The 50th anniversary of the brutal killing of a Passamaquoddy man and the violent assault on another was marked in a somber ceremony of remembrance on November 14 at Sipayik. While the observance served to remember both Peter Francis and Christy Altvater, family members and friends also sought to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by not only the families -- as none of those who committed the crimes was ever convicted -- but by many tribal members who have endured a long history of failure by the state's criminal justice system.
     "We are all gathered here today because we feel the pain," stated Michael-Corey Hinton, a great-grandson of Peter Francis. He noted that 50 years ago five hunters from Massachusetts came to the reservation "with evil intentions and left a trail of destruction." The men had come looking for Passamaquoddy women and ended up killing Francis, a World War II veteran and tribal elder, and assaulting Christy Altvater, who never fully recovered. He ended up taking his own life in 1971. Four of the hunters were never charged, and only a manslaughter charge was brought against one of them. He was acquitted, following a trial in Machias that many considered a failing of the justice system.
     "The criminal justice system did not do justice for us," Hinton said of the not guilty verdict. He recalled that his great uncle, Peter Francis Jr., had once said, "There is no justice for us Indians. There never has been, is not now and never will be."
     That statement has resonated with Hinton, leading to his determination to seek justice. "The fight for justice is not over, and I will work with every breath in me to fight for justice for my family and the Altvater family and all who have suffered. The criminal justice system has failed us time and time again." He added, "The words I have spoken here today are not hollow."
     Passamaquoddy Rep. Matt Dana stated, "We're here to bring light to the systematic failure of the State of Maine to bring justice." Quoting Lois McMaster Bujold, he added, "The dead cannot cry out for justice. It is the duty of the living to do so for them."
     Penobscot Nation Chief Kirk Francis commented that "the shame of this injustice for five decades" has led to "people feeling they don't matter." He added, "You have the Penobscot Nation's unwavering support on this issue."
     The chair of the United South and Eastern Tribes' (USET) tribal justice committee, Penobsot Nation Police Chief Bob Bryant, stated, "Our justice system in Maine is broken. This case has created historical trauma that has lasted for generations." The police, he said, will never have the trust of the community when there is this type of justice system. He said the system "is full of racism," noting that the board of the Maine Criminal Justice Academy does not include any members of the Maine tribes. A USET task force is looking into these injustices, and the effort is gaining momentum.      He added, "We will change the broken and unjust system we're working in."
     Maria Girouard, a member of Maine-Wabanaki REACH who has worked on the issue of intergenerational trauma, pointed out that "a whole host of actions have been brought against Native people," from when Europeans first came and took the land, to the 1980 Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act. "Native people are very tenacious as well. The solution to healing is deep in our culture," she noted. "Healing will come when we act on the trauma that exists in all of us." She added, "Our ancestors want us to be happy and vital and thriving."
     Filled with emotion, Randy Hinton, a grandson of Peter Francis, spoke about when he would hear stories about his grandfather, who was killed when he was 55. "I do my best to try and paint a picture of what my grandfather could have been had he lived," he said. "He still had years left to contribute to his people." Never in the 50 years since his grandfather was murdered "have I forgotten that moment," he said. His mother "asked me to keep the torch lit, and I did." His uncle Peter "challenged me and my son to do whatever possible to alleviate the hurt," he said, but justice still has not been found. "A cloud still hangs dark over this community."
     Jack Francis, a nephew of Peter Francis, said that his uncle "stood for courage and respect." When he was faced with a choice on whether or not to act when a woman was being raped, Jack said he stood up to defend the woman, even though the assailant "tried to chop my head off with an ax." He commented, "Sometimes courage hurts. Don't let people abuse people." He added, "Peter was my hero. That's why I did what I did."
     Chris Sepsa Altvater, a grandson of Christy Altvater, related one of many stories told about his grandfather -- how he went into Eastport to buy new shoes for children living at the reservation. "That was the man Christy was -- the values he held." He commented that the gathering was "a day to honor Christy and Peter for their values and their courage and their honor to protect their family."
     "Let's remember that we're the People of the Dawn, and respect and care for and love one another," Altvater asked of those at the gathering. "Let's just be a community."
     Noting that he and others were "taken in" by the Altvater family and that he thought of Christy's wife Rita like a mother, Gary Moore related that when he was younger he had been angry about the injustices he has felt. But when he lost his sister in a drowning accident, he started learning how to forgive and began enjoying life. "I had to forgive in order to grow and to learn," Moore said. "It's a healing process for us. We have to let go of the feelings of anger." Noting that he had learned much from the Altvater family, he said, "Forgiveness is the best thing we can do for ourselves in order to grow and be happy."
     The ceremony included an honor song by the Huntley Brook drum group, an honor guard gun salute followed by the playing of "Taps," a traditional blessing given by Ruby Richter and a Catholic blessing by Deacon Rick Phillips-Doyle. When he first came to the area, Jim Santos had been asked by Christy Altvater to write a song about what had happened, and he sang it during the gathering. He noted, "It's a sad honor, but it is an honor -- to give that back to the people."