MaliseetMaliseet

MaliseetMaliseet

• The MALISEET is also known as The MALISEET is also known as MALECITE, MALESCHITE and MALECITE, MALESCHITE and MALECITE.MALECITE.

• The Maliseet is a branch of the The Maliseet is a branch of the Algonquian native group.Algonquian native group.

• Their name comes from the Mi'kmaq Their name comes from the Mi'kmaq word "malisit" meaning "broken word "malisit" meaning "broken talker". talker".

• They called themselves the They called themselves the "Wulastegniak" meaning "good river "Wulastegniak" meaning "good river people." . people." .

Historical BackgroundHistorical Background

The Maliseet are First Nations people who lived The Maliseet are First Nations people who lived beside the St. John River, St. Croix River, and beside the St. John River, St. Croix River, and Passamaquody Bay, in western New Brunswick and Passamaquody Bay, in western New Brunswick and northeastern Maine. Their main settlement was northeastern Maine. Their main settlement was Medoctec, on the St. John, about ten miles below the Medoctec, on the St. John, about ten miles below the

present Woodstock, N.B.present Woodstock, N.B.

Algonkian language family area. Maliseet areas shown by    

In the map below the Maliseet territory In the map below the Maliseet territory is in red, the Passamaquody is in is in red, the Passamaquody is in gray. gray.

LanguageLanguage

•The Wolastoqiyik and Mi'kmaq The Wolastoqiyik and Mi'kmaq languages are fairly closely related,languages are fairly closely related,

• The name reflected what the The name reflected what the Mi'kmaq perceived to be a Mi'kmaq perceived to be a sufficiently different dialect to be a sufficiently different dialect to be a "broken" version of their own "broken" version of their own language. language.

• The Maliseet share The Maliseet share the same language, the same language, customs and history customs and history of the of the Passamaquoddy Passamaquoddy and Penobscot and Penobscot tribes, and at times tribes, and at times their boundaries their boundaries overlapped with overlapped with that of the that of the Passmaquoddy and Passmaquoddy and Penobscot.Penobscot.

CultureCulture

• The basic political unit for the Maliceet was The basic political unit for the Maliceet was called “bands”. They gathered in “bands,” of called “bands”. They gathered in “bands,” of related families that traveled and lived related families that traveled and lived together. together.

• These bands were a loosely organized group These bands were a loosely organized group that self-governed themselves. that self-governed themselves.

• There seems to have been very little There seems to have been very little organization beyond that; in politics, society, organization beyond that; in politics, society, and religion the Maliceet can best be and religion the Maliceet can best be described as individualist. described as individualist.

Story TellingStory Telling

• There are lots of traditional Maliseet There are lots of traditional Maliseet legends and fairy tales that they passed legends and fairy tales that they passed on from generations from generations.on from generations from generations.

• Storytelling is very important to the Storytelling is very important to the Maliseet Indian culture. One famous Maliseet Indian culture. One famous legend is about Glooscap (Gluskabe), the legend is about Glooscap (Gluskabe), the culture hero of the Wabanaki tribes, and culture hero of the Wabanaki tribes, and another is about Maliseet little people. another is about Maliseet little people.

The Maliseet were nomadic The Maliseet were nomadic hunters and in the summer hunters and in the summer fishermenfishermen

• The Maliseet traveled down river in their canoes The Maliseet traveled down river in their canoes in the spring, and back upstream in the autumn. in the spring, and back upstream in the autumn.

• In the spring, they stayed in larger groups near In the spring, they stayed in larger groups near the ocean, and planted crops like of corn the ocean, and planted crops like of corn (maize), beans, and squash.(maize), beans, and squash.

• In the autumn, after the harvest, In the autumn, after the harvest, they traveled back upstream, taking they traveled back upstream, taking their supplies with them and they their supplies with them and they spread out in smaller groups to hunt spread out in smaller groups to hunt game during the winter. game during the winter.

• Maliseet people also hunted deer and Maliseet people also hunted deer and moose, particularly in the winter when moose, particularly in the winter when Maliseet snowshoes gave hunters a Maliseet snowshoes gave hunters a chance to catch big game in the snow. chance to catch big game in the snow.

• Usually it was men who did the hunting Usually it was men who did the hunting and fishing, while Maliseet women and fishing, while Maliseet women harvested corn and gathered fruit. harvested corn and gathered fruit.

