Maine Memory Network

James Eric Francis Sr. (Penobscot) is a multi-media artist, a historian, and the Director of Cultural and Historic Preservation for the Penobscot Nation. His deep knowledge of Maine history, Penobscot culture, and Indigenous landscapes informs much of his creative output.

In 1755, in an attempt to clear the region for English-speaking settlements, Massachusetts lieutenant governor Spencer Phips issued proclamations that offered bounties for killing Native people. This proclamation required “his Majesty’s subjects of the province to embrace all opportunities of pursuing, captivating, killing, and destroying all and every” Penobscot citizens. Scalps were used as proof of the genocidal killings, with bounties ranging from £20 to £50 for men, women, and children of any age. By June 1756, the Massachusetts assembly voted to raise the bounty to £300 per person—equal to about $60,000 in 2020.

Describing the painting, Francis noted that, "The artwork urges the citizens of Maine to join hands with the Indigenous population of Maine and walk eternally into the future and move beyond the deadly acts of the past. The use of language, color, and symbolism helps to affirm our resilience as Penobscot people historically, presently, and into the future."

Francis meticulously painted a recreation the 1755 Phips Proclamation for the background of this monumental five by four foot work, with the Penobscot word for "We Walk On; Eternally" painted over the proclamation in red.

On May 1, 2020, Governor Janet Mills implemented stage one of Maine's Covid-19 pandemic response, which included requiring people to wear cloth face coverings in all public locations where six feet of physical distancing was difficult to maintain.

Masks have been a part of our lives for over a year. Collecting contemporary items—such as this face mask—are critical to helping future citizens understand historic events, such as the Covid-19 Pandemic of 2020-2021.

Artist Daniel Minter highlights African American history, the Underground Railroad, and the abolitionist movement in New England, particularly through images of the Abyssinian Meeting House in Portland, since his move to Maine in the early 2000s.

This artist print relief print titled "The Meeting House" shows the Abyssinian Meeting House much as it appears in 2021, undergoing an extensive renovation to preserve the original character and intention of the building.

The Abyssinian Religious Society was formed after African American parishioners of the Second Congregational Church in Portland refused to be segregated on balcony seating, and experienced animosity by White members who discouraged their attendance. The Meeting House, located at the corner of Mountfort and Newbury streets, was a stop on the Underground Railroad and operated until 1916.

Artist Daniel Minter has helped highlight African American history, the Underground Railroad, and the abolitionist movement in New England, particularly through images of the Abyssinian Meeting House in Portland, since his move to Maine in the early 2000s.

This artist print relief print titled "The Meeting House 2; All Present" shows the Abyssinian Meeting House full of life, along with items like shells, combs, and brooms relating to the history of Black communities in Maine. The Abyssinian Religious Society was formed after African American parishioners of the Second Congregational Church in Portland refused to be segregated on balcony seating, and experienced animosity by White members who discouraged their attendance. The Meeting House, located at the corner of Mountfort and Newbury streets, was a stop on the Underground Railroad and operated until 1916.

The Abyssinian Meeting House, as of 2021, is undergoing an extensive renovation to preserve the original character and intention of the building.

Paula Love Thorne, a member of the Penobscot Nation, made this corn basket made of ash and sweetgrass. Thorne hails from a long line of basketmakers. Her mentor was renowned Penobscot weaver, Christine Nicholas.

Baskets made in the forms of vegetables and fruits are common in Wabanaki culture. Wabanaki people, usually women, grew varieties of corn, beans, and squash in what are called Three Sisters planting mounds. Wabanaki diets also relied on foods like acorns and butternuts—trees that were decimated by European harvesting for timber and masts. The corn form could reflect tribal histories relating to the First Mother, who sacrificed her life to provide corn and food for the people.

Paula Love Thorne, member of the Penobscot Nation, made this ash and sweetgrass acorn basket. Thorne hails from a long line of basketmakers. Her mentor was renowned Penobscot weaver, Christine Nicholas.

Baskets made in the form of vegetables and fruits are common in Wabanaki culture. Wabanaki people, usually women, grew varieties of corn, beans, and squash in what are called Three Sisters planting mounds. Wabanaki diets also relied on foods like acorns and butternuts—trees that were decimated by European harvesting for timber and masts.

In 2017, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren was silenced by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell when she objected to the confirmation of Senator Jeff Sessions as U.S. Attorney General. She was attempting to read a letter from Coretta Scott King, widow of Martin Luther King. In defending his decision, McConnell said that Warren had been warned she was violating Senate rules but that, “Nevertheless, she persisted.”

Feminists quickly adopted this as a shorthand way to refer more broadly to women's persistence in breaking barriers, despite being silenced or ignored. In keeping with the theme of the “pussy hats,” this was sometimes written as “Purr-sisted.”

