Wabanaki Windows 8/26/25: Breaking the Silence

Host: Donna Loring
Other credits: Technical assistance for the show was provided by Joel Mann of WERU, and Jessica Lockhart.
Music by Ralph Richter, a track called little eagles from his CD Dream Walk.

Wabanaki Windows is a monthly show featuring topics of interest from a Wabanaki perspective.

This month: We discuss a statement by the Wolastoqewi-Mothers, Grandmothers and Aunties.

Guest/s:
Prof. Darren Ranco
, a member of the Penobscot Nation, Professor of Anthropology and Chair of Native American Studies at the University of Maine.
Prof Rebecca Sockbeson, citizens of the Penobscot Nation.
Winona LaDuke, Anishinaabe Leader and Activist.

FMI:
babesabouttown.com/2021/05/talk-to-our-children-about-palestine/
www.youtube.com/shorts/ZkHnFqmdRxc
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVC8EYd_Z_g
rethinkingschools.org/articles/talking-to-young-children-about-gaza/

About the host:
Donna M Loring is a Penobscot Indian Nation Tribal Elder, and former Council Member. She represented the Penobscot Nation in the State Legislature for over a decade. She is a former Senior Advisor on Tribal Affairs to Governor Mills. She is the author of “In The Shadow of The Eagle A Tribal Representative In Maine”. Donna has an Annual lecture series in her name at the University of New England that addresses Social Justice and Human Rights issues. In 2017 She received an Honorary Doctoral Degree in Humane Letters from the University of Maine Orono and was given the Alumni Service Award. It is the most prestigious recognition given by the University of Maine Alumni Association. It is presented Annually to a University of Maine graduate whose life’s work is marked by outstanding achievements in professional, business, civic and/or Public service areas. Donna received a second Honorary Doctorate from Thomas College in May of 2022

Wabanaki Windows 7/22/25: Korean & WWII History and Veterans

Producer/Host: Donna Loring
Other credits: Technical assistance for the show was provided by Joel Mann of WERU, and Jessica Lockhart.
Music by Ralph Richter, a track called little eagles from his CD Dream Walk.

Wabanaki Windows is a monthly show featuring topics of interest from a Wabanaki perspective.

This month: The historic background of Korean and WWII, and some stories of Wabanaki Veterans and their names.

Guest/s:
Prof. Darren Ranco
, a member of the Penobscot Nation, Professor of Anthropology and Chair of Native American Studies at the University of Maine.

Prof. Harald Prins, emeritus at Kansas State University.

About the host:
Donna M Loring is a Penobscot Indian Nation Tribal Elder, and former Council Member. She represented the Penobscot Nation in the State Legislature for over a decade. She is a former Senior Advisor on Tribal Affairs to Governor Mills. She is the author of “In The Shadow of The Eagle A Tribal Representative In Maine”. Donna has an Annual lecture series in her name at the University of New England that addresses Social Justice and Human Rights issues. In 2017 She received an Honorary Doctoral Degree in Humane Letters from the University of Maine Orono and was given the Alumni Service Award. It is the most prestigious recognition given by the University of Maine Alumni Association. It is presented Annually to a University of Maine graduate whose life’s work is marked by outstanding achievements in professional, business, civic and/or Public service areas. Donna received a second Honorary Doctorate from Thomas College in May of 2022

Maine Currents 7/8/25: “In the Shadow of the Eagle” at the Abbe Museum

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

A new exhibition at the Abbe Museum in Bar Harbor is named for Donna Loring’s 2008 book, “In the Shadow of the Eagle: A Tribal Representative in Maine”, and curated by Donna (who also hosts Wabanaki Windows here on WERU) and her regular contributor Professor Darren Ranco, among others. A group of folks involved with the exhibition sat down recently to talk about what went into putting it together, the connections with Donna’s book, and how decolonization efforts at the museum are going. Click on the links below for more information about each of the guests.

