Wabanaki Perspective on Kennebec River Damming
An op-ed by Mali Obomsawin in the Daily Bulldog
Published on March 15, 2021
For millennia, the Kennebec River was the nucleus of Wabanaki food-systems, diplomacy, and ceremonial life. After hundreds of years of industrial development, it has become unsustainable for Wabanaki peoples and our aquatic relatives alike. The future of Atlantic Salmon and several other sea-run fish now hinges on the restoration of this waterway.
The five Wabanaki nations are often described as “riverine” peoples, because the interconnected waterways of our homelands are a vital part of our cultural identities and sustenance. We have always traversed our vast territory by canoe, considering the Kennebec River as both a relative in herself and a means to reach our relatives throughout our kinship network. Using the Kennebec River system (the second largest in Maine), one can access the St. Lawrence, Androscoggin, Allagash, St. John, St. Croix, Aroostook, Sebasticook, Penobscot, and Machias rivers, and the open ocean.