Maliseet Nation

The Maliseet are an Indigenous people of northeastern North America, who traditionally inhabited the St. John River valley and its tributaries in present-day Maine and New Brunswick. They are part of the Wabanaki Confederacy, along with the Mi’kmaq, Passamaquoddy, Penobscot, and Abenaki peoples.

The Maliseet are believed to have descended from the Etchemin, an Algonquian-speaking people who lived along the St. Lawrence River in what is now Quebec. The Maliseet are believed to have migrated to the St. John River Valley in the 16th century.

In the 17th century, the Maliseet were involved in a series of wars with the French, who were attempting to colonize the region. The Maliseet were able to repel the French for a time, but eventually succumbed to disease and warfare.

By the 18th century, the Maliseet had been pushed out of their traditional lands and were living in scattered settlements along the St. John River.

In the 19th century, the Maliseet were affected by the Indian Act of 1876, which established reserves and limited their access to traditional hunting and fishing grounds. In spite of this, the Maliseet managed to retain much of their traditional culture and language.

Today, the Maliseet are concentrated in the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec, and the US state of Maine. There are approximately 10,000 Maliseet people in total, with the majority living in New Brunswick. The Maliseet continue to practice their traditional customs and beliefs, and have a strong sense of identity and community.