I met with John Neptune, Penobscot Tribal Council Member, and our first conversation was if I ate fiddleheads. Fiddleheads is a edible fern that grows by the water and is a traditional food of the Penobscots. I told him that I did not eat fiddleheads and only had moose meat. During this time of the year, many people have already run out of their fiddleheads as they are collected in May and then stored and ate throughout the year.
John Neptune had a stash at his house so he invited me over for dinner to eat a traditional meal with moose meat and fiddleheads. It was awesome and tasted amazing!
He talked about the role of Tribal Council on his island, and how they are there to help out the community. He talked about the role of thinking seven generations ahead in considering decisions while on Council.
He works at the the Boys and Girls Club of the Penobscot Nation, which he started. He talks about the growth of the program which developed out of his house, and as I observed is a huge Adult Ally and Mentor to the youth there.
While there we talked about traditional food gathering, hunting, fishing as well.
It is very refreshing to meet tribal council members who think about the people first and see their position as a servant for the people instead of a politician.