Donald Soctomah facts for kids

Donald Soctomah was born in 1955. He is a Native American author, filmmaker, historian, and politician. He is a member of the Passamaquoddy tribe.

Donald Soctomah works to protect important cultural places, old objects, and traditional knowledge for his tribe. He works with both the United States and Canadian governments to do this. He has written several books about the history of the Passamaquoddy people. He also wrote a children's book called Remember Me: Tomah Joseph's Gift to Franklin Delano Roosevelt and another called The Canoe Maker.

Many people know Donald Soctomah as a very important member of the Passamaquoddy tribe. He was on a TV show called Colonial House in 2004. This show was filmed on Passamaquoddy land. He has also appeared in many films about his tribe's history and legends. These films were shown on channels like PBS, Animal Planet, and Canadian Broadcasting.

Education and Learning

Donald Soctomah studied Forest Management at the University of Maine. He earned his bachelor's degree in 1984. He also continued his studies in forestry in 1998. In 2006, he received a special doctorate degree in Humanities from the University of Maine at Machias.

Working in Politics

Donald Soctomah served for eight years in the Maine House of Representatives. He was a representative for the Passamaquoddy Tribe. During his time there, he helped pass important laws.

• He helped protect Native American burial sites.
• He worked to protect Native American archaeological sites.
• He made sure that all schools in Maine (from kindergarten to 12th grade) teach about Wabanaki history.
• He also helped remove offensive names from places in Maine. For example, in 2000, he helped change the names of more than 25 places called "Squaw Mountain."

Protecting Tribal History

As the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, Donald Soctomah often helps with history and education projects. These projects include films, CDs, and books. He has worked to list all the Passamaquoddy place names in Maine. He has also worked hard to help keep the Passamaquoddy language alive.

Donald Soctomah also runs the Passamaquoddy tribal museum. He helped create a big exhibit called "People of the Dawn" in Calais, Maine. This exhibit shows copies of ancient rock carvings, some over 3,000 years old. One carving shows a 17th-century sailing ship. Donald Soctomah also added a very old wampum belt to the exhibit.

In 2015, the Maine Humanities Council gave Donald Soctomah a special award. It was called the Constance H. Carlson Prize. He received it for his great work in sharing public humanities in Maine.

He also received the International Guardian of Culture and Lifeways Award in 2015. This award was given in Washington D.C. at a conference for Indigenous Archives, Libraries, and Museums. He also received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his work. This award honors people who have greatly helped save and understand indigenous cultural heritage.