like a lot of Penobscot Indians I come from a basket-making family for Wabanaki
from a basket-making family for Wabanaki
from a basket-making family for Wabanaki people which is the collective name for
people which is the collective name for
people which is the collective name for all of our tribal nations here in Maine
all of our tribal nations here in Maine
all of our tribal nations here in Maine including my tribe the Penobscot nation
including my tribe the Penobscot nation
including my tribe the Penobscot nation as well as the past Makati mallocing
as well as the past Makati mallocing
as well as the past Makati mallocing Mi’kmaq tribes basket-making
Mi’kmaq tribes basket-making
Mi’kmaq tribes basket-making is an important tradition for a variety
is an important tradition for a variety
is an important tradition for a variety of reasons it is a source of income for
of reasons it is a source of income for
of reasons it is a source of income for families it connects us to traditional
families it connects us to traditional
families it connects us to traditional places and resources and it is part of
places and resources and it is part of
places and resources and it is part of one of our creation stories it is also
one of our creation stories it is also
one of our creation stories it is also the oldest documented arts tradition in
the oldest documented arts tradition in
the oldest documented arts tradition in New England and it is at the risk of
New England and it is at the risk of
New England and it is at the risk of being destroyed for our basket makers
being destroyed for our basket makers
being destroyed for our basket makers brown ash trees are the primary source
brown ash trees are the primary source
brown ash trees are the primary source material for our tradition in Maine
material for our tradition in Maine
material for our tradition in Maine there are three species of ash tree
there are three species of ash tree
there are three species of ash tree green brown and white and collectively
green brown and white and collectively
green brown and white and collectively they make up about 4 percent of our
they make up about 4 percent of our
they make up about 4 percent of our forests brown ash trees grow in much
forests brown ash trees grow in much
forests brown ash trees grow in much wetter areas compared to the other ash
wetter areas compared to the other ash
wetter areas compared to the other ash trees and this is part of what makes it
trees and this is part of what makes it
trees and this is part of what makes it such a good basket making material after
such a good basket making material after
such a good basket making material after processing it can be made supple again
processing it can be made supple again
processing it can be made supple again by wetting it after removing the bark
by wetting it after removing the bark
by wetting it after removing the bark processing is traditionally done with
processing is traditionally done with
processing is traditionally done with the butt of an axe head pounding out and
the butt of an axe head pounding out and
the butt of an axe head pounding out and separating the different layers of tree
separating the different layers of tree
separating the different layers of tree rings slowly working your way into the
rings slowly working your way into the
rings slowly working your way into the heart of the tree after further
heart of the tree after further
heart of the tree after further processing and stripping the material
processing and stripping the material
processing and stripping the material becomes so smooth and silk like it’s
becomes so smooth and silk like it’s
becomes so smooth and silk like it’s what makes it such a phenomenal basket
what makes it such a phenomenal basket
what makes it such a phenomenal basket in 2013 the invasive species called the
in 2013 the invasive species called the
in 2013 the invasive species called the emerald ash borer was found in the trees
emerald ash borer was found in the trees
emerald ash borer was found in the trees in New Hampshire
in New Hampshire
in New Hampshire this has potentially devastating
this has potentially devastating
this has potentially devastating consequences
consequences
consequences once it is discovered here in Maine
once it is discovered here in Maine
once it is discovered here in Maine most likely over the next couple of
most likely over the next couple of
most likely over the next couple of years it will kill most of our ash trees
years it will kill most of our ash trees
years it will kill most of our ash trees over the course of a couple of decades
over the course of a couple of decades
over the course of a couple of decades in particular you’ll kill most of the
in particular you’ll kill most of the
in particular you’ll kill most of the trees rely on for our basket making
trees rely on for our basket making
trees rely on for our basket making tradition first discovered in Detroit in
tradition first discovered in Detroit in
tradition first discovered in Detroit in 2002 the invasive emerald ash borer came
2002 the invasive emerald ash borer came
2002 the invasive emerald ash borer came from Asia in the 1980s or 90s on
from Asia in the 1980s or 90s on
from Asia in the 1980s or 90s on shipping pallets it kills all species of
shipping pallets it kills all species of
shipping pallets it kills all species of ash tree slowly girdling it underneath
ash tree slowly girdling it underneath
ash tree slowly girdling it underneath the Bark’s of the growth of its larvae
the Bark’s of the growth of its larvae
the Bark’s of the growth of its larvae this is what makes it so hard to detect
this is what makes it so hard to detect
this is what makes it so hard to detect additionally the adult ash borer it’s
additionally the adult ash borer it’s
additionally the adult ash borer it’s less than an inch long and likes to hang
less than an inch long and likes to hang
less than an inch long and likes to hang out up at the top of trees also making
out up at the top of trees also making
