Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians
Metaksonekiyak Wolastoqewiyik
Indian reservation
Art
Maliseet Indian Wooden Hut Interior
watercolor by Robert Petley, c. 1850
Flag of Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians
Flag
Etymology: Houlton/Maliseet
Joseph Houlton/He speaks slowly
Locator Map
The Houlton Maliseet Reservation in the U.S. State of Maine
CountryUnited States
StateMaine
Government
 • TypeTribe
 • BodyTribal Council
 • Tribal ChiefClarissa Sabattis[1]
Population
 (2013)[2]
 • Total869
Demonym(s)Malecite
Wəlastəkwiyik
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern Time Zone)
Websitemaliseets.net

The Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians of Maine (HBMI) (Malecite-Passamaquoddy: Metaksonekiyak Wolastoqewiyik (MW))[3] is a federally recognized tribe of Maliseet, whose land is along the Meduxnekeag River in Maine, United States.[4] They are headquartered in Littleton, Maine, located in Aroostook County.

This HBMI is related to the larger Maliseet First Nations of New Brunswick, Canada.[5] 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.[5] The HBMI was invited to take a nonvoting seat in the Maine Legislature, starting with the 126th Legislature in 2013.

Politics

The HBMI is governed by a Tribal Chief and a six member council. The Tribal Chief is democratically elected and serves a four year term, as are the tribal councilors, whose elections are staggered.[1] As of July 1, 2023, the Tribal government consists of:

  • Tribal Chief: Clarissa Sabattis[1]
  • Councilor: Joshua Toner[1]
  • Councilor: Crystal Tucker[1]
  • Councilor: Beth Aucoin[1]
  • Councilor: Cathy St. John[1]
  • Councilor: Suzanne Desiderio[1]
  • Councilor: John Flewelling[1]

Each American Indian nation in Maine is allotted a non-voting seat in the Maine Legislature, a tradition started in 1823, and formalized in 2013. The HBMI have refused to send a delegate since 2018, due to their strained relationship with Democratic Governor, Janet Mills, namely due to the latters refusal to allot more federal funds for Indian reservations.[6][7] However, in summer of 2023 a breakthrough was reached where the Legislature passed a law that would allow tribes in Maine access to federal laws and a degree of self determination independent from the state of Maine.[8] In March 2023 a Houlton Maliseet returned to the Legislature, along with three other tribes; the Passamaquoddy Tribe, Penobscot Nation, and the Mi'kmaq Nation.[9]

Starting in November 2023, the HBMI began the process of creating a Healing to Wellness Court, a restorative justice effort to reduce a repeat of criminal behavior and to engage the local community. The court is largely modeled after the one created by the Penobscot Indian Island Reservation.[10]

Economic development

The HBMI farm potatoes, barley, and clover on tribal lands. They also own a roller skating rink (Rollerama).[2]

In conjunction with the municipal government of Houlton, the HBMI were awarded $15,000,000 as part of the Foxcroft Road improvements to repair and widen the tribe's main arterial road into the city, which also acts as a border crossing with Canada.[11]

In 2023 the HBMI entered a partnership with Caesars Sportsbook and where given exclusive rights to operate mobile sports wagering in the state.[12]

Watershed restoration

The HBMI is working to restore the watershed of the Meduxnekeag River, which was damaged by logging drives, and bring back the native Atlantic salmon. The restoration aims to slow the flow of the river and cool its overheated waters, which a planner with the HBMI said are both increasing with climate change in Maine. The river lacks the structure and complexity that it used to have that allowed salmon and other fish to live in the river.[13] In 2023, the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians received $1.6 million in federal funds for river restoration within the Saint John River watershed.[14] Projects will address habitat needs, infrastructure, biodiversity, and "high climate risk".[15]

Culture

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

Every year the HBMI hold a "Recognition Day" celebration, commemorating the anniversary of when the tribe received federal recognition on September 9, 1980.[16]

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Tribal Council". maliseets.net. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians." Archived 2 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine Region 1: EPA New England. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  3. ↑ Passamaquoddy-Maliseet Language Portal - "Metaksonekiyak: on or along Meduxnekeag River (Maine and New Brunswick); in the territory of the Houlton Band of Maliseets
  4. ↑ Pritzker 428
  5. 1 2 Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, Official Website, accessed 24 November 2013
  6. ↑ Kobin, Billy. "Maine tribal chiefs may meet with Janet Mills after major disagreements". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  7. ↑ VILLENEUVE, MARINA. "Only 1 tribal representative bound for Maine State House". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  8. ↑ Cover, Susan. "Despite continued opposition from the Mills administration, Maine committee passes bill to give Wabanaki Nations access to federal laws". Spectrum News. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  9. ↑ Miller, Kevin; Andrews, Caitlin. "WATCH: Wabanaki leaders address Maine Legislature for first time in two decades". Maine Public Broadcasting Network. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  10. ↑ "Tribal Wellness Court will soon be a reality for HBMI". thecounty.me. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  11. ↑ Tomaselli, Kathleen Phalen. "Houlton approves $15M road project agreement with Maliseets". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  12. ↑ Tomaselli, Kathleen Phalen. "Maliseet chief: Mobile sports wagering promises an economic boost for Maine tribes". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  13. ↑ Carpenter, Murray (20 September 2022). "A tribe is restoring a northern Maine river so that it'll be cooler and more hospitable to salmon". Maine Public. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  14. ↑ Carpenter, Murray (14 November 2023). "Maine tribes get federal funds for habitat restoration". Maine Public.
  15. ↑ "Maine Climate Council Annual Report" (PDF). State of Maine. 1 December 2023.
  16. ↑ Tomaselli, Kathleen Phalen. "Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians to hold annual gathering Sept. 9". thecounty.me. Retrieved 5 January 2024.

References

  • Pritzker, Barry M. A Native American Encyclopedia: History, Culture, and Peoples. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. ISBN 978-0-19-513877-1
  • Abler, Thomas S. (1 November 1990). "Micmacs and Gypsies: Occupation of the Peripatetic Niche". Algonquian Papers - Archive. 21. S2CID 55920701.
  • The term gypsy has been retired because it is a slang word or a slur used by colonizers to describe romani abenaki or micmac people
  • Aroostook Band of Micmac Defunct tribal bands US and Canada games over status and "land claims" Gypsys romani union
  • [1] Defunt m'ikmaq American truckhouse corp boys and girls club industrial schools title 7 Indian education / school consolidations unified school districts abuse cases and boy scouts of America lawsuits
  1. ↑ "Task Force on Changes to the Maine Indian Land Claims Settlement Act 8-9-2019". www.sunlightmediacollective.org. Archived from the original on 23 October 2019.
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