PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 16, 2025
The Wabanaki Alliance was formed in 2020 by the elected leaders of the four federally recognized Wabanaki tribes in Maine, including the Penobscot Nation. It was created because for too long, our voices have been dismissed, distorted or divided — especially when we challenge the status quo of state-tribal relations in Maine. The Alliance is not a replacement for tribal governments. It is an advocacy coalition led by the tribes themselves — by our chiefs, our ambassadors and our elected representatives — people who are directly accountable to our Nations. The 1980 Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act placed Wabanaki tribes under a separate and unequal system. The Alliance works to change that, not by replacing our tribal governments, but by advocating for them — through public education, legislative engagement and coalition-building with people across Maine. ~ Donna M. Loring