Wabanaki Windows 8/27/24: HIDDEN ELEMENTS – Blood Quantum

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: This episode will cover Blood Quantum and the influence it has played in the development of our Tribal Communities, membership numbers and our very identities. This is a highly controversial subject, there are no easy answers. We can only give a glimpse of history and our perspectives.

Guest/s:
Morgan Talty
, a Penobscot Nation Tribal Member and an award winning author. He is author of Night of the Living Rez, and his latest book, Fire Exit. Morgan is currently teaching creative writing at the University of Maine.

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