Dear Editor:

Maine’s motto is Dirigo, however that motto falls drastically short regarding the rights of indigenous people in Maine. Of the 570 tribes in the U.S., Maine is the only state that prevents self-determination of the Wabanaki tribes.

This is based on an antiquated law from 1980, The Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act, in which the federal statue extinguished the land claims, provided some compensation to the tribes for their claims, and limited the application of federal Indian laws in Maine.

This means that indigenous people in Maine must ask for inclusion to be considered in federal laws.  The tribes would need to lobby Congress to be included in over 150 federal laws of which they have been excluded.  This has negatively impacted economic development, healthcare, housing, and the environment to the tribes and surrounding rural areas.

LD2004: An Act to Restore Access to Federal Laws Beneficial to the Wabanaki Nations states that any laws passed by Congress that apply to federally recognized tribes would also apply to the four Wabanaki tribes in Maine. Please contact Congress and voice your support of this bill. No one in this country should be deprived of their autonomy.

Mary Hanley

Southport