out up at the top of trees also making it very difficult to find human beings
it very difficult to find human beings
it very difficult to find human beings have also played a really important role
have also played a really important role
have also played a really important role in making it spread much more quickly
in making it spread much more quickly
in making it spread much more quickly than we first thought transporting
than we first thought transporting
than we first thought transporting unwittingly firewood from one location
unwittingly firewood from one location
unwittingly firewood from one location to the next you might see the signs
to the next you might see the signs
to the next you might see the signs don’t bring any firewood into Maine
don’t bring any firewood into Maine
don’t bring any firewood into Maine please don’t a lot of our problems in
please don’t a lot of our problems in
please don’t a lot of our problems in society are like the emerald ash borer
society are like the emerald ash borer
society are like the emerald ash borer there’s no clear or technical solution
there’s no clear or technical solution
there’s no clear or technical solution and requires us to bring many kinds of
and requires us to bring many kinds of
and requires us to bring many kinds of knowledge and many groups of people
knowledge and many groups of people
knowledge and many groups of people together to solve in their 1973 seminal
together to solve in their 1973 seminal
together to solve in their 1973 seminal article theories on a general dilemma of
article theories on a general dilemma of
article theories on a general dilemma of planning I know you all read it
planning I know you all read it
planning I know you all read it by the way Ritalin Weber talked about
by the way Ritalin Weber talked about
by the way Ritalin Weber talked about two classes or problems that we a
two classes or problems that we a
two classes or problems that we a society faced pain problems and wicked
society faced pain problems and wicked
society faced pain problems and wicked problems pain problems require know-how
problems pain problems require know-how
problems pain problems require know-how technical expertise will but they are as
technical expertise will but they are as
technical expertise will but they are as they sound able to be tamed through
they sound able to be tamed through
they sound able to be tamed through enough will and resources
enough will and resources
enough will and resources like delivering water to remote
like delivering water to remote
like delivering water to remote locations in the aftermath of a
locations in the aftermath of a
locations in the aftermath of a hurricane wicked problems on the other
hurricane wicked problems on the other
hurricane wicked problems on the other hand are much more difficult to define
hand are much more difficult to define
hand are much more difficult to define in our often society’s most difficult
in our often society’s most difficult
in our often society’s most difficult and urgent issues they also force us to
and urgent issues they also force us to
and urgent issues they also force us to confront our social cultural and
confront our social cultural and
confront our social cultural and experiential differences because they
experiential differences because they
experiential differences because they require many points of view to solve the
require many points of view to solve the
require many points of view to solve the emerald ash borer is a wicked problem
emerald ash borer is a wicked problem
emerald ash borer is a wicked problem when I returned to Maine in 2009 I was
when I returned to Maine in 2009 I was
when I returned to Maine in 2009 I was intent on making putting my fancy
intent on making putting my fancy
intent on making putting my fancy privileged education to use by
privileged education to use by
privileged education to use by supporting our cultural traditions in
supporting our cultural traditions in
supporting our cultural traditions in whatever way I could through the through
whatever way I could through the through
whatever way I could through the through education and research the thought of
education and research the thought of
education and research the thought of the emerald ash borer threatening our
the emerald ash borer threatening our
the emerald ash borer threatening our tradition scared me so I reached out to
tradition scared me so I reached out to
tradition scared me so I reached out to a group of allies and friends and figure
a group of allies and friends and figure
a group of allies and friends and figure out what could we do about this emerging
out what could we do about this emerging
out what could we do about this emerging threat as a native scholar committed
threat as a native scholar committed
threat as a native scholar committed doing research that benefits native
doing research that benefits native
doing research that benefits native people I also knew that a thoughtful
people I also knew that a thoughtful
people I also knew that a thoughtful culturally appropriate process would be
culturally appropriate process would be
culturally appropriate process would be required to address this wicked problem
it’s a wicked problem we quickly put
it’s a wicked problem we quickly put together a diverse group of people
together a diverse group of people
together a diverse group of people basket makers tribal government folks
basket makers tribal government folks
basket makers tribal government folks state and federal foresters university
state and federal foresters university
state and federal foresters university researchers to come together to address
researchers to come together to address
researchers to come together to address this problem we also put at the
this problem we also put at the
this problem we also put at the forefront of our research project
forefront of our research project
forefront of our research project Wabanaki knowledge in diplomacy Wabanaki
Wabanaki knowledge in diplomacy Wabanaki
Wabanaki knowledge in diplomacy Wabanaki diplomacy which is rooted in our
