Maliseet

The Block

Tracy Paul, from the Woodstock First Nation reserve in New Brunswick, conducted a lot of research to make the Maliseet block. She appliquéd emerald green satin fiddleheads against a black velvet background using a ribbon-work technique. Once a common feature of women’s clothing, this kind of ribbon-work now appears on traditional Maliseet dresses worn for formal occasions. Fiddleheads, known as Mahsusiyil in the Maliseet language, are both a traditional and modern source of food. They grow in abundance along the Wolastoq river banks during the Spring. The beadwork surrounding the central theme is a representational, generic leaf and flower design that shows the Nation’s connection with Mother Earth.

Cultural Profile

Members of the Wabanaki Confederation, the Maliseet traditionally made their home along the St. John River Valley of New Brunswick and into Maine. They are presently located mostly in the southwest region of the province. The Maliseet call themselves Wolastoqiyik, which means “the people of the beautiful river.” Their native tongue, now in danger of becoming extinct, is an Eastern dialect of Algonquin similar to Passamaquoddy. The name Maliseet (Malecite) is a Mi’gmaq word that means people who “don’t talk like us.”

Originally semi-nomadic, the Maliseet lived in easily transportable wigwams made of birchbark. They survived primarily by hunting and fishing, but also grew corn. The Maliseet were well known as expert woodworkers, potters and canoe-builders. Traditional clothing included a distinctive hood-like piece, somewhat similar to what a nun might wear. The women wore long dresses with removable sleeves, while the men wore breechclouts to which leather leggings could be tied when the weather turned cold. Maliseet beadwork was highly regarded by the early colonists and, like the Iroquois, they used wampum shell beads as a form of currency and a medium of communication.

In 1694, a plague killed many of the Maliseet living along the Saint-John River, forcing survivors to disperse. Throughout the 1800s colonial governments tried to settle the Aboriginals, however the Maliseet resisted a sedentary way of life for a long time. Reserves established in 1876 and in 1891 in Québec remain largely unused today. The presence of this Nation in Québec was almost forgotten, but in 1985 the Maliseet regained registered status in that province. The Maliseet people in New Brunswick have struggled to maintain and protect their fishing, hunting and logging rights within their own territory.

Sponsor: George E. Davis, in honour of his grandparents, Margaret E. and Leslie F. Jiles