🐟 Passamaquoddy

Who Are the Passamaquoddy?

The Passamaquoddy are an Algonquian-speaking people of eastern Maine and New Brunswick, with approximately 3,700 members in two communities: Sipayik (Pleasant Point) and Motahkmikuk (Indian Township). Their name "Peskotomuhkati" means "Those Who Pursue Pollock"—a saltwater fish central to their coastal economy. They speak Passamaquoddy-Maliseet, an Algonquian language with approximately 500 speakers—relatively healthy for an Eastern language. The Passamaquoddy, part of the Wabanaki Confederacy, never signed treaties ceding their lands—a fact central to the landmark 1980 Maine Indian Claims Settlement that became a model for eastern land claims.

Land Claims Victory

The 1980 Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act resolved claims to approximately two-thirds of Maine—12.5 million acres taken without federal approval required by the 1790 Trade and Intercourse Act. The Passamaquoddy and Penobscot received $81.5 million to purchase 300,000 acres, plus a $27 million trust fund. This settlement—the largest eastern land claims resolution—established precedent for other tribes. The case, brought by young lawyer Tom Tureen, nearly succeeded in returning much of Maine to tribal ownership before Congress intervened with the settlement. It demonstrated that eastern tribes had viable legal claims despite centuries of dispossession.

Sovereignty Limitations

The 1980 settlement came with strings: Maine tribes were made subject to state law in ways other tribes are not. This unique limitation has created ongoing conflicts. Gaming is prohibited; environmental regulation is shared with the state; criminal jurisdiction is contested. The Passamaquoddy have fought to clarify and expand their sovereignty. Recent federal legislation (2020s) has addressed some limitations, recognizing that the settlement's trade-offs were one-sided. The struggle demonstrates that federal recognition does not guarantee full sovereignty—and that tribes must constantly defend their governmental authority.

Contemporary Passamaquoddy

Modern Passamaquoddy pursue economic development within sovereignty constraints. Without gaming, economic options are limited; the tribe has invested in various enterprises including fish processing and wood products. Language revitalization is relatively successful—Passamaquoddy has more speakers than most Eastern Algonquian languages, supported by immersion programs and documentation efforts. Basket making and other traditional arts continue. Environmental protection of Passamaquoddy Bay and inland waters is a priority. The tribe participates in Wabanaki Confederacy activities with Penobscot, Maliseet, and Mi'kmaq. How Passamaquoddy expand sovereignty while maintaining language and culture shapes their future in Downeast Maine.

References

• Brodeur, P. (1985). Restitution: The Land Claims of the Mashpee, Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot Indians of New England
• Francis, D. A. & Leavitt, R. M. (2008). A Passamaquoddy-Maliseet Dictionary
• Prins, H. E. L. (1996). The Mi'kmaq: Resistance, Accommodation, and Cultural Survival