Hunting

FishingFishing• The Maliseet were expert fishermen, using The Maliseet were expert fishermen, using

pronged spears to catch fish from their pronged spears to catch fish from their canoes as you can see in the picture. Fish canoes as you can see in the picture. Fish was an important food source for them.was an important food source for them.

ClothingClothing• They sometimes wore a headband with a feather in it or a They sometimes wore a headband with a feather in it or a

beaded cap. They also had a distinctive kind of hood. beaded cap. They also had a distinctive kind of hood. • They didn't usually paint their faces. They didn't usually paint their faces. • Most Maliseet men and women wore their hair long.Most Maliseet men and women wore their hair long.• The women wore long dresses with removable sleeves.The women wore long dresses with removable sleeves.• The men wore breechcloths with leather pant legs tied on.The men wore breechcloths with leather pant legs tied on.

ClothingClothing

• Baby mocassins c1842Baby mocassins c1842

• The Maliseet’s woreThe Maliseet’s wore

moccasins on their feet. moccasins on their feet.

TravelTravel• The Maliseet people The Maliseet people

were well-known for were well-known for their birch bark their birch bark canoes. canoes.

TravelTravel

• Maliseet people Maliseet people also used dogs as also used dogs as pack animals and pack animals and they used sleds they used sleds and snowshoes to and snowshoes to help them travel in help them travel in the winter. the winter.

Maliseet Snowshoes1872

HousingHousing

• The Maliseet The Maliseet people lived in people lived in small round small round buildings called buildings called wigwams made wigwams made from birch bark from birch bark and wooden poles.and wooden poles.

Family LifeFamily Life

• Maliceet children had dolls and toys to play with, and the Maliceet children had dolls and toys to play with, and the boys liked to play a ball-kicking game. boys liked to play a ball-kicking game.

• Maliseet mothers carried their babies in cradleboards on their Maliseet mothers carried their babies in cradleboards on their backs.backs.

How they adapted to the land How they adapted to the land in which they lived?in which they lived?

• The Maliseet have a strong spiritual bond The Maliseet have a strong spiritual bond with the land. To survival the Maliseet with the land. To survival the Maliseet people only took what they needed from the people only took what they needed from the environment. They never wasted any environment. They never wasted any material or food. The land they lived on material or food. The land they lived on provided everything they needed. They lived provided everything they needed. They lived beside a river that provided fish for food and beside a river that provided fish for food and a method for transportation. They canoed a method for transportation. They canoed the rivers in their birchbark canoes to travel the rivers in their birchbark canoes to travel from their summer and winter homes. from their summer and winter homes.

continuedcontinued• They used the trees for wood to build their They used the trees for wood to build their

fires for warmth and light. The birch bark fires for warmth and light. The birch bark was used for canoes, wigwams and bowls. was used for canoes, wigwams and bowls. Poles were used for frames of the wigwam.Poles were used for frames of the wigwam.

• They hunted animals for food, and used the They hunted animals for food, and used the skins for clothing and the furs for blankets.skins for clothing and the furs for blankets.

• The Maliseet picked berries for food and The Maliseet picked berries for food and gathered plants for medicine and dyesgathered plants for medicine and dyes

ConclusionConclusion

• The Maliseet people were very wise The Maliseet people were very wise to use the resources of the land. to use the resources of the land. They needed the land to survive so They needed the land to survive so they were smart not to waste any of they were smart not to waste any of the materials so the resource the materials so the resource wouldn’t disappear.wouldn’t disappear.

BibliographyBibliography• LeBel, Susan and Orr, Jeff. (2003) LeBel, Susan and Orr, Jeff. (2003) Canada’s Canada’s

History Voices and Visions .History Voices and Visions .Toronto: Gaga Toronto: Gaga learning Corporation.learning Corporation.

• Redish, Laura and Orrin, Lewis. 1998 Redish, Laura and Orrin, Lewis. 1998 Native Native Languages of the AmericaLanguages of the America. 9/22/2006 . 9/22/2006 http://www.geocites.com/bigorrin/maliseet_kihttp://www.geocites.com/bigorrin/maliseet_kids.htmds.htm

• 6/6 2006 6/6 2006 MaliseetMaliseet 9/22/2006 9/22/2006 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maliseethttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maliseet