This Author Talk is a free, public event hosted by the Jesup Library.

A New York Times, The Boston Globe, Vulture, Boston.com, Daily Beast, Esquire, Good Housekeeping, LitHub, Book Riot and WBUR Best Book of Summer. A Most Anticipated Book of the Year at LitHub, Book Riot, and Paste

Set in a Native community in Maine, Night of the Living Rez is a riveting debut collection about what it means to be Penobscot in the twenty-first century and what it means to live, to survive, and to persevere after tragedy.

In twelve striking, luminescent stories, author Morgan Talty―with searing humor, abiding compassion, and deep insight―breathes life into tales of family and a community as they struggle with a painful past and an uncertain future. A boy unearths a jar that holds an old curse, which sets into motion his family’s unraveling; a man, while trying to swindle some pot from a dealer, discovers a friend passed out in the woods, his hair frozen into the snow; a grandmother suffering from Alzheimer’s projects the past onto her grandson; and two friends, inspired by Antiques Roadshow, attempt to rob the tribal museum for valuable root clubs.

A collection that examines the consequences and merits of inheritance, Night of the Living Rez is an unforgettable portrayal of an Indigenous community and marks the arrival of a standout talent in contemporary fiction.

Following our Digital AMIM Kick-Off Party join us for the Digital Abbe Museum Indian Market on Saturday, May 15th from 12 to 6 pm!

Event-goers will have the chance to meet some of the 2021 Abbe Museum Indian Market artists, learning more about them, their process, and their body of work. Allowing artists to connect directly with the community to educate and also sell their wares. In addition to spotlighting artists, Digital AMIM will include performances (ranging from dancers to singers, and everything in between) and educational programming.

Ways to connect:
We will be going live at 5 pm on Friday, May 14th. The event can be viewed either through the Zoom platform or through the Abbe’s YouTube or Facebook Live.

The Abbe Museum is thrilled to announce the return of its Indigenous Film Festival, held in conjunction with the Digital Abbe Museum Indian Market. This celebration of Indigenous storytelling features films that center Native themes, world-views, and perspectives. For the safety and convenience of our guests, this year’s film festival will be hosted entirely online. Advanced registration is required for each film, and space is limited.

Reserve your free ticket here >

About the Film:
Kuessipan tells the story of Mikuan (Sharon Fontaine-Ishpatao) and Shaniss (Yamie Grégoire), two friends whose friendship is tested by their diverging ambitions. This coming-of-age story, set in a Quebec Innu community, is humorous, tender, and heartbreaking. This adaptation of Naomi Fontaine’s acclaimed novel is told through an Indigenous lens, but its themes are universally rooted in friendship, dreams, and the power of community

We invite you to join us at the Digital AMIM Kick-Off Party! This new for 2021 event invites you to celebrate the weekend's activities through a welcome from our Executive Director, Chris Newell, and two performances from some amazing Wabanaki artists, Firefly the Hybrid (Penobscot) and Jennifer Pictou (Mi'kmaq)!

Ways to connect:
We will be going live at 5 pm on Friday, May 14th. The event can be viewed either through the Zoom platform or through the Abbe’s YouTube or Facebook Live.

Join the Emmy winning team behind DAWNLAND for a special digital screening of DEAR GEORGINA in this special live event presented by the Upstander Project in partnership with the Abbe Museum Indian Market.

In DEAR GEORGINA Passamaquoddy elder Georgina Sappier-Richardson journeys into an unclear past to better understand herself and her cultural heritage.

Join filmmaker Adam Mazo, learning director Mishy Lesser and Abbe Museum Executive Director Chris Newell (Passamaquoddy) for the post-film Q & A moderated by Claudia Fox Tree (Arawak/Yurumein).

Register for the screening here >

Learn more about the film and watch the trailer at upstanderproject.org

Thank you to event sponsor Mass. Center for Native American Awareness (MCNAA)

Donations equally support the Abbe Museum's Wabanaki Youth Art program and Upstander Project.

Digital AMIM will be a one-day online event scheduled from 2 - 9 pm on Saturday, May 16, 2020. Event-goers will have the chance to meet some of the 2020 Abbe Museum Indian Market artists, learning more about them, their process, and their body of work. Allowing artists to connect directly with the community to educate and also sell their wares. In addition to spotlighting artists, Digital AMIM will include performances (ranging from dancers to singers, and everything in between) and educational programming. At the end of the evening, from 8 - 9 pm, there will be a film screening and panel discussion.

For additional information and updates about the event, click here >

The Abbe Museum is proud to host the annual Native American Festival, in partnership with the Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance. Come experience the diversity and complexity of Wabanaki art, along with dancing, drumming, and artist demonstrations. This family event is a favorite for many, and a sure sign that summer is here!

Location: Abbe Museum Backyard

This event is free with donation. Doors open at 10:00 am. No admittance before 10:00 is permitted. Dogs and smoking are not allowed on Abbe grounds.

For more information contact Abbe Museum Curator of Education Starr Kelly, at (207) 288-3519 or starr@abbemuseum.org.

