“I Spy” New Wabanaki Interpretive Signs in Yarmouth!

After three years in the making, there are now beautiful interpretive signs in the Riverfront Woods Preserve on which our Wabanaki partners and neighbors share their history and culture in their own words. The tribal language used in the preserve is Passamaquoddy/Maliseet, one of the four original languages still spoken in this territory. 

The signs invite visitors of all ages to learn by reading, playing “I Spy” games, engaging with artwork by Wabanaki artist Norma Randi Marshall, and using QR codes to watch videos and listen to traditional stories, songs, and pronunciation guides, provided by Passamquoddy Language Keeper Dwayne Tomah. As Sophie Burchell, Portland Press Herald staff writer, put it in her article on Oct 10: “Passamaquoddy/Maliseet words can be heard in the woods of Yarmouth once again.  Use this PPH link to read the full article.

Passamaquoddy language keeper Dwayne Tomah offered music and blessings at the Riverfront Woods Preserve sign dedication ceremony on October 19, 2025.

Residents who have experienced the new signs describe learning more than they ever knew about the Wabanaki way of life. They had fun using the pronunciation guide and trying to say words in the language. The artwork was gorgeous and made them curious and joyful! They found that they wanted to walk slowly and softly in between the signs, that their minds quieted, that their senses tuned into everything around them. Some felt awe and reverence for the long history of the indigenous people with this land, an openness to building relationships in the present, and a budding hope for the future. 

The trail head is at the end of Riverfront Drive, which is a left turn off of East Elm Street coming from town, before you get to the intersection with North Road. Note: No dogs or bikes are allowed in this park in order to prioritize the peaceful nature of the place.

This project began when YCARE and the town asked the Yarmouth Rotary Club to apply for a grant to install permanent signage acknowledging Wabanaki history and presence in the area. YCARE, Rotary, town, and tribal representatives worked together on what should appear on the signs.

More interpretive signs for Yarmouth's other parks and lands are already underway! We will follow the same methods and format as Riverfront Woods, and we will endeavor to highlight other Wabanaki languages still used here in The Dawnland. Funding for this next part of the project has been generously provided through a grant from the Maine Coast Heritage Foundation (MCHT) and private donations.

Please contact us if you’d like to volunteer or otherwise support the work!