The Mi'kmaq people:

The true name of the Maliseet is “Wolastoqiyik” which comes from the name of the river which crossed their ancestral territory. The newcomers (French) which had the bad habit to rename everything, preferred to name them “Malécites”. Actually the name “Wolastoqiyik” was given to them by the Mi' kmaq and means “people who does not speak well”. The “Plets'-mûn” (French), or “Wa-pe'-it ski; - tap” (white men), also called them “Passamaquoddy”, referring to the place where several Maliseet lived, i.e. the valley of Passamaquoddy bay. They also called them “Etchemins”. The Mi’kmaq also gave them another name, that of “Kus'weskijinu'uk.” meaning “People of the muskrats” On their side, the Maliseet called the Mi’kmaq “Mate'wes'weskitjinu'ûk.) meaning “People of the Porcupines”.

Way back, the Maliseets were seminomad, living in the interior land during the winter and on the territories close to water during the summer. Until the XVIe century, the Maliseets lived in New Brunswick, along the St John river. Their territory extended to the north from this river and included in the south part of current Maine. They never gave up sovereignty on these territories. Maliseets belonged to the “ Waban-Ak Confederationi” which included the Nipmuks, Sokokis, Assagunticooks, Wawanocks, Kenebeks, Ponobscots, Mi' kmaq and Wolastoqiyik.

In contact with Europeans, the Maliseets contracted diseases for which they did not have any natural defense. “Converted” by the missionaries, some believed that while agreeing to be baptized and while wearing clothing to prove that they had been baptized, thus they were going to protect their descendents from these diseases. But they had not realized that they were going to become even sicker while approaching Europeans. Several died.

The Maliseets were faithful allies to the French just like the Mi' kmaq, Waban-Aki, etc, in the wars of colonization; they were considered a principal element in French defense. The French and the English placed the autochtones at the front believing that they were going to perish first. They were wrong, the natives being friendly and members of the Waban-Aki confederation greeted one another quite simply while passing and went to fight those which they were to fight.

Whereas in Europe, Asia and Africa one cut the head of the murderers or enemies by using the guillotine or by using an unspecified sharp weapon, it was the same in the Americas. It was a habit to cut the head of the enemy. In certain Nations the warriors could also tear off the heart of the enemy since it was regarded as life itself, the spirit of the person, the honor. At the time of the wars between the French and the English in North America certain natives nations allied themself with a group and some others with their opponents. It is for “practical” reasons that the French and the English have required of the warriors to bring back, as an evidence, only the hair (scalps) of the enemies whom they killed… the scalps had been just invented by Europeans.

The French brought relatively few of their women to North America during the first years, thus it inter marriage between the French, Maliseets and the Mi' kmaq had become common thing. Most of the Maliseets and the Mi' kmaq today whose surnames are French are their descendants.

In the past several natives lost their right of membership following their involuntary and unjust “emancipation”. Certain women simply lost it by marrying non-natives. It was also the “visible” way since this woman could not legally live any more on “her own reserve”. Several descendants of these people were so well assimilated that it was sometimes possible to hear “my mother was an Indian...” or “my grandmother was an Indian...». These people tan easily under the sun, obvious physical characteristics, etc... The fact of having a French or anglo name often contributes to sow doubts. If the mother or the father is indigenous it is always possible to get recognize ones own statuts by communicating with the reserve of origin or the Ministry of Indian Affairs of Canada. If it is about the grandmother, it happens that the indigenous origin was hidden for a long time. Certain organizations in Canada, like “the Indigenous Alliance of Quebec”, undertake help to restore things. “The Indigenous Alliance of Quebec” is the only organization off reserve being recognized officially in Quebec by the federal and provincial governments.

Over the past years, many rules were laid down by the federal government to determine admissibility with the inscription. Important modifications were made to the “Law on the Indians” or “Act of the Savages” in 1985 when the Parliament adopted the bill C-31. These changes were aimed at eliminating certain discriminatory provisions of the law. Moreover, they made it possible the First nations to decide membership of their own numbers.

Normally, a person is acceptable if:
-she was acceptable before the law was amended in 1985;
-she lost her Indian status subsequent to a marriage with an non-Indian;
-she lost her Indian status because his/her father was not an Indian;
-she lost her Indian status because his/her parents presented a request to give up the inscription and the membership at a First nation by means of a process called “emancipation”;
-or his/her two parents are acceptable with the inscription, whatever the reason.
-or she can be acceptable with the inscription if only one of her parent is acceptable (under certain conditions).

It is important to be recognized. Whole Nations are likely to disappear before 2060 if more and more natives give up their legitimate right.

Sa’n Béliveau
http://www.astrosante.com/Mikmaq.htm