pantry -- Write checks c/o Janet Lola, PO Box 301, Princeton, ME 04668
--Aroostook Band of Micmacs Food Pantry -- Write checks to: Aroostook Band of Micmacs, 7 Northern Rd. Presque Isle, ME 04769
--Houlton Band of Maliseets Food Pantry -- Write Checks to Houlton Band of Maliseets Food Pantry, 88 Bell Road, Littleton, ME 04730
--Penobscot Nation Food Pantry -- Send to 12 Wabanaki Way, Indian Island, ME 04468
-- Wabanaki Public Health: Write checks to Wabanaki Public Health, 157 Park Street, Suite #26 Bangor, ME 04401
We are also including the following organizations from a Dine/Navajo friend. We recognize that the pandemic has hit Navajo country particularly hard. We are offering these organizations to donate to in solidarity, not in competition, if you are moved to assist.
-- Navajo and Hopi Families Covid 19 Relief Fund https://www.gofundme.com/f/NHFC19Relief
-- Flagstaff/Kinlani Mutual Aid https://kinlanimutualaid.org/needs-list-donate/
WABANAKI ALLIANCE:
In June of 2020, the tribes in Maine (Aroostook Band of Micmac, Houlton Band of Maliseet, Passamaquoddy Tribe and Penobscot Nation) formed the Wabanaki Alliance. The Wabanaki Alliance was formed to educate the people of Maine about the need for securing sovereignty for the Wabanaki tribes in Maine. We hope you will join us in our efforts by supporting the Wabanaki Alliance. https://wabanakialliance.com/who-we-are/
Wabanaki Food Security and Food Sovereignty
(shared by Maine Initiatives)
Maine-Wabanaki REACH
As we highlighted in a recent spotlight on Wabanaki Sovereignty, this pandemic has exacerbated inequities for Indigenous communities in Maine and across the country. Maine-Wabanaki REACH has been providing support to Wabanaki peoples, most recently to address food insecurity. In a call to action they shared, “During this crisis, many people are not able to work, without a safety net to catch them. Maine-Wabanaki REACH established a Community Response Fund to help those in need. Largely, we have sought to put food on the tables in Wabanaki homes.” They are also supporting food sovereignty by assisting gardening and growing efforts by Wabanaki people and in Tribal communities by providing seeds and seedlings.
Eastern Woodlands Rematriation Collective
Eastern Woodlands Rematriation Collective (EWRC) has been doing critical work around Wabanaki food sovereignty. They were recently featured in an article by Cultural Survival, highlighting the importance of their work to restore Indigenous food systems. Co-founder Kristen Wyman explains the ways in which EWRC has had to adapt their programming in response to the pandemic sharing, “COVID-19 has amplified the struggles Indigenous communities already face. Since mid-March we have been hosting weekly community care sessions offered to our member families and Indigenous kin networks. Each week is either focused on food as medicine or as a space for participants to speak about their experiences and find community.” The article also shares that during this time EWRC is “strengthening their mutual aid response for Tribal families by surveying members and identifying their needs, as well as distributing seeds, seedlings, remedies, and produce from Maine to Massachusetts and parts of Connecticut and Rhode Island.”
Nibezun
Nibezun, which resides on sacred Wabanaki land along the Penobscot River, shared exciting updates in regards to their food sovereignty efforts including the addition of goats, the start of an orchard, beekeeping, harvesting fiddleheads and maple syrup, and soon they will be acquiring chickens and a greenhouse! In addition, they’ve been planting an abundance of trees and plants on their land sharing, “Nibezun's goal is a bounty of beautiful fruit, berries, and vegetables for all in the coming years!
