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Jason Grundstrom-Whitney of Monmouth is a member of the Wabanaki Alliance.
Due to restrictions imposed in the 1980 Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act, The Wabanaki people of Maine have been denied the growth, self-determination, development and economic potential that the other federally recognized tribes have enjoyed for the last 30 years.
This has had far-reaching implications, adversely affecting children ( poverty rates for the Passamaquoddy were 40 percent, Mi’kmaq at 77 percent in 2019), disallowing economic growth (whereas by having access to self-determination and laws that have increased economic growth among the other 570 federally recognized tribes, those tribal members have experienced economic growth of 61 percent while Maine tribal members have experienced only a 9 percent growth, according a recent Harvard University report), disallowing the self-determination aspects of a sustainable economic structure that would allow a boon to Maine with a projected $330 million to Maine’s gross domestic product, the report said.
Like all legislation, the settlement act is fluid and subject to change. In fact, the framers of the act viewed it as a “living” document. Being so, it is time to mend the 1980 Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act.
We should all agree that poverty is vicious in its implications, far-reaching and devastating for those affected, particularly for the young and old. Not having what Abraham Maslow claimed as the foundation for human development, the unequal distribution of poverty affects the Wabanaki needs for food, shelter and a sustainable economy that would enrich children’s lives and make a future possible. This is a strand to be considered by mending anew the 1980 Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act.
We should all agree another thread that makes sense is to be able to capture the economic growth potential that has for so long been denied the Wabanaki people. These are difficult times economically for Mainers, the state and the nation. To start the process of absolving the difference between all other tribal citizens in the U.S. and the Wabanaki people (a 52 percent differential), there will be 2,700 jobs created and a $39 million boon to state and local tax revenue, according to the Harvard report. We simply cannot afford not to take this moment to mend the 1980 Maine Indian Land Claims Settlement Act.
We should all agree that self-determination is highly valued among nations and peoples. I have had the good fortune to spend a lot of time with my adopted family at Motahkomikuk for decades. My family and all the Wabanaki people are hardworking, conscientious, environmentally conscious (they have cared for the land for thousands of years, which we should model in thought and action, with increasing environmental degradation due to climate change), incredibly creative, and have well-designed governance. The Wabanaki people are poised and have been ready for decades to enjoy the self-determination of the other 570 federally recognized tribes of the U.S. This is a powerful thread to be woven.
Given these threads articulated, and more, we have the rare opportunity with LD 2007 to actually change and support lives allowing the “living document” of the 1980 Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act to be mended anew with these threads, thus making a stronger document and in doing so, a stronger Maine.
