The Penobscot (Panawahpskek) are a sovereign people indigenous to what is now Maritime Canada and the northeastern United States, particularly Maine. They were (and are) significant participants in the historical and present Wabanaki Confederacy, along with the Abenaki, Passamaquoddy, Maliseet, and Mi’kmaq nations.
The word “Penobscot” originates from a mispronunciation of their name “Penawapskewi.” The word means “rocky part” or “descending ledges” and originally referred to the portion of the Penobscot River between Old Town and Bangor. The tribe has adopted the name Penobscot Indian Nation.
Text adapted from Wikipedia’s article on the Penobscot people/a>