PORTLAND | WESTBROOK (207) 774-5946 harmonsbartons.com 584 Congress St, Portland, ME 04101 80 p o r t l a n d monthly magazine My Maine trying to rebuild from devastation. We remain. We survive. We are still here. The collective tribes of Maine, and some bands in the Maritime Provinces, form the Wabanaki Confederacy. Wabanaki de- rives from a word in our languages mean- ing “People of the Dawn.” We unite as con- federacy in ceremony and social celebra- tions, and many families have connections in various tribes. However, we are four very distinct nations, each with a rich his- tory, unique culture, and separate lan- guage, with our own individual struggles and strengths. Each of the four tribes is federally rec- ognized, meaning they qualify as Indige- nous Nations. Part of this process protects a nation’s land, called a “reservation,” and ensures rights to federal funding and re- sources. The tribes of Maine have many similarities, but there are subtle differenc- es, too. Each nation has tribal governments that oversee housing, education, adminis- tration, culture, human resources, natural resources, and more. Tribal employment is mostly found working in these depart- ments. All the tribes have a government comprised of elected Chief, Vice Chief, and Tribal Council. The Maliseet Tribe has a representative to the legislature, whereas the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy have Ambassadors (yours truly). Every commu- nity also has its own schools, health clinics, and community buildings. To uphold our traditional crafts, we have alliances and art groups that promote basketry, birch-back work (canoes, baskets, etc.), jewelry, fash- ion, paintings, and performance art that harkens to the days of our ancestors, in- cluding many groups of drummers, sing- ers, traditional dancers. T he Aroostook Band of Micmacs is located in Presque Isle Maine. They form part of a very large overall tribe, with thousands of members through- out Canada. Traveling south into Maine, you’ll find the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, part of a larger tribe with com- munities in the provinces. These northern tribes are known for their strength and for- titude living in the beautiful and at times unforgiving Aroostook county. The Mic- mac Tribe has the most unique language of the Wabanaki tribes, whereas the other three languages are almost identical. Mali-