MADAWASKA INDIANS IN NEW BRUNSWICK

MADEWASKA LIVE ON A KNOLL NEAR EDMONSTON, NEW BRUNSWICK ON THE ROAD TO SAINT BASILE. THIS IS THEIR RESERVATIONAND THE REMNANTS OF THE ANCIENT CAPITAL OF THE SAINT JOHN RIVER. THE VALIENT MALECITE WERE AN ALLY TO ACADIA AND WERE ENEMIES OF NEW ENGLAND PIONEERS. TRADITION HAS IT THAT THIS SITE WAS KNOWN AS MADOUESKAK. THIS SETTLEMENT WAS CALLED MADOUESKAK. IT WAS HERE FOR SEVERAL CENTURIES BEFORE THE FRENCH EXPLORATION OF ACADIA AND CANADA. THE INDIAN VILLAGE HAD ABOUT 300 FOLKS AND WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT CENTER OF THE MALACITE TRIBE.

THE MALICITES WERE PART OF THE ABENAKIS NATION AND PASSAMAQUODDYS. THE WORD MADAWASKA IS OF MICMAC ORIGIN. MADOULS MEANS "PORCUPINE" AND KAK MEANS "PLACE". THEY LIVE IN IN THE LAND OF THE PORCUPINE. THE ABORIGINES OF THE VALLEY COULD BE THE MICMACS.

THE MALICITES WERE A NOMADIC PEOPLE. THEY FISHED, HUNTED DEER AND MOOSE, AND THEY ALSO CHASED MOHAWKS. THEIR VILLAGE WAS ALMOST DESERTED. THE TRIBE OF THE MADAWASKA OCCUPIED ALL OF THE ST. JOHN VALLEY FROM THE GRAND FALLS, NEW BRUNSWICK TO QUEBEC. THEIR CAPITAL WAS THE MOUTH OF THE MADAWASKA RIVER. THIS VILLAGE WAS SURROUNDED BY A THICK STOCKADE OF TREES THAT WAS IMPENETRABLE. THE INDIANS FROM LOWER ST. JOHN VALLEY AS WELL AS THOSE OF THE KENEBEC TOOK REFUGE IN THESE TREES DURING ENEMY INCURSIONS.

THERE WERE A NUMBER OF WARS IN THE AREA AND SEVERAL MASSACRES WHEN THE IROQUOIS ARRIVED AT THE VILLAGE OF THE MADAOVESKAKS. THEY FOUND THEIR GREAT CHIEF OF THE MALICITES HAD ORGANIZED A DEFENSE OF HIS FORT WITH 100 WARRIORS. THE MALECITES GAVE UP THE STRUGGLE. THERE WAS CONSTANT DISASTER. THE IROQUOIS ORDER THE CHIEF OF THE MADOUESKAKS TO SURRENDER THE FORT . HE SAID YOUR EVIL MASTER TO SHOW HIMSELF ON MY FIELDS. THEY WERE AGAIN DEFEATED. THEY ATTRIBUTED THEIR BAD LUCK TO THE EVIL ONE. THEY HAVE MANY LEGENDS.

ACCORDING TO ARCHAEOLOGISTS THEY HAD WEAPONS 400 YEARS BEFORE THE DISCOVERY OF THIS TERRITORY. BY 1787 IN MADAWASKA RIVER THE SURVEYOR GENERAAL FOUND AN INDIAN VILLAGE OF 60 FAMILIES. THEY ARE VISITED BY PRIESTS.

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