{"id":22769,"date":"2022-04-04T17:59:09","date_gmt":"2022-04-04T21:59:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/News\/?p=22769"},"modified":"2022-04-04T18:09:27","modified_gmt":"2022-04-04T22:09:27","slug":"wabanaki-nations-seek-equality-for-their-tribal-sovereignty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2022\/04\/04\/wabanaki-nations-seek-equality-for-their-tribal-sovereignty\/","title":{"rendered":"Wabanaki Nations seek ‘equality’ for their tribal sovereignty"},"content":{"rendered":"
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House Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States : Legislative Hearing on H.R.4715, H.R.5715, and H.R.6707 – March 31, 2022<\/a>\r\n<\/figcaption>\r\n
Wabanaki Nations seek ‘equality’ for their tribal sovereignty<\/div>\r\n
‘We\u2019re denied one of the most fundamental rights’<\/div>\r\n
Monday, April 4, 2022<\/div>\r\n
By Acee Agoyo<\/div>\r\n
Indianz.Com<\/div>\r\n

<\/p>\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C. — With one long-overdue legislative achievement under their belts, tribal nations from one of the furthest ends of Indian Country are asking Congress to fully recognize their sovereignty.\r\n

<\/p>\r\nMaine is home to five federally recognized tribal governments<\/a>. But the Aroostook Band of Micmacs<\/a>, Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians<\/a>, the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township<\/a>, the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Pleasant Point<\/a> and the Penobscot Nation<\/a> are unable to exercise their rights in the same manner as every other Indian nation.\r\n

<\/p>\r\nThe outcome has been disastrous. Whether it’s safeguarding water<\/a> in their communities, enhancing public safety<\/a> or protecting Indian children through the Indian Child Welfare Act<\/a> (ICWA), tribal leaders say they are being left behind when it comes to true self-determination.\r\n

<\/P>\r\n“Not having full authority under ICWA that other tribes have stifles our ability to exercise jurisdiction and has created a cascade of ramifications for our children and families,” Chief Clarissa Sabattis of the Houlton Band said at a hearing in the nation’s capital last week.\r\n

<\/P>\r\n“We’re denied one of the most fundamental rights as Indian tribes and the impact of not having full authority over child custody proceedings under ICWA has resulted in the removal of up to 11 percent of our children in the past,” Sabattis added. \r\n

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Before the break, we heard from Chief William Nicholas Sr. of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, Chief Edward Peter-Paul of the Mi\u2019kmaq Nation and Chief Clarissa Sabattis of the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians. The tribal leaders asked for full recognition of their sovereignty by the U.S. pic.twitter.com\/TczBlmaEnI<\/a><\/p>— indianz.com (@indianz) March 31, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote>