Passamaquoddy language keeper and director and curator of the Sipayik Museum Dwyane Tomah will deliver a lecture titled “The Doctrine of Discovery from an Indigenous Perspective” from noon to 1:30 p.m. April 14 in the Bangor Room at the Memorial Union.
In his lecture, Tomah will discuss the hidden legacy of a 1493 Papal bull that is the basis of all European claims to Indigenous land in North America. He will explore the influence of language on land dispossession, and highlight the resurgence of Passamaquoddy-Wolastoqey language language. A full lunch of salad, sandwiches, and sides will be free for those who attend.
Tomah is a teacher of the Passamaquoddy language and culture. He is the youngest fluent speaker of the tribe and has served on the Tribal Council. Tomah has dedicated his life to working on language and cultural preservation and shares Native legends through song and dance. He has created a Passamaquoddy Language app compatible with Apple Inc. products, edited the Passamaquoddy dictionary and is currently working with the Library of Congress to translate the Passamaquoddy Wax Cylinders. The wax cylinder recordings are the first recordings in the world of Native languages.
