SAINT MARY'S FIRST NATION

THE OFFICIAL RECOGNITION OF SAINT MARY'S COMMUNITY THE OFFICIAL RECOGNITION OF SAINT MARY'S COMMUNITY ON THEIR RESERVATION WAS IN 1867. THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT IT WAS USED AS A CAMPGROUND AND AT LEAST AS EARLY AS 1818, THE YEAR OF A WIGWAM SITE. THEY HAVE INDICATIONS THAT IT WAS A CAMPGROUND IN THE EARLY 1800'S.

MOST OF THE FOLKS WHO USED THIS SITE CAME FROM MALISEET VILLAGE IN KINGSCLEAR. BUT SINCE OUR PEOPLE REGULARLY TRAVEL UP AND DOWN RIVER AS PART OF THEIR MIGRATIONS, THERE WAS A MIXTURE OF PEOPLE FROM FROM ALL VILLAGES. THERE IS LITTLE DOUBT THAT THE MALISEET TRAVELERS WERE ATTRACTIVE SINCE IT WAS CLOSE TO FURS, BASKETS, MOCCASSINS, AND SNOW SHOES THAT THEY TRADED.

THE EARLIEST WRITTEN EVIDENCE AT ST. MARY'S CAME IN 1832 AND AGAIN IN 1814. THEY CALLED IT THE INJUN CAMP, AS AN INSULT. BY 1947 THEY CHANGED THE NAME TO DEVON. THEY BUILT A MISSION FOR THE MALISEETS IN THE AREA AND THERE WAS A CHURCH OF ST. ANNE. GABE IS A RECOGNIZED FOUNDERS OF THEIR COMMUNITY OF ST. MARY'S IN 1847. IT WAS A MALISEET COMMUNITY AT THE TIME.

HE MET A WOMAN AND LIVED A MIGRATORY LIFESTYLE. HE FOUND REGULAR EMPLOYMENT AS A GUIDE FOR TOURISTS BY 1850'S AND HIS WIFE WAS KNOWN FOR HER BEADWORK. HE CLEARED 14 ACRES AND PLANTED A GARDEN AND LIVED IN A WIGWAM UNTIL 1857 WHEN HE BUILT A HOUSE WHICH GAVE HIM RECOGNITION AS FOUNDER.

BY 1861 SAINT MARYS HAD GROWN FROM 9 HOUSEHOLDS TO 21 HOUSEHOLDS. SOME OF THESE FOLKS WERE HUNTING GUIDES, SOME ARTISTS, AND CRAFTSMEN, AND CANOEMAKERS. THEY HAD A LARGE GROWTH OF POPULAQTION. THEN THEY EXPERIENCED THEFT OF THEIR LANDS AND DESTRUCTION OF HUNTING BOUNDARIES, STARVATION, DISEASE FOR MALISEET. THIS WAS DUE TO GREED OF THE NEW PIONEERS. IN 1844 THEY PASSED THE ACT OF DISPOSING LANDS RESERVED FOR THE INDIANS AND THE ANGLOS WERE INVOLVED IN FRAUD AS RAILROAD BARONS/ LEGISLATURES BY GRANTING MORE LANDS TO ENGLAND. THE MID 1800'S HAD INTENSE RASICM AS OTHER PEOPLE CONSIDERED THE NATIVE PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD IN LITURATURE AS SAVAGE, LAZY, AND LESS THAN HUMAN. THE MALISEET AND OTHERS EXPERIENCED RACISM. HOWEVER, THIS TRIBE WAS BOTH STRONG AND HAD RESISTENCE TO REPEATED REMOVAK EFFORTS. IN 1865 THEIR LAND WAS SOLD TO AN ANGLO, MR. HUGHES.BY 1865 THE GOVERNMENT AGREED TO BUY A PIECE OF LAND FOR THE MALISEETS. THEIR LAND MEASURED 2 1/2 ACRES. THE FIRST FEDERAL AGENT TO BE APPOINTED HAD THE JOB OF ASSIMILATING AND CIVILIZING INDIANS THROUGH AGRICULTURE, SCHOOLING AND REDUCTION OF GOVERNMENT RESISTANCE TO INDIANS.

THE NATIVES HAD RESISTED THIS AND COMPLAINED SINCE THEY WERE IMPLEMENTED AT THE SAME TIME FISH AND GAME WERE RESTRICTED AND A WORLD OF LAWS WERE RESTRICTED AND AWARDED A WORLDWIDE DEPRESSION. THE SAINT MARY'S NATIVES SUFFERED AND REFUSED TO PUT THEIR KIDS IN ANGLO SCHOOLS. THEY HAD NO SPACE FOR AGRICULTURE, POOR HEALTH, LIMITED WORK OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOGGING, RAFTING, GUIDING, TRAPPING, AND THE MAKING OF BASKETS, CANOES, AND MOCCASINS.

IN 1884, THE INDIANADVANCEMENT ACT GAVE SAINT MARY'S NATIVES A MISSION TO SEEK RESTORATION OF THEIR LANDS. IN 1885 THEY BUILT A BRIDGE OVER ST. JOHN'S RIVER AND THEY BUILT FACTORIES FOR MANUFACTURING CANOES AND SHOEPACKS. SOME OF THE NATIVES HAD TO TRAVEL TO SELL THEIR GOODS AND WORK IN THE WOODS AND MILLS. THESE FOLKS ARE STILL UNSETTLED WITH MANY ISSUES AND STILL STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL.

ST MARY'S FIRST NATION.COM







ACADIAN.COM