Donna Abbott
Donna "Wolf Mother" Abbott | |
|---|---|
| Born | Dorchester County, Maryland |
| Alma mater | Chesapeake College |
| Occupation(s) | Tribal chief, radiologist |
| Organization | Nause-Waiwash Band of Indians |
| Known for | First woman chief of Nause-Waiwash Band of Indians |
| Children | 1 |
| Honours | Maryland Women's Hall of Fame |
Donna "Wolf Mother" Abbott is the first woman chief of the Nause-Waiwash Band of Indians and the first woman chief known in Maryland state history. In 2025, Abbott was named to the Maryland Women's Hall of Fame.
Biography
Abbott was raised in Robbins, a small community in Dorchester County, Maryland. She grew up in a family that worked on the water, fishing, and trapping.[1] Abbott attended Chesapeake College[2] and spent thirty years in a career in radiology.[3]
Nause-Waiwash Band of Indians
In 1988, a nonprofit organization named the Nause-Waiwash Band of Indians was formed by descendants from the Nanticoke and Choptank tribes.[4][5][6] The Nause-Waiwash Band of Indians aims to recognize traditions of Eastern shore Native people, raise awareness and bring tribal people together.[4][7][8] The group is represented on the Maryland Commission on Indian Affairs, but is not recognized by the state as a tribe.[7] Abbott joined the group in the early 2000s and began to investigate its history.[8] She also served as Treasurer and Secretary.[2]
Leadership
In 2014, the band's first chief, Sewell Edward “Winterhawk” Fitzhugh passed away.[9] Abbot was encouraged to run for the position as chief. Abbott was elected as chief of the band in 2015.[10][11] Upon her appointment, Abbott was recognized as the first woman chief of a Maryland tribe in known history.[7][12]
As chief, Abbott works to promote the Nause-Waiwash, organizes the band's summer gathering,[13] and advocates for Native American history to be taught in local schools.[14][15][16] Abbott is vocal about the role that climate change impacts the Eastern Shore lands that members of the tribe have long inhabited.[17][3][18][19]
As chief, Abbott served on the Maryland Commission on Indian Affairs for six years.[2][20] In her role, Abbott has described facing criticism for her gender and for passing as white.[7] Abbott is one of the women depicted on the Dorchester Women's Mural that was unveiled in 2022.[21]
In 2025, Abbott was named to the Maryland Women's Hall of Fame.[2]
See also
- Native American identity in the United States
- List of organizations that self-identify as Native American tribes
- Indigenous peoples of Maryland
- Hughes A.M.E. Chapel, property acquired by the tribe and used as a longhouse[22][23]
References
- ^ Diamond, Jillian (2024-11-26). "Maryland Chief Donna Wolf Mother Abbott on Native American Heritage". Washington FAMILY Magazine. Archived from the original on 2025-01-23. Retrieved 2025-05-27.
- ^ a b c d "Biographies - Chief Donna Wolf Mother Abbott". State of Maryland. 2025. Retrieved 2025-05-27.
- ^ a b Powers, Kelly (2022-09-23). "Traditions are in peril". USA Today. p. 25. Retrieved 2025-05-30.
- ^ a b Gilberto-Brady, Julie (2020-07-29). "Partner Spotlight: Nause-Waiwash". Visit Dorchester. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ Cox, Jeremy (September 2, 2024). "Dig yields clues into how Choptank tribe lived with water". News From The States. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ Sears, Bryan P. (2024-07-25). "Highway marker a milepost in telling story of Nause-Waiwash people". Maryland Matters. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ a b c d Duran, Andrea (26 December 2024). "Maryland tribe's first female chief fights for identity, equality and preservation". Maryland Matters. Retrieved 22 June 2025.
- ^ a b METZ, KONNER (2024-08-10). "Nause-Waiwash aim to preserve, uncover history of Native Americans from Dorchester County". The Star Democrat. Retrieved 2025-05-30.
- ^ "Chief Sewell E. Winterhawk Fitzhugh, 1953—2014". Bay to Bay News. 2014-10-16. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ Wormuth, Laura (2015-05-08). "New chief to lead Nause-Waiwash". MyEasternShoreMD. Retrieved 2025-05-27.
- ^ Carroll, Hannah (February 8, 2015). "Vienna sparkles as gem of the Nanticoke". The Daily Times. Retrieved 2025-05-27.
- ^ Wormuth, Laura (2015-05-08). "New chief to lead Nause-Waiwash". The Star-Democrat. pp. 1, [1], [2]. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ Holt, Donna (2017-09-24). "Native American Festival Celebrates 25 Years". The Star-Democrat. pp. C1. Retrieved 2025-05-30.
- ^ Foreman, Ronnell (2025-01-19). "Chief Donna Abbott is leading the charge and preserving Indian culture on the Eastern Shore". 47abc. Retrieved 2025-05-27.
- ^ Durán, Andrea (2024-12-25). "Maryland tribe's first female chief fights for identity, equality and preservation". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ "Free Educational Resources on Indigenous Maryland Available from Maryland Humanities – Maryland Humanities". Maryland Humanities. November 12, 2024. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ Powers, Kelly; Roberts, Lauren. "PERILOUS COURSE: Changing climate threatens this chief's connection to tradition". The Daily Times. Retrieved 2025-05-27.
- ^ Rafey, Joy Shindler (2025-06-03). The Maryland Master Naturalist's Handbook. JHU Press. ISBN 978-1-4214-5159-6.
- ^ Barndollar, Hadley. "Humans navigate a 'Perilous Course' on the East Coast". Bucks County Courier Times Newspaper Archives September 25, 2022 Page 1, 13.
- ^ "Chief Donna Wolf Mother Abbott". Maryland Department of Human Services. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ Connolly, Connie (2022-08-19). "Sheroes". The Star-Democrat. pp. Z1. Retrieved 2025-05-30.
- ^ Clifford Larson, Kate. "Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument". National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. December 2019.
- ^ Foley, A. M.; Johnson-Mansfield, Gloria (2002). Dorchester County. Arcadia Publishing. p. 121. ISBN 978-0-7385-1472-7.