Fighting Indians: A film screening and conversation
On May 16th, 2019, The State of Maine made history by passing LD 944 An Act to Ban Native American Mascots in All Public Schools, the first legislation of its kind in the country. For Maine’s tribal nations, the landmark legislation marked an end to a decades-long struggle to educate the public on the harm caused by the appropriation of Native American mascots.
Fighting Indians chronicles the last and most contentious holdout in that struggle, the homogeneously white Skowhegan High School, known for decades as “The Home of the Indians.” This is the story of a small New England community forced to reckon with its identity, its sordid history, and future relationship with its Indigenous neighbors. It is the story of a small town divided against the backdrop of a nation divided, where the “mascot debate” exposes centuries-old abuses while asking if reconciliation is possible.
Following the screening, attendees will have the opportunity to engage in a talkback about the film with filmmakers Mark Cooley and Derek Ellis and Passamaquoddy language-keeper Dwayne Tomah.
Learn more about the Permanent Commission, the Place Justice Project, and the full event series.