June 16, 2008
Tribal group nixes meeting
A national Native American group has postponed a meeting with state governments in a show of solidarity with Maine's tribes, particularly the Penobscot Indian Nation.
The National Congress of American Indians canceled a meeting scheduled for next week in Augusta with the National Conference of State Legislatures. The NCAI backed out to show support for the Penobscots, who want to sever ties with Maine because of disagreements over sovereignty and gaming, according to the Bangor Daily News.
NCAI meets twice a year with state government representatives to examine ways to cooperate, the paper reported. The meeting, however, may have been thinly attended anyway -- Penobscot Chief Kirk Francis told the paper leaders from several of Maine's tribes were only recently made aware of the meeting, and David Farmer, Governor John Baldacci's spokesperson, said he also was unaware of the meeting and wondered if the postponement was symbolic.
The National Congress of American Indians canceled a meeting scheduled for next week in Augusta with the National Conference of State Legislatures. The NCAI backed out to show support for the Penobscots, who want to sever ties with Maine because of disagreements over sovereignty and gaming, according to the Bangor Daily News.
NCAI meets twice a year with state government representatives to examine ways to cooperate, the paper reported. The meeting, however, may have been thinly attended anyway -- Penobscot Chief Kirk Francis told the paper leaders from several of Maine's tribes were only recently made aware of the meeting, and David Farmer, Governor John Baldacci's spokesperson, said he also was unaware of the meeting and wondered if the postponement was symbolic.
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