diplomacy which is rooted in our
diplomacy which is rooted in our Confederacy the Wabanaki Confederacy a
Confederacy the Wabanaki Confederacy a
Confederacy the Wabanaki Confederacy a historic and culture cross-cultural
historic and culture cross-cultural
historic and culture cross-cultural multinational alliance between the
multinational alliance between the
multinational alliance between the Penobscot Paso Quoddy McMackin Maliseet
Penobscot Paso Quoddy McMackin Maliseet
Penobscot Paso Quoddy McMackin Maliseet tribes not only up not only of Maine but
tribes not only up not only of Maine but
tribes not only up not only of Maine but also of the Maritime
also of the Maritime
also of the Maritime of Canada as reflected in our
of Canada as reflected in our
of Canada as reflected in our Confederacy Wabanaki diplomacy is a
Confederacy Wabanaki diplomacy is a
Confederacy Wabanaki diplomacy is a cross-cultural set of protocols on how
cross-cultural set of protocols on how
cross-cultural set of protocols on how to solve problems how to work together
to solve problems how to work together
to solve problems how to work together and we grew great inspiration from this
and we grew great inspiration from this
and we grew great inspiration from this I noticed something as we are doing our
I noticed something as we are doing our
I noticed something as we are doing our work
contemporary claims by native people and
contemporary claims by native people and Wabanaki in particular are similar in
Wabanaki in particular are similar in
Wabanaki in particular are similar in tone an issue to 18th and 19th century
tone an issue to 18th and 19th century
tone an issue to 18th and 19th century speeches and petitions that we issued so
speeches and petitions that we issued so
speeches and petitions that we issued so long ago in the 18th century we were
long ago in the 18th century we were
long ago in the 18th century we were intent on signing treaties that would
intent on signing treaties that would
intent on signing treaties that would prevent European incursion into our
prevent European incursion into our
prevent European incursion into our homelands and by the 19th century we
homelands and by the 19th century we
homelands and by the 19th century we were intent on maintaining our
were intent on maintaining our
were intent on maintaining our relationships to natural resources there
relationships to natural resources there
relationships to natural resources there are also guaranteed in treaties one of
are also guaranteed in treaties one of
are also guaranteed in treaties one of our petitions from 1821 shows something
our petitions from 1821 shows something
our petitions from 1821 shows something special about Wabanaki diplomacy in it
special about Wabanaki diplomacy in it
special about Wabanaki diplomacy in it we while we could make a claim to treat
we while we could make a claim to treat
we while we could make a claim to treat Indians and non-indians differently we
Indians and non-indians differently we
Indians and non-indians differently we actually say something more critical
actually say something more critical
actually say something more critical about who knows a resource and who could
about who knows a resource and who could
about who knows a resource and who could make a decision about planning for it
make a decision about planning for it
make a decision about planning for it especially in a time of scarcity in this
especially in a time of scarcity in this
especially in a time of scarcity in this petition it states in the time of our
petition it states in the time of our
petition it states in the time of our forefathers the Penobscot River provided
forefathers the Penobscot River provided
forefathers the Penobscot River provided for us all that we needed to make a
for us all that we needed to make a
for us all that we needed to make a living we ask that you make a law so
living we ask that you make a law so
living we ask that you make a law so that the white people and the Indians be
that the white people and the Indians be
that the white people and the Indians be / be permitted only to fish 2 days a
/ be permitted only to fish 2 days a
/ be permitted only to fish 2 days a week in the time of the salmon shad in
week in the time of the salmon shad in
week in the time of the salmon shad in alewife for a period of 5 years if you
alewife for a period of 5 years if you
alewife for a period of 5 years if you do so the fish will become plenty again
do so the fish will become plenty again
do so the fish will become plenty again as part of our project we are intent
as part of our project we are intent
as part of our project we are intent that different knowledge traditions
that different knowledge traditions
that different knowledge traditions could answer the fundamental question
could answer the fundamental question
could answer the fundamental question a good example of this is how we
a good example of this is how we
a good example of this is how we collectively decided to map the
collectively decided to map the
collectively decided to map the potential impacts of the emerald ash
potential impacts of the emerald ash
potential impacts of the emerald ash borer on all ash trees in Maine
borer on all ash trees in Maine
borer on all ash trees in Maine well government regulators and
well government regulators and
well government regulators and university researchers had great maps
university researchers had great maps
university researchers had great maps and statistical models our basket makers
and statistical models our basket makers
and statistical models our basket makers and resource gatherers were excellent at
and resource gatherers were excellent at
and resource gatherers were excellent at providing a level of detail that they
providing a level of detail that they
providing a level of detail that they lacked they lived with the resource
lacked they lived with the resource
lacked they lived with the resource every day and could tell us potential
every day and could tell us potential
