Exhibition
Adaptation and Resistance: Indigenous History of the Pejepscot RegionNotes
This undated photo of the cast of a Brunswick High School class play shows how the perception of Indigenous people in Brunswick in the twentieth century did not align with the actual history of the region, ignoring the existence of Abenaki people. One student, dressed as an “Indian chief,” is wearing clothes from multiple Indigenous cultures. When these portrayals are the norm, it forms the dominant perception of Indigenous people. In addition, popular portrayals are often negative, showing Indigenous people as one-dimensional, primitive, and living in the past. Learning about the true history of Abenaki people instead shows a culture that is constantly changing, with a complex history that informs their continued existence.
A black and white photograph of thirteen high school students dressed in costumes for an unidentified play performed at Brunswick High School, Brunswick, Maine. Undated.