Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians

Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians

Maliseet Indian Wooden Hut Interior,
watercolor by Robert Petley, ca. 1850
Total population
869[1]
Regions with significant populations
 United States ( Maine)
Languages
English, Malecite-Passamaquoddy
Religion
traditional tribal religion, Christianity
Related ethnic groups
other Maliseet people

The Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians of Maine is a federally recognized tribe of Maliseet, whose land is along the Meduxnekeag River in Maine.[2] They are headquartered in Houlton, Maine, located in Aroostook County.

This tribe is related to the larger Maliseet First Nations of New Brunswick, Canada.[3] The Maliseet have traditionally occupied areas of the Saint John River valley, including its tributary, the Meduxnekeag River. When Great Britain and the United States established a boundary through this area under the Jay Treaty of 1794, the Maliseet were given the right to freely cross the border with Canada, as it was within their ancestral territory.[3]

They belonged to the Algonquian languages family. The people now use English as their first language. They constitute nearly 6% of the population of Houlton.

Government

The Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians of Maine is governed by an elected six-member council. The current chief is Brenda Commander.[4]

The tribe obtained federal recognition on 10 October 1980.

Economic development

The Houlton Maliseet farm potatoes, barley, and clover on tribal lands. They also own a roller skating rink.[1]

Notes

  1. 1 2 "Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians." Archived 2 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Region 1: EPA New England. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  2. ↑ Pritzker 428
  3. 1 2 Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, Official Website, accessed 24 November 2013
  4. ↑ "Government." Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians. Retrieved 30 July 2013.

References

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.