every day and could tell us potential impacts that we just didn’t know about
for us this bringing together knowledge
for us this bringing together knowledge traditions form a critical basis of our
traditions form a critical basis of our
traditions form a critical basis of our research project as we progressed we
research project as we progressed we
research project as we progressed we faced even more difficult and wicked
faced even more difficult and wicked
faced even more difficult and wicked problems how would we respond when the
problems how would we respond when the
problems how would we respond when the emerald ash borer came on to tribal
emerald ash borer came on to tribal
emerald ash borer came on to tribal lands how would we collectively all work
lands how would we collectively all work
lands how would we collectively all work together to find a way to combat this
together to find a way to combat this
together to find a way to combat this invasive species as we looked around for
invasive species as we looked around for
invasive species as we looked around for answers to these questions we found that
answers to these questions we found that
answers to these questions we found that other states had done almost nothing to
other states had done almost nothing to
other states had done almost nothing to incorporate indigenous people into their
incorporate indigenous people into their
incorporate indigenous people into their planning in response and we were intent
planning in response and we were intent
planning in response and we were intent on doing it differently so we made sure
on doing it differently so we made sure
on doing it differently so we made sure to sign a series of multinational
to sign a series of multinational
to sign a series of multinational multilateral agreements that would
multilateral agreements that would
multilateral agreements that would include basket makers into whatever
include basket makers into whatever
include basket makers into whatever response we came up with it’s
response we came up with it’s
response we came up with it’s interesting that I thought first going
interesting that I thought first going
interesting that I thought first going into this project that the University
into this project that the University
into this project that the University researchers and government regulators
researchers and government regulators
researchers and government regulators would resist my approach of being
would resist my approach of being
would resist my approach of being culturally appropriate or inclusive of
culturally appropriate or inclusive of
culturally appropriate or inclusive of other forms of knowledge but it was just
other forms of knowledge but it was just
other forms of knowledge but it was just the opposite they knew the fundamental
the opposite they knew the fundamental
the opposite they knew the fundamental issues were hard to solve and they would
issues were hard to solve and they would
issues were hard to solve and they would often thank me in a way that was like
often thank me in a way that was like
often thank me in a way that was like hey we’re finally in the right room at
hey we’re finally in the right room at
hey we’re finally in the right room at the right time with the right people
the right time with the right people
the right time with the right people solving the right
solving the right
solving the right issues they were able to let go of their
issues they were able to let go of their
issues they were able to let go of their role as the only expert and really
role as the only expert and really
role as the only expert and really solved together with others who are very
solved together with others who are very
solved together with others who are very different than them a really urgent
different than them a really urgent
different than them a really urgent problem I recognize that Wabanaki
problem I recognize that Wabanaki
problem I recognize that Wabanaki diplomacy which I see as a tool as a
diplomacy which I see as a tool as a
diplomacy which I see as a tool as a critical tool for solving wicked
critical tool for solving wicked
critical tool for solving wicked problems cannot be used in every
problems cannot be used in every
problems cannot be used in every situation I would hope that it’s used
situation I would hope that it’s used
situation I would hope that it’s used that we use these tools when we as
that we use these tools when we as
that we use these tools when we as Wabanaki people are impacted or our
Wabanaki people are impacted or our
Wabanaki people are impacted or our neighbors like all of you whether we use
neighbors like all of you whether we use
neighbors like all of you whether we use Wabanaki knowledge and diplomacy in
Wabanaki knowledge and diplomacy in
Wabanaki knowledge and diplomacy in dressing a wicked problem the lesson is
dressing a wicked problem the lesson is
dressing a wicked problem the lesson is so powerful don’t assume everyone is in
so powerful don’t assume everyone is in
so powerful don’t assume everyone is in the room when you’re trying to solve a
the room when you’re trying to solve a
the room when you’re trying to solve a wicked problem make sure you try to
wicked problem make sure you try to
wicked problem make sure you try to understand the problem from a bunch of
understand the problem from a bunch of
understand the problem from a bunch of different perspectives and speak
different perspectives and speak
different perspectives and speak yourself to a process that allows for
yourself to a process that allows for
yourself to a process that allows for different points of view and really
different points of view and really
different points of view and really stick with it you might just find the
stick with it you might just find the
stick with it you might just find the answers you need if not the ones you’re
answers you need if not the ones you’re
answers you need if not the ones you’re looking for thank you
looking for thank you
looking for thank you [Applause]
”
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