Dawnland Signals, a live monthly talk show holding space for critical conversations of Truth, Healing, and Change in the Dawnland, ran from April 2020 to February 2023. Highlighting Indigenous topics not immediately represented in mainstream media, the show featured guests involved in various aspects of truth, healing, and change work in an effort to share, inspire, and inform.
The show was hosted by Wabanaki REACH Executive Director Maria Girouard and volunteer Esther Anne.
All episodes are archived on the WERU website. You may also access them from the list below.
2/16/23 – FINALE - the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). Guests: Norma Saulis, ICWA Director and Tribal Court Administrator for the Mi’kmaq Nation located in Presque Isle, Maine, and Xi Chen, Maine Assistant Attorney General, Child Protection Division. They talk with us about the Indian Child Welfare Act, its history and recent news.
1/19/23 – Guest: Melody Paul. We welcome back Melody, to talk about her new book Walking the Recovery Road: The Steps Taken.
11/17/22 - Decolonizing Museums. Guests: Nolan Altvater, Passamaquoddy of Sipayik who serves as Curator of Education for the Abbe Museum, and Julia Gray, Executive Director, Wilson Museum, Castine, and Abbe Museum Trustee
10/20/22 - Beyond the Claims - Stories from the Land & the Heart. Guests: Kate Russell, Project Coordinator, and Tim Love, Project Contributor
9/15/22 - Legislation to Identify & Remove Offensive Place Names in Maine. Guest: Dr. Meadow Dibble, Director of Community-Engaged Research at the Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous, and Tribal Populations and founder of Atlantic Black Box
8/18/22 - Wendy Newell Dyer's Adoption Story. Guest: Wendy Newell Dyer, Passamaquoddy
7/21/22 - rerun of 6/17/21 show - Reclamation of Wabanaki culture and language. Guest: John Dennis, Miqmaw, Cultural Coordinator and Cultural and Historical Preservation Officer for the Mi’kmaq Nation
6/16/22 - rerun of 5/20/21 show - Wabanaki Authors: Storytelling and Writing from a Wabanaki Worldview. Guests: Morgan Talty, Penobscot, Associate Professor of English at Husson University, author of the book “Night of the Living Rez”; and Suzanne Greenlaw, Maliseet artist and PhD student; and Gabe Frey, artist and master basketmaker, authors of the children’s book “The First Blade of Sweetgrass”
5/19/22 – Indigenous Birthworkers. Guests: Dr. Jus Crea Giammarino and Taraè Ramos
4/21/22 – Clean, Safe Drinking Water for the People of Sipayik. Guests: Passamaquoddy Tribal Representative Rena Newell, and Holly Cleaves, Sipayik school board member
3/17/22 – Healing to Wellness Court: A model for restorative justice. Guests: Penobscot Tribal Nation Court: Magistrate Judge Rhonda DeContie (Penobscot/Algonquin) and Chief Judge Eric Mehnert
1/20/22 – The Road to Recovery. Guests: Brian Altvater Sr., Passamaquoddy and Melody Paul, Micmac
12/16/21 – The Power of Poetry. Guests: Mihku Paul, Maliseet and Penthea Burns, Wabanaki REACH Board Co chair
11/25/21 – If You Lived During the Plimoth Thanksgiving. Guest: Chris Newell, Passamaquoddy from Motahkmihkuk, author and Co-founder/Director of Education for Akomawt Educational Initiative
10/21/21 – Beyond the Claims – Stories from the Land and the Heart. Guests: Kate Russell, Wabanaki REACH Project Coordinator and Stephanie Bailey, Passamaquoddy from Motahkmihkuk and Project Story Collector
9/16/21 - Native activism at USM. Guest: Mihku Paul, Maliseet First Nations poet, visual artist, storyteller and activist
8/19/21 – Land back and the Passamaquoddy Tribe. Guests: Donald Soctomah, Passamaquoddy elder, historian, and Historic Preservation Officer; Dale Mitchell, Passamaquoddy elder at Sipayik, land steward
7/15/21 – Creative Changemakers: Midcoast Indigenous Awareness Group. Guests: Founding members of MIAG Mia Beale and Ron Nicholas Siviski, Maliseet
6/17/21 – Reclamation of Wabanaki culture and language. Guest: John Dennis, Miqmaw, Cultural Coordinator and Cultural and Historical Preservation Officer for the Mi’kmaq Nation
5/20/21 – Wabanaki Authors: Storytelling and Writing from a Wabanaki Worldview. Guests: Morgan Talty, Penobscot, Associate Professor of English at Husson University, author of the book “Night of the Living Rez”; and Suzanne Greenlaw, Maliseet artist and PhD student; and Gabe Frey, artist and master basketmaker, authors of the children’s book “The First Blade of Sweetgrass”
4/15/21 – Maine’s efforts to fully comply with the ICWA. Guests: Normal Saulis, Penobscot, ICWA Coordinator for Aroostook Band of Micmacs; Martha Proulx, Maine Office of Child and Family Services and ICWA Liaison; Xi Chen, Assistant Attorney General, Office of the Maine Attorney General
3/18/21 – Return to the Teachings 2, Wabanaki traditions. Guest: Wayne Newell, PhD, Passamaquoddy elder activist and scholar from Indian Township
2/18/21 - Community Theater. Guests: Carol Dana, Penobscot elder and language master; Margo Lukens, professor of English at UMO; Heather Augustine, Wabanaki REACH community organizer
1/21/21 – Return to the teachings. Guest: Dr. Imelda Perley Opolahsomuwehs, Maliseet First Nation, University of New Brunswick
12/17/20 – The Power of Song. Guests: Sarah Dewitt, Micmac; Suzie Lewey, Passamaquoddy; Julie Miller, Micmac- members of Mawitan’e E’pitjig; and Dwayne Soctomah, Passamaquoddy language teacher
11/19/20 – Land Acknowledgements. Guests: Dr. Darren Ranco, Penobscot, Chair Native American Programs, UMaine; Diane Oltarzewski, Belfast resident, Maine-Wabanaki REACH board
10/15/20 – Maine Indian Land Claims: Origins, Intent, and Outcome. Maria switched seats for this show taking on the guest role while Esther Ann hosted.
9/17/20 – Indigenous Knowledge of Love. Special guest: Dr. Rebecca Sockbeson, Penobscot, Associate Professor for the Indigenous People Education Program, University of Alberta
8/20/20 – Tribal Language Revitalization. Special guest: Carol Dana, Penobscot Language Keeper
7/16/20 – Tribal Sovereignty. Special guests: Mark Chavaree, Penobscot, Michael Corey Hinton, Passamaquoddy Tribe, and Penthea Burns, Wabanaki REACH
6/18/20 – Remembering the Truth Commission in Maine. Special guests: Carol Wishcamper, Sandy Whitehawk, and Gail Werrbach – all served as commissioners on the historic Maine Wabanaki-State Child Welfare Truth and Reconciliation Commission
5/21/20 – Food as Medicine. Special guests: Alivia Moore, Penobscot, co-founder Eastern Woodlands Rematriation, Brian Altvater, Passamaquoddy, Wabanaki REACH and co-founder Schoodic Riverkeepers
4/16/20 DEBUT – The Power of Talking Circles. Guest: Alivia Moore, Penobscot, circle facilitator for Wabanaki REACH