The Abbe Museum and Reel Pizza Cinerama are partnering to present the region’s only Indigenous Film Festival during the Abbe Museum Indian Market, May 17-20. Each evening will feature films by and about Indigenous peoples, presenting stories often overlooked in the film industry. Tickets are $8 per film and will be available at the Reel Pizza box office.

On the slopes of an active volcano in Guatemala, a marriage is arranged for seventeen-year-old María (María Mercedes Coroy) by her Kaqchikel parents. In this brilliant debut by Guatemalan filmmaker Jayro Bustamante is a mesmerizing fusion of fact and fable, a dreamlike depiction of the daily lives of Kaqchikel speaking Mayans on a coffee plantation at the base of an active volcano. Immersing us in its characters' customs and beliefs, Ixcanul chronicles, with unblinking realism, disappearing traditions and peoples.

Click here to learn more about the event and films >

The Abbe Museum and Reel Pizza Cinerama are partnering to present the region’s only Indigenous Film Festival during the Abbe Museum Indian Market, May 17-20. Each evening will feature films by and about Indigenous peoples, presenting stories often overlooked in the film industry. Tickets are $8 per film and will be available at the Reel Pizza box office.

Presenting a tale within a tale, this Australian film follows Dayindi (Jamie Gulpilil), a young aboriginal warrior, as he wanders the wilderness hunting for eggs. Dayindi hears a story told by his brother Minygululu (Peter Minygululu), which echoes his own situation. A man who lusts after his brother's wife, the character in the tale kills a member of another tribe and faces dire consequences, with the story's ending reverberating in Dayindi's own life.

Click here to learn more about the event and films >

The Abbe Museum and Reel Pizza Cinerama are partnering to present the region’s only Indigenous Film Festival during the Abbe Museum Indian Market, May 17-20. Each evening will feature films by and about Indigenous peoples, presenting stories often overlooked in the film industry. Tickets are $8 per film and will be available at the Reel Pizza box office.

When a prominent Kitasoo/Xai’Xais activist (Evan Adams) passes away, his 14-year-old niece Ella (Ta’Kaiya Blaney) makes it her mission to take his ashes home to Klemtu and stand in his place at a community gathering against a proposed pipeline that would bring oil tankers through their beloved homeland waters. Along for the journey are her aunt, cousin, and cranky uncle (Lorne Cardinal). Zoe Hopkins’s first feature film is a delightful family adventure that speaks to our hearts and minds about the importance of protecting our lands for future generations. 

Click here to learn more about the event and films >

The Abbe Museum and Reel Pizza Cinerama are partnering to present the region’s only Indigenous Film Festival during the Abbe Museum Indian Market, May 17-20. Each evening will feature films by and about Indigenous peoples, presenting stories often overlooked in the film industry. Tickets are $8 per film and will be available at the Reel Pizza box office.

Songs My Brothers Taught Me is a compelling and complex portrait of modern day life on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. It explores the bond between a brother (John Reddy) and his younger sister (Jashaun St. John), who find themselves on separate paths to rediscovering the meaning of home. The film sensitively infiltrates isolated Indian Country to offer a rare, modern gaze keenly felt through the eyes of its magnetic non-professional lead actors, presenting a universally resonant tale.

Click here to learn more about the event and films >

The Abbe Museum and Reel Pizza Cinerama are partnering to present the region’s only Indigenous Film Festival during the Abbe Museum Indian Market, May 17-20. Each evening will feature films by and about Indigenous peoples, presenting stories often overlooked in the film industry. Tickets are $8 per film and will be available at the Reel Pizza box office.

On the slopes of an active volcano in Guatemala, a marriage is arranged for seventeen-year-old María (María Mercedes Coroy) by her Kaqchikel parents. In this brilliant debut by Guatemalan filmmaker Jayro Bustamante is a mesmerizing fusion of fact and fable, a dreamlike depiction of the daily lives of Kaqchikel speaking Mayans on a coffee plantation at the base of an active volcano. Immersing us in its characters' customs and beliefs, Ixcanul chronicles, with unblinking realism, disappearing traditions and peoples.

Click here to learn more about the event and films >

Modeled after markets like the Heard and Santa Fe (SWAIA) , the Abbe Museum Indian Market is the first multi-day event of its kind in New England that invites Native American artists from across North America to participate, with the goal of developing Bar Harbor as THE destination for Northeastern Native Art .

Learn more through this link!

The Abbe Museum and Reel Pizza Cinerama are partnering to present the region’s only Indigenous Film Festival during the Abbe Museum Indian Market, May 17-20. Each evening will feature films by and about Indigenous peoples, presenting stories often overlooked in the film industry. Tickets are $8 per film and will be available at the Reel Pizza box office.

Songs My Brothers Taught Me is a compelling and complex portrait of modern day life on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. It explores the bond between a brother (John Reddy) and his younger sister (Jashaun St. John), who find themselves on separate paths to rediscovering the meaning of home. The film sensitively infiltrates isolated Indian Country to offer a rare, modern gaze keenly felt through the eyes of its magnetic non-professional lead actors, presenting a universally resonant tale.

