🎤 Tribal addresses were not coordinated but had a clear message.
◉ Maine's five tribal chiefs had a common theme in their historic address to the Legislature on Thursday: They are not stopping in their effort to put tribal power here on par with other tribes across the country.
◉ After the address, Chief William Nicholas of the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township said the chiefs did not share their speeches with each other. Still, there should have been no surprise that sovereignty was the focus.
◉ "You can't have limited sovereignty or sovereignty when it pertains to something that is agreeable," he said.
😶 Chiefs did not discuss an elephant in the room, but others did.
◉ In their speeches, did not address Mills or her absence from the chamber due to an unspecified scheduling conflict, but it was certainly noticed.
◉ Donna Loring, a former Penobscot Nation tribal representative who briefly served as Mills' tribal adviser, told Maine Public the move was disrespectful to the tribes and that it looked like the governor was trying to set terms by offering to meet with them after the speech.
◉ "That was her decision, so I can't speak for her," Faulkingham told reporters after the address.
◉ Mills spokesperson Ben Goodman released a statement saying the governor congratulated chiefs on their speech, calling it "an important and historic opportunity for the Wabanaki people to speak directly to the Legislature" and touting progress on tribal issues. |
|