Guests:
Donna Loring, former tribal representative to the Maine legislature, Veteran, author/researcher, and award-winning host of Wabanaki Windows on WERU-FM

Betsy Richards, Executive Director, Abbe Museum

Dr. Aaron Miller, Luce Curator of Exhibits, Abbe Museum

Dr. Darren Ranco, Professor of Anthropology and Coordinator of Native American Research and co-curator of the exhibition

James Francis, Penobscot Nation’s Director of Cultural and Historic Preservation, Tribal Historian, Chair of Penobscot Tribal Rights and Resource Protection Board, and artist whose work is part of the exhibition

Wabanaki Windows archives

About the Host:
Amy Browne started out at WERU as a volunteer news & public affairs producer in 2000, co-hosting/co-producing RadioActive with Meredith DeFrancesco. She joined the team of Voices producers a few years later, and has been WERU’s News & Public Affairs Manager since January, 2006. In addition to RadioActive, Voices and Maine Currents, she also produced and hosted the WERU News Report for several years. She has produced segments for national programs including Free Speech Radio News, This Way Out, Making Contact, Workers Independent News, Pacifica PeaceWatch, and Live Wire News, and has contributed to Democracy Now and the WBAI News Report. She is the recipient of the 2014 Excellence in Environmental Journalism Award from the Sierra Club of Maine, and the First Place 2017 Radio News Award from the Maine Association of Broadcasters.

Wabanaki Windows 6/24/25: Chief Orono and Wabanaki Veterans

Producer/Host: Donna Loring
Other credits: Technical assistance for the show was provided by Joel Mann of WERU, and Jessica Lockhart of WMPG.
Music by Ralph Richter, a track called little eagles from his CD Dream Walk.

Wabanaki Windows is a monthly show featuring topics of interest from a Wabanaki perspective.

This month: Who Chief Orono was and about Wabanaki Veterans and their service.

Guest/s:
Prof. Darren Ranco
, a member of the Penobscot Nation, Professor of Anthropology and Chair of Native American Studies at the University of Maine.

Prof. Harald Prins, emeritus at Kansas State University.

James Francis, Director of Cultural Preservation and Historian at the Penobscot Nation.

About the host:
Donna M Loring is a Penobscot Indian Nation Tribal Elder, and former Council Member. She represented the Penobscot Nation in the State Legislature for over a decade. She is a former Senior Advisor on Tribal Affairs to Governor Mills. She is the author of “In The Shadow of The Eagle A Tribal Representative In Maine”. Donna has an Annual lecture series in her name at the University of New England that addresses Social Justice and Human Rights issues. In 2017 She received an Honorary Doctoral Degree in Humane Letters from the University of Maine Orono and was given the Alumni Service Award. It is the most prestigious recognition given by the University of Maine Alumni Association. It is presented Annually to a University of Maine graduate whose life’s work is marked by outstanding achievements in professional, business, civic and/or Public service areas. Donna received a second Honorary Doctorate from Thomas College in May of 2022

Wabanaki Windows 5/27/25: Vermont Recognized Tribes

Producer/Host: Donna Loring
Other credits: Technical assistance for the show was provided by Joel Mann of WERU, and Jessica Lockhart of WMPG.
Music by Ralph Richter, a track called little eagles from his CD Dream Walk.

Wabanaki Windows is a monthly show featuring topics of interest from a Wabanaki perspective.

This month: The creation of Tribes by the State and what the process is for recognition and how groups of people who have no ancestral history of being Native becoming recognized as Tribes can be harmful to those Tribes who do have a ancestral history and are recognized by other Tribes and the Federal government.

Guest/s:
Prof Darren Ranco
, a member of the Penobscot Nation, Professor of Anthropology and Chair of Native American Studies at the University of Maine.

Mali Obomsawin, is Abenaki and a citizen of the Odanak Nation. She is an internationally renowned musician recently nominated for her work in the film Sugar Cane. Mali is also a Social Justice Activist who is working to bring to light issues that stem from the State Recognition of five Tribes in Vermont

Prof. Harald Prins, Emeritus Kansas State University.

About the host:
Donna M Loring is a Penobscot Indian Nation Tribal Elder, and former Council Member. She represented the Penobscot Nation in the State Legislature for over a decade. She is a former Senior Advisor on Tribal Affairs to Governor Mills. She is the author of “In The Shadow of The Eagle A Tribal Representative In Maine”. Donna has an Annual lecture series in her name at the University of New England that addresses Social Justice and Human Rights issues. In 2017 She received an Honorary Doctoral Degree in Humane Letters from the University of Maine Orono and was given the Alumni Service Award. It is the most prestigious recognition given by the University of Maine Alumni Association. It is presented Annually to a University of Maine graduate whose life’s work is marked by outstanding achievements in professional, business, civic and/or Public service areas. Donna received a second Honorary Doctorate from Thomas College in May of 2022

Wabanaki Windows 3/25/25: Federal and State Tribal Recognition & The Effects of Creating New Tribes

Producer/Host: Donna Loring
Other credits: Technical assistance for the show was provided by Joel Mann of WERU, and Jessica Lockhart of WMPG.
Music by Ralph Richter, a track called little eagles from his CD Dream Walk.

