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Domtar gives island to Passamaquoddies --
Returned land includes tribal burial ground
Tuesday, May 14, 2002
BAILEYVILLE — A 25-acre island owned by the Passamaquoddy Tribe
for
thousands of years next week will be returned to its historical
owner, Domtar Industries Inc. officials announced Monday.
Located in Big Lake near Princeton, Gordon's Island holds a
special
significance to the Passamaquoddy because it is the site of an
ancient tribal burial ground.
Domtar acquired ownership of the island when it bought the Georgia-
Pacific pulp and paper mill.
Next week, Domtar officials and members of the Passamaquoddy Tribe
will hold a special ceremony to mark the beginning of a new
relationship. The event will be at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 21, on the
water's edge at Peter Dana Point at Indian Township.
Domtar spokeswoman Gaile Nicholson said the company will transfer the
deed to the Passamaquoddy "in the spirit of this new
relationship."
On hand to help celebrate the event will be: Raymond Royer, president
and chief executive officer of Domtar in Montreal, Indian Township
Tribal Gov. Richard Stevens and Pleasant Point Tribal Gov. Rick
Doyle.
"It is very important," Stevens said.
"We've tried for years to get the island returned to the
tribe, and
Domtar offered. It is one of those historical moments in terms of the
tribe acquiring the island and the generosity Domtar has shown in
turning over the island."
Doyle was unavailable for comment Monday.
Also at the ceremony will be Donald Soctomah, tribal representative
to the state Legislature, and Debby Feck, general manager of
Domtar's
Woodland pulp and paper mill.
Soctomah could not be reached for comment Monday night.
The tribe is the easternmost native group in the United States. The
Passamaquoddy have inhabited the land of eastern Maine and western
New Brunswick for 12,000 years. At one time there were 15,000 Indians
living in Maine, but by the 1800s that number had dwindled to 150
people.
Today there are around 3,000 Passamaquoddy tribal members. The tribe
owns and works 140,000 acres of forestland it owns, as well as 2,000
acres of blueberry fields. Tribal members also practice traditional
basket making and woodcrafts.
Domtar, which acquired the island when it purchased the mill in
Baileyville, is the third-largest producer of uncoated freesheet
paper in North American and the fourth largest in the world. It also
is a leading manufacturer of business papers, printing and publishing
papers and specialty and technical papers.
The Canadian-based company manages close to 22 million acres of
certified forestland in Canada and the United States, and produces
lumber and other wood products.
BANGOR, Me. (AP) -- Forestry and paper company Domtar Inc., which has
holdings in Maine, says it is donating a 10-hectare island that is the site
of an ancient burial ground to the Passamaquoddy Tribe.
Domtar, which owns a pulp and paper mill in Woodland, Me., and Passamaquoddy
leaders plan a ceremony next Tuesday to mark the transfer of the Gordon
Island deed to the Maine tribe.
Gordon Island is on Big Lake near Princeton in Washington County.
Passamaquoddy Gov. Richard Stevens said the tribe has been trying to regain
possession of the island for years and he praised Domtar, which is based in
Montreal, for its generosity in making the offer.
A spokesman for Domtar said the company hoped the gesture would mark the
beginning of a new relationship.
http://www.canoe.ca/CNEWSTopNews/domtar_may14-cp.html
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