Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians
Metaksonekiyak Wolastoqewiyik | |
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![]() Maliseet Indian Wooden Hut Interior watercolor by Robert Petley, c. 1850 | |
Etymology: Houlton/Maliseet Joseph Houlton/He speaks slowly | |
![]() The Houlton Maliseet Reservation in the U.S. State of Maine | |
Country | United States |
State | Maine |
Government | |
• Type | Tribe |
• Body | Tribal Council |
• Tribal Chief | Clarissa Sabattis[1] |
Population (2013)[2] | |
• Total | 869 |
Demonym(s) | Malecite Wəlastəkwiyik |
Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern Time Zone) |
Website | maliseets |
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.