Wabanaki Windows is a monthly show featuring topics of interest from a Wabanaki perspective.

This month: Federal and State Tribal Recognition & The Effects of Creating New Tribes
a) Historical Background on the issue
b) What is required by the Federal Government for Tribal Recognition
c) What is required by The States/ What is wrong with States creating new tribes

Guest/s:
Prof Darren Ranco
, a member of the Penobscot Nation, Professor of Anthropology and Chair of Native American Studies at the University of Maine.

Mali Obomsawin, is Abenaki and a citizen of the Odanak Nation. She is an internationally renowned musician recently nominated for her work in the film Sugar Cane. Mali is also a Social Justice Activist who is working to bring to light issues that stem from the State Recognition of five Tribes in Vermont

Prof. Harald Prins, Emeritus Kansas State University.

About the host:
Donna M Loring is a Penobscot Indian Nation Tribal Elder, and former Council Member. She represented the Penobscot Nation in the State Legislature for over a decade. She is a former Senior Advisor on Tribal Affairs to Governor Mills. She is the author of “In The Shadow of The Eagle A Tribal Representative In Maine”. Donna has an Annual lecture series in her name at the University of New England that addresses Social Justice and Human Rights issues. In 2017 She received an Honorary Doctoral Degree in Humane Letters from the University of Maine Orono and was given the Alumni Service Award. It is the most prestigious recognition given by the University of Maine Alumni Association. It is presented Annually to a University of Maine graduate whose life’s work is marked by outstanding achievements in professional, business, civic and/or Public service areas. Donna received a second Honorary Doctorate from Thomas College in May of 2022

Wabanaki Windows 2/25/25: Native American Citizenship Under the US Constitution

Producer/Host: Donna Loring
Other credits: Technical assistance for the show was provided by Joel Mann of WERU, and Jessica Lockhart of WMPG.
Music by Ralph Richter, a track called little eagles from his CD Dream Walk.

Wabanaki Windows is a monthly show featuring topics of interest from a Wabanaki perspective.

This month: Native American Citizenship under the US Constitution as it relates to the Trump Administration questioning Native American birthright citizenship.

Guest/s:
Prof. Harald Prins, Emeritus Kansas State University.

Prof. Rebecca Tsosie, professor of law at University of Arizona.

About the host:
Donna M Loring is a Penobscot Indian Nation Tribal Elder, and former Council Member. She represented the Penobscot Nation in the State Legislature for over a decade. She is a former Senior Advisor on Tribal Affairs to Governor Mills. She is the author of “In The Shadow of The Eagle A Tribal Representative In Maine”. Donna has an Annual lecture series in her name at the University of New England that addresses Social Justice and Human Rights issues. In 2017 She received an Honorary Doctoral Degree in Humane Letters from the University of Maine Orono and was given the Alumni Service Award. It is the most prestigious recognition given by the University of Maine Alumni Association. It is presented Annually to a University of Maine graduate whose life’s work is marked by outstanding achievements in professional, business, civic and/or Public service areas. Donna received a second Honorary Doctorate from Thomas College in May of 2022

Wabanaki Windows 12/24/24: Blood Quantum Interview with Carrie Schuettpelz

Producer/Host: Donna Loring
Other credits: Technical assistance for the show was provided by Joel Mann of WERU, and Jessica Lockhart of WMPG.
Music by Ralph Richter, a track called little eagles from his CD Dream Walk.

Wabanaki Windows is a monthly show featuring topics of interest from a Wabanaki perspective.

This month: Effects of Blood Quantum and what choices Tribal Governments may make in future.

Guest/s:
Prof. Harald Prins, Emeritus Kansas State University.

Prof. Darren Ranco, a member of the Penobscot Nation and Professor of Anthropology and Chair of Native American Studies at the University of Maine.

About the host:
Donna M Loring is a Penobscot Indian Nation Tribal Elder, and former Council Member. She represented the Penobscot Nation in the State Legislature for over a decade. She is a former Senior Advisor on Tribal Affairs to Governor Mills. She is the author of “In The Shadow of The Eagle A Tribal Representative In Maine”. Donna has an Annual lecture series in her name at the University of New England that addresses Social Justice and Human Rights issues. In 2017 She received an Honorary Doctoral Degree in Humane Letters from the University of Maine Orono and was given the Alumni Service Award. It is the most prestigious recognition given by the University of Maine Alumni Association. It is presented Annually to a University of Maine graduate whose life’s work is marked by outstanding achievements in professional, business, civic and/or Public service areas. Donna received a second Honorary Doctorate from Thomas College in May of 2022