Land Acknowledgement

The Maine Outdoor Film Festival recognizes the ancestral Waponahki (Wabanaki) Confederacy people as the original stewards of this land in which we live, work, learn, recreate, create, and commune. We acknowledge the painful history of genocide and forced removal from this territory and we honor and respect the many diverse Indigenous peoples stewarding this land on which we gather and find inspiration.

As MOFF looks to spread joy and understanding through this festival celebrating the power and beauty of nature, we invite participants to consider expressing gratitude and appreciation to those on whose territory we reside, and to take action through environmental and cultural conservation efforts to support not only the traditional stewards but those of the future as well.

Why does MOFF have a land acknowledgement?
It is important to seek understanding of the long-standing history which has brought colonizers to reside on this land, and for each of us to understand our place within that history. The sharing of perspectives, history, and story is a basic tenet of MOFF and we welcome all views. At the same time, we strive to elevate a more accurate history by sharing more of the voices which have been hidden and erased due to colonization, racism and bias. MOFF’s team wants our festival to encourage dialogue within our community through film, outdoor experience and meaningful exchanges. We aim to make programming choices that are inclusive in origin, subject, and backstory with a core focus in outdoor conservation and exploration. We recognize we have work to do across all parts of our business in the pursuit of racial equity, diversity, and inclusion; and we pledge to revisit the language and content of this land acknowledgement as we deepen our understanding.

Further Reading:
Advocacy:
The Maine Indian Tribal-State Commission (MITSC)
Maine-Wabanaki REACH

Education:
People of the First Light at the Abbe Museum
Maine Native Studies Resources
Native-Land.ca: Mapping the Wabanaki Confederacy
Penobscot Nation Museum
University of Maine Hudson Museum
Waponahki Museum Resource Center

Content & Media:
Dawnland Signals on WERU
Dawnland: A Film by the Upstander Project
Waponahki People: Understanding the Gift of Legacy… (Elizabeth Neptune at TEDxDirigo)