American Friend Service Committee
American Friends Service Committee - Wabanaki Program has also been addressing food insecurity within Maine’s Tribal communities. In addition to planting community gardens, they’ve delivered 102 jars of applesauce and bread to families at Sipayik. Denise Altavater, coordinator of the Wabanaki Youth Program shares, “In the midst of these trying times, our youth and our community have come together to do something amazing for our community. Our youth stepped up and made homemade apple sauce and baked bread for those within our community who have nothing. Our people have not been receiving the help that they need, and we could no longer sit by in silence. We were able to reach more than 60 households, and our hope is to reach the whole tribe. It was such an honor to be able to help our community in the time of need.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A LETTER FROM MIAG SPRING, 2020:
Dear Friends,
We at Midcoast Indigenous Awareness Group (MIAG) send love your way in this challenging and transformative time. We have been grateful for the Pause, which has allowed for some of us increased time for personal reflection and sharing. We have been grateful for the changes in our own and other’s habits, as well as the clearer skies, the increase in birdlife, the small but clear sounds of earth, life and waters coming alive and healing. At the same time we have an increased awareness of the continuing inequities among us and their disastrous and unacceptable consequences.
With all of this in mind, MIAG is inviting those of us who are able and willing to consider donating part or all of our government issued stimulus checks to native led and recommended organizations and projects (see list below). We see this sharing to be a small offering toward bringing things into a much needed balance, a tiny step towards repairing the continuing harm that has resulted from the mostly unacknowledged genocidal beginnings of what we now call the "united states" and "maine", as well as contributing to a healthier future.
As residents of the land of the Peoples of the Dawn, honoring Wabanaki sovereignty benefits us all. We have seen how the waters, lands, and all the beings thrive when under Wabanaki leadership. Many of us have experienced how Wabanaki knowledge and technologies have benefited our lives. We need Wabanaki leadership to help us learn how to live on this land and care for it for generations to come.
Wishing you all health and wellbeing. Thank you for reading this email. Please forward it widely and share its message!
With humility and gratitude,
MIAG
P.S. Please let us at MIAG know if you would like support or input as you reflect on this decision. We would be pleased to think out loud with you. Some of us have appreciated the guidance of the following questions, paraphrased from and inspired by words of Seth Woody.
-Has the crisis of COVID-19 diminished my ability to support myself or my family financially?
-Do I have the resources I need to support my health, my housing and my general wellbeing?
-Do I continue to enjoy a stable and secure lifestyle because I benefit from the inequities created by the long history and continued presence of colonization and racism in our society?
We are thankful to our Wabanaki friends for suggesting the following list:
-- Indigenous Women of Wabanaki Territories: https://iwwt.ca, donation link at bottom of homepage
-- Wabanaki Health and Wellness: http://www.wabanakihw.org (donation button on home page)
-- Wabanaki Women's Coalition (all 5 of the Wabanaki Domestic and Sexual Violence Advocacy Centers are member programs): https://www.wabanakiwomenscoalition.org/donate/
Wicuhkemtultine Kinship Community and Learning Center- - https://spiret.org/land-peace-foundation-donation/
Maine Wabanaki-REACH: http://www.mainewabanakireach.org/donate
Sunlight Media- http://sunlightmediacollective.org/index.php/donate
The following organizations were suggested by our Wabanaki friends as needing support, but do not list on-line donations. These are respected organizations that could use your support if they speak to you.
--The Elder's Garden -- Write checks to the Penobscot Nation Housing Department, ATTN: Elder's Garden, 12 Wabanaki Way, Indian Island, ME 04468
--The People's Garden -- Write checks c/o Maria Girouard, 11 West Street, Indian Island, ME 04468
--Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township Food Pantry -- Write checks c/o Janet Lola, PO Box 301, Princeton, ME 04668
--Aroostook Band of Micmacs Food Pantry -- Write checks to: Aroostook Band of Micmacs, 7 Northern Rd. Presque Isle, ME 04769
--Houlton Band of Maliseets Food Pantry -- Write Checks to Houlton Band of Maliseets Food Pantry, 88 Bell Road, Littleton, ME 04730
--Penobscot Nation Food Pantry -- Send to 12 Wabanaki Way, Indian Island, ME 04468
-- Wabanaki Public Health: Write checks to Wabanaki Public Health, 157 Park Street, Suite #26 Bangor, ME 04401
We are also including the following organizations from a Dine/Navajo friend. We recognize that the pandemic has hit Navajo country particularly hard. We are offering these organizations to donate to in solidarity, not in competition, if you are moved to assist.
-- Navajo and Hopi Families Covid 19 Relief Fund https://www.gofundme.com/f/NHFC19Relief
-- Flagstaff/Kinlani Mutual Aid https://kinlanimutualaid.org/needs-list-donate/
