Penobscot Nation v. Janet Mills: A Case of Cultural Identity and Tribal Stewardship

For this year's Donna M. Loring Lecture, UNE welcomes Penobscot Nation Chief Kirk Francis, who will discuss the history of and recent rulings in the Penobscot River case, Penobscot Nation v. Janet Mills.

Because the Penobscot people are a riverine culture, members of the Penobscot Nation argue that this lawsuit represents a fight for their cultural survival. The Penobscot River has been exploited for industry, causing widespread pollution that endangered the health and well-being of the plants and animals who live in the river, as well as the Penobscot people. The Penobscot Nation asserts its right to care for and protect the waters that have sustained them. The most recent ruling, which limits the Tribe's sovereignty to the land surrounding the River, jeopardizes the subsistence fishing practices of the Penobscot people and their way of life. This case takes on the state of Maine's history of not upholding treaty rights, and is a fight for the sovereignty of the Penobscot Nation.

Chief Francis will discuss the nuances of the case and look at where the Penobscot Nation will go from here.