Thoreau Wabanaki Cruise

This program aboard the Katahdin is made in partnership with the annual Thoreau-Wabanaki Trail Festival, dedicated to encouraging understanding and stewardship of the Maine Woods natural and cultural heritage; inspiring spiritual renewal in the North Woods for all Maine residents and visitors.

Penobscot Sense of Place with James E. Francis, Sr.
Hear first-hand about the Native American legend of Mt. Kineo, and how moose are part of the creation story, in "Penobscot Sense of Place" with James E. Francis, Sr., director of Penobscot Nation Cultural and Historic Preservation. Place traces the Wabanaki origins of Maine geographic names that many people will recognize. Explore the Penobscot relationship to the landscape, Penobscot lore and legend, and home ties to these woods and waters. A dynamic speaker, at once funny and informative, he also brings to light naturalist writer Henry David Thoreau's life-long relationship to Indian culture, and how his experiences with Penobscot guides
through the Moosehead Lake region influenced his American classic.

 "The Maine Woods." The Birch Bark Canoe with Jason Pardilla
Also opening the 2026 Festival will be Jason Pardilla, a Penobscot Guide and birch bark canoe builder. Jason will bring a traditional Penobscot birch bark canoe aboard the Kate, where guests can see the up close and hands-on the construction design of these ancient canoes. Join Jason as he tells the story of how a birch canoe is built, its history, paddling techniques and the differences in how a birch bark handles in the water compared to a wood and canvas and more modern canoes. In 1853, Penobscot Guide Joseph Attien took Thoreau on a birch bark canoe journey along traditional Wabanaki water ways, steaming first up Moosehead Lake in a boat much like the
Katahdin.

Biographies
James Eric Francis Sr. serves as the Director of Cultural and Historic Preservation, Tribal Historian, and Chair of the Penobscot Tribal Rights and Resource Protection Board for the Penobscot Nation. As a historian, he explores the relationship between Maine Native Americans and the land. Before his current roles, James contributed to the Wabanaki Studies Commission, assisting with the implementation of Maine's Native American Studies Law in schools. He is a member of the Abbe Museum's Board of Trustees and Abbe Council. He is a co-founder and Chair of Local Context, an initiative dedicated to supporting Indigenous communities in managing their cultural heritage and intellectual property. He serves on the University of Maine's Hudson Museum Advisory Board and chairs the Maine Archives Board. James is also a visual artist, photographer, filmmaker, painter, and graphic artist.

Jason Pardilla is a member of the Penobscot Nation and a Penobscot Nation Council member. He has been paddling anoes in the traditional territory of the Penobscots since the 1970s, from the headwaters to the ocean. Jason has participated in several group projects building birch bark canoes. He shares his extensive knowledge of canoes and waterways while guiding people for the Penobscot Nation's Cultural Tourism Program.