Finding a sense of belonging, especially in Maine, can mean many things – it can be about an actual place. But it can also be about making a space to be. To live on your own terms and be seen and valued. To not only be remembered, but to help inform the future. We begin with a story about a woman who makes a choice about her home that stuns her community and leads to a criminal investigation. And then we hear the words and stories of a people and place that were almost erased, but are finding new ways to reach people through the work of teachers and artists dedicated to speaking and writing in Penobscot.
In 2019, Julie Conquest reached out to a woman who was suddenly at the center of a flurry of local news coverage. A body had been discovered in a backyard in Norway, Maine, triggering an investigation by the Maine State Police. Lay My Body Right Here is Vernelle Jackson’s account of what happened, and why she buried Mae Shelton at her home. It’s a moving reflection on friendship, promises, and choices. The story itself is still unfolding – Vernelle is facing trial for several charges, though a date has not yet been set.
Featuring: Vernelle Jackson
Town: Norway | County: Oxford
Jamie Gareh sets out to tell the story of the first and only book fully written in the Penobscot language, and gets to know a much larger story about the power of remembering. Carol Dana recounts her deeply personal conviction to hold onto the Penobscot language by making sure the words and stories of her ancestors are learned and used by new generations. This piece shares the title of the graphic novel that Carol helped produce: Still They Remember Me.
Featuring: Carol Dana
Town: Indian Island | County: Washington
https://www.umasspress.com/9781625345790/still-they-remember-me/