Ellen Crocker of Bethel was 78 when she attended the Women’s March in Augusta. She said, “I was at a loss as to what an old lady could do. I went on Etsy and found someone who would make me a batch of my design.” Her Purr-Sist buttons are a tip to Elizabeth Warren, pussy hats, and sisterhood.

A 13th generation Passamaquoddy basket weaver, Gabriel Frey learned to weave from his grandfather, Fred Moore. In 1998, when Moore was diagnosed with emphysema, Frey went to stay with and learn from him at Sipayik. Then 18, Frey learned how to prepare ash and make tools, and pack baskets.

Frey specializes in utility baskets of all sizes, most recently pushing the traditional art form into new realms of functional wearable art pieces, like this purse. Gabriel Frey has won numerous awards, including a 2019 United States Artists fellowship.

Jason K. Brown (Penobscot) and Donna Decontie Brown (Penobscot/Algonquin) are jewelry and fashion designers who celebrate their creativity and Penobscot heritage through their company, Decontie & Brown. Dawnland Couture “is the embodiment of the rising sun in the wild woods of Wabinakiland,” said Jason Brown. “It pays homage to our territory being the first place in North America to feel the touch of the sun.”

Brown noted in 2019 that Decontie & Brown’s fashion,
"Exposes people to what’s ancient about who we are as Indigenous people through our creativity, and we do it in a way that seems futuristic. It subliminally says, ‘We’re not going anywhere, we’re going to remember who we are.’ It’s ok to evolve, but we’ll still hold on to our culture and heritage."

Vogue Magazine featured Dawnland Couture in its coverage of the Santa Fe Indian Market in 2019. Photographer Tira Howard took this image.

Jason K. Brown (Penobscot) and Donna Decontie Brown (Penobscot/Algonquin) are jewelry and fashion designers who celebrate their creativity and Penobscot heritage through their company, Decontie & Brown.

Wabanaki people have always designed and decorated their clothing in beautiful and innovative ways. The 1865 photographs of Molly Molasses wearing her checkered coat, peaked hat, and trade silver inspired the Gingham Glam series.

Of this work, Jason Brown said,
"It’s a great honor to keep the spirit and memories of our ancestors alive through fashion and creativity. When a new creation is inspired by the old ones, we can feel them looking over our shoulder with pride, knowing that their beautiful energy will continue to move forward through the world."

Frances Soctomah (Passamaquoddy) apprenticed with Penobscot artist, Jennifer Sapiel Neptune, learning the art of beadworking.

An accomplished ash basketmaker, Soctomah's beadwork is inspired by the natural world, plants in particular. This pouch features blooms and leaves of wild strawberry plants.

Jennifer Sapiel Neptune, a member of the Penobscot Indian Nation and renowned basketmaker, taught herself to bead after studying designs on historic Wabanaki artwork in museum collections that inspired her artwork.

Historic pieces often include three leaf botanical references, which were intended for healing. The plant on this bag depicts a water lily.

Neptune talked about her inspirations, saying, “Sometimes I imagine these old beadworkers’ spirits hovering around while I work, guiding my hands and whispering, ‘do it this way,’ and ‘put that design over there.’ A lot of our traditions have slipped away or have totally been lost. But I really believe that it’s all still out there for us–if we just ask respectfully and then know how to listen.”

Settlement, logging operations, mills, and dams have obstructed and interfered with the passage of anadromous fish—like sturgeon, salmon, and shad—that migrate up the Penobscot River from the ocean to spawn.

Penobscot oral histories include stories about obligations to fish, but their migrations have been inhibited for over a century. With the removal of dams through the Penobscot River Restoration Project, the sturgeon, salmon, and shad are returning, along with language and cultural activities related to the fish.

James E. Francis, Sr. (Penobscot), the Tribal Historian and Director of Cultural and Historic Preservation for the Penobscot Nation, created this drum with the word "kapahse", the Penobscot name for sturgeon, to reflect the return of the fish and the culture.

This leather “American Eagle” brand jacket recalls a deep history to the past, and asserts that whatever a Native person is wearing—a beaded dress, jeans, a designer gown, or a painted jacket—they are “Indian.”

Gina Brooks is Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) from the St. Mary’s First Nation in Canada. She reclaims the power of the word—Indian—that was spoken to her family as an insult, using it instead in terms of the honor of being an Indian woman.

The jacket represents Brooks’s journey to recover lost opportunities due to years of colonialism, and recognizes a deeper relationship with spirituality, women’s leadership, obligations to the land, and language revitalization. Painted on the jacket are the words, "Indian", "Sacred", and the numbers "01/50" reflecting the Canadian government's categorization of Native people as being full (01) or half (50) Native--a system that is not supported by the Tribes.

Stephanie Cummings (1953-2019) of Portland, a member of the Temple Beth El in Portland received this Kiddush cup for her adult Bat Mitzvah. The Hebrew name "Beruriah" appears on the cup, which her family donated to the Maine Historical Society in 2019.