Click here to learn more about the event and films >

The Abbe Museum and Reel Pizza Cinerama are partnering to present the region’s only Indigenous Film Festival during the Abbe Museum Indian Market, May 17-20. Each evening will feature films by and about Indigenous peoples, presenting stories often overlooked in the film industry. Tickets are $8 per film and will be available at the Reel Pizza box office.

In Maine, a historic investigation—the first government-sanctioned truth and reconciliation commission (TRC) in the United States—is the start of a bold journey. For over two years, Native and non-Native commissioners travel across Maine. They gather testimony and bear witness to the devastating impact of the state’s child welfare practices on families in Maliseet, Micmac, Passamaquoddy and Penobscot communities of the Wabanaki Nation.
The feature-length documentary DAWNLAND follows the TRC to contemporary Wabanaki communities to witness intimate, sacred moments of truth-telling and healing. With exclusive access to this groundbreaking process and never-before-seen footage, the film reveals the untold narrative of Indigenous child removal in the United States.

Click here to learn more about the event and films >

The Abbe Museum Indian Market Fashion Show highlights the work of Indigenous fashion designers who draw inspiration from their tribal identities to present their culture through a modern lens. This year's designers are ACONAV (Acoma Pueblo/Navajo), Ingrid Brooks (Mi'kmaq), Leslie Deer (Muskogee Nation of Oklahoma), Niio Perkins (Haudenosaunee), Dawn Spears (Narragansett/Choctaw). VIP tickets are available for purchase ahead of the event. VIPs will get exclusive seating during the fashion show and be invited to a reception directly after to mix & mingle with the designers, plus get to see the designs close up — all with some good food and beverages.

The Abbe Museum and Reel Pizza Cinerama are partnering to present the region’s only Indigenous Film Festival during the Abbe Museum Indian Market, May 17-20. Each evening will feature films by and about Indigenous peoples, presenting stories often overlooked in the film industry. Tickets are $8 per film and will be available at the Reel Pizza box office.

Presenting a tale within a tale, this Australian film follows Dayindi (Jamie Gulpilil), a young aboriginal warrior, as he wanders the wilderness hunting for eggs. Dayindi hears a story told by his brother Minygululu (Peter Minygululu), which echoes his own situation. A man who lusts after his brother's wife, the character in the tale kills a member of another tribe and faces dire consequences, with the story's ending reverberating in Dayindi's own life.

Click here to learn more about the event and films >

The Abbe Museum and Reel Pizza Cinerama are partnering to present the region’s only Indigenous Film Festival during the Abbe Museum Indian Market, May 17-20. Each evening will feature films by and about Indigenous peoples, presenting stories often overlooked in the film industry. Tickets are $8 per film and will be available at the Reel Pizza box office.

In Maine, a historic investigation—the first government-sanctioned truth and reconciliation commission (TRC) in the United States—is the start of a bold journey. For over two years, Native and non-Native commissioners travel across Maine. They gather testimony and bear witness to the devastating impact of the state’s child welfare practices on families in Maliseet, Micmac, Passamaquoddy and Penobscot communities of the Wabanaki Nation.
The feature-length documentary DAWNLAND follows the TRC to contemporary Wabanaki communities to witness intimate, sacred moments of truth-telling and healing. With exclusive access to this groundbreaking process and never-before-seen footage, the film reveals the untold narrative of Indigenous child removal in the United States.

Click here to learn more about the event and films >

The Abbe Museum and Reel Pizza Cinerama are partnering to present the region’s only Indigenous Film Festival during the Abbe Museum Indian Market, May 17-20. Each evening will feature films by and about Indigenous peoples, presenting stories often overlooked in the film industry. Tickets are $8 per film and will be available at the Reel Pizza box office.

When a prominent Kitasoo/Xai’Xais activist (Evan Adams) passes away, his 14-year-old niece Ella (Ta’Kaiya Blaney) makes it her mission to take his ashes home to Klemtu and stand in his place at a community gathering against a proposed pipeline that would bring oil tankers through their beloved homeland waters. Along for the journey are her aunt, cousin, and cranky uncle (Lorne Cardinal). Zoe Hopkins’s first feature film is a delightful family adventure that speaks to our hearts and minds about the importance of protecting our lands for future generations. 

Click here to learn more about the event and films >

Join us in celebrating the opening of the 2nd Abbe Museum Indian Market on Friday, May 17 at 5 pm with local cuisine, a special performance, and the opportunity to mingle with participating Native artists. And new for 2019 we will be having a People’s Choice and Artists Choice competition, you won’t want to miss it.

Join us at the Abbe Museum on Thursday, March 21 from 5 to 7 pm for the opening of our newest exhibit - wolankeyutomun: Take Care of Everything. This exhibit, a collaboration with Maritime Indigenous Artists, Inc., explores the protection of waters sacred to the Wabanaki and the conservation of sea-life living in those waters. It features original artwork created by Indigenous artists living in the New England region of the United States and the Canadian Maritimes.

Tickets for the opening are $10 per person and can be purchased here. Abbe members are free and for this event Indigenous people are invited as our special guests.

To learn more, please contact the Abbe Museum at info@abbemuseum.org or 207-288-3519.