The BCB Center for Compassion is located in Portland, Maine, which was settled on the traditional territory of the Wabanaki Confederacy.
We recognize and honor the current Tribes who comprise the Wabanaki Confederacy—the Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Maliseet, and Micmac peoples—who have stewarded this land throughout the generations. We respect the traditional values of these Tribes and affirm their inherent sovereignty in this territory. We support their efforts for land and water protection and restoration, and for cultural healing and recovery.
We pause in remembrance of the Tribes of the Wabanaki Confederacy whose lives and land were taken through genocidal strategies of colonial settlement of this land.
We pay respect to elders both past and present, and we commit to the ongoing work of decolonization in Maine and beyond.
Yet it is not enough to simply say these words: we must take direct action as well.
The BCB Center for Compassion teaches contemplative practices designed to deepen compassion; these practices are a powerful tool in undoing systemic oppression and racism. We invite you to join us in this work. The resources below are a great starting point as you contemplate your position relative to the land you occupy, but we encourage you to dig deeper, as well–to seek out additional information and to build authentic connections within your own communities.
General Resources
Acknowledging the Land – this piece from Wabanaki REACH’s Executive Director Maria Girouard is a great place to start if you are drafting a land acknowledgement (whether spoken or written)
Native Land Map – Enter an address and this interactive map can identify traditional indigenous territories, native languages spoken in that area, and the treaties that apply to that land.
Why acknowledge land/territory?
‘I regret it’: Hayden King on writing Ryerson University’s territorial acknowledgement
Native Languages of the Americas
Native Arts and Cultures Foundation
Indigenous Environmental Network
Maine-Specific Resources
Passamaquoddy Tribe of Indian Township
Passamaquoddy Peoples’ Knowledge Portal
“Bounty”, a short film from the Upstander Project