ORONO, Maine (AP) The University of Maine says it’s signing a memorandum of understanding with an American Indian tribe to help steward the tribe’s heritage and history.
The university says it will sign the agreement with Penobscot Nation on May 10. University of Maine President Susan J. Hunter and Penobscot Nation Chief Kirk Francis will be among leaders planning to attend a ceremony at Hudson Museum in Orono.
The agreement will impact several facets of how the university handles tribal resources. The university’s anthropology department, for example, holds collections of Penobscot archaeological artifacts. UMaine says it will begin a collaborative cataloging process with the tribe.
The University of Maine Press also publishes Penobscot materials through a relationship with the tribe. The school says the tribe will hold copyright when it’s a publication’s author.
