State of Maine
DEPARTMENT OF INDIAN AFFAIRS
Augusta, Maine
GENERAL INFORMATION
The Department of Indian Affairs was created by the 102nd Legislature "to exercise general supervision over the Indian tribes." The act transferred "the duties and powers heretofore given the Commissioner of Health and Welfare relating to Indians, except their education" to the new Department. (22, MRSA s.4702) Responsibility for Indian education was transferred by the 102nd Legislature to the State Department of Education effective July 1, 1966. (22, MRSA s. 4838)
The first State Commissioner of Indian Affairs was sworn into office on November 1, 1965 and assumed financial responsibility for the Department on January 3, 1966. On that date, Maine became the first of fifty states to possess a state department devoted to the needs and desires of Indian citizens. The Indian tribes of Maine, in common with those of other eastern states but unlike the majority of western tribes, have never been under the jurisdiction of the two Federal agencies devoted to Federal Indian administration: namely, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (U.S. Dept. of the Interior) and the U. S. Public Health Service's Division of Indian Health (U.S. Dept. of Health, Education and Welfare.
Primary program attention is currently directed to those tribal members residing on the Three Tribal Reservations within the State. These reservations are the Penobscot River islands from Oldtown to Mattawakeag (of which only Indian Island at Oldtown is currently inhabited), of the Penobscot Tribe; the Pleasant Point Reservation near Perry and the Indian Township Reservation near Princeton, of the Passamaquoddy Tribe.
At present, there are approximately 600 Penobscot Tribal members residing on Indian Island, approximately 350 Passamaquoddy Tribal members residing on the Pleasant Point Reservation, and approximately 250 Passamaquoddy Tribal members residing on the Indian Township Reservation (largely in the Princeton "Strip" and Peter Dana Point communities).
Each of the three Reservations elects, biennially, a Tribal Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Tribal Council. Each of the two tribes also elects a biennial Representative to the State Legislature.
In assuming transferred responsibility for existing Indian affairs programs, the new Department found a major responsibility to be the continuation of a general assistance program, similar to that administered by many towns and municipalities, as well as by the Division of General Assistance (State Dept. of Health and Welfare), for "unsettled" State residents. In addition, it was found that a small start had been made in the past toward providing technical and financial assistance for physical Reservation development ( in such areas as housing, water and sanitation).
The Department's present goals and programs include the following:
(1) Continuation of general assistance programs for indigent tribal members residing on-Reservations as long, and to such extent, as needed:
(2) Continuation, at an accelerated rate, of needed physical development programs on all Reservations, making full use of Federal program funds where available, particularly in such areas as housing, water, sanitation and construction of community buildings, all of which have been identified by the Tribal Councils as being of critical importance;
(3) Initiation of programs aimed at human and community development, utilizing all available State and Federal Resources (with particular reference to provisions of the Economic Opportunity Act) based on expressed needs of the Indian people:
(4) Constant cooperation with the State Department of Education, the Board of Education, University of Maine, private agencies and groups, etc., in efforts to upgrade existing levels of education, particularly with high school graduates and adults;
(5) Cooperation with all State and Federal Agencies involved in man-power training, employment and economic development, in efforts to upgrade the existing economic levels of the Reservations and of individual tribal members.
Present Departmental program staff consists of the Commissioner and a Clerk-Stenographer in the Augusta office; a Field Agent and a Clerk-Typist in an office in Calais, Maine (to serve the two Passamaquoddy Reservations). It is anticipated that the increasing program activities of the Department will generate need for additional staff at both the State and Reservation levels in times to come. In August, 1966, The American Friends Service Committee assigned to the Department for one year a staff member to assist in the development of Reservation housing - and - construction programs, by working with Tribal members, State agencies and Federal officials.
Initial program activity, based on the needs of the Indian people through their elected leaders since January, 1966, include: continuation of general assistance programs, assistance in the preparation of three VISTA applications to the Office of Economic Opportunity; help in obtaining permission for the two tribes to apply for Community Action Programs from the OEO; initial training and upgrading of the six Indian Constables (two appointed by the tribal Governors and Councils for each Reservation); initial exploration with the Indian people on each Reservation of potential low-income housing programs of the Public Housing Administration; preparation (with outside assistance) of cost estimates for basic Reservation improvement projects; and a number of individual Indian projects in which assistance was possible. Considerable legislation was prepared with the consent of the Tribes for introduction to the 103rd Legislative session.
EDWARD C. HINCKLEY
Commissioner
(Rev. May 1967)
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