I am writing to express concern over the Wabanaki Alliance, a private nonprofit, presenting itself as the public voice for the sovereign Penobscot Nation. This organization is not a tribal government, yet it frequently speaks on behalf of the Nation without direct accountability to Penobscot citizens.

Sovereignty means self-representation. It means that elected tribal leaders and citizens (not nonprofits) decide what is said in the name of the Nation. When the Wabanaki Alliance testifies before lawmakers or organizes events, the public is often led to believe it reflects the official position of all Wabanaki tribes, including Penobscot. But that’s not always the case.

Even more troubling is the exclusion of Penobscot citizens who disagree with the Alliance’s approach. There have been instances of tribal members being denied access to events or communications simply for expressing dissent. That’s not advocacy, it’s discrimination.

Supporting Wabanaki sovereignty means supporting open, representative governance by the Nations themselves. Nonprofits like the Wabanaki Alliance can play a role in solidarity, but they must not overshadow or replace the voice of the people.

If we truly believe in Indigenous self-determination, we must listen to the people of tribal nations directly, not to organizations that claim to speak for them while silencing their own citizens.

Lisa Montgomery
Citizen, Penobscot Nation and Former Penobscot Nation Tribal Councilwoman
Indian Island