Description

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Sockabasin, renowned storyteller and author, draws on memories and oral tradition to tell the story of the isolated Passamaquoddy village in Maine that he called home in the 1940s and 1950s.

When Allen was a child in the 1940s and 1950s, his village was isolated and depended largely on subsistence hunting and fishing, working in the woods, and seasonal harvesting work for its survival. Passamaquoddy was its first language, and the tribal traditions of sharing and helping one another ensured the survival of the group.

To the outside world, they lived in poverty, but Allen remembers a life that was rich and rewarding in many ways. He recalls the storytellers, tribal leaders, craftsmen, basketmakers, hunters, musicians, and elders who are still his heroes, and he explains why preserving the Passamaquoddy traditions and language is so critical to his people's survival in modern times. Many rare photographs illustrate this fascinating memoir.

About the Author

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Allen Sockabasin is a Passamaquoddy who devotes much of his time to teaching and preserving the Passamaquoddy language.  A master musician, he has written, performed, and recorded Passamaquoddy stories and songs.  He has been a tribal governor, a member of the tribal council, director of child welfare for his tribe, and a health educator.  In 2010, he received the Sampson Center Catalyst for Change Award, which recognizes those who work for human and civil rights in Maine. His is the father of five grown children and a young son named Zoo Sap.

Praise For…

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Offers
a compelling and often gut-wrenching account of how the Passamaquoddy people
experienced the twentieth

century.
— Erik C. Jorgensen, Executive Director, Maine Humanities Council

Allen Sockabasin comes across as a visionary.
— Maine Sunday Telegram