New Brunswick: Indigenous Homelands

New Brunswick, Canada, is the traditional unceded territory of the Wolastoqiyik (also known as the Maliseet), Mi'kmaq, and Peskotomuhkati peoples. The First Nations of New Brunswick number more than 16,000, with the majority being Mi'kmaq and Maliseet. The Passamaquoddy also maintain a land claim at Saint Andrews, New Brunswick, but they have no official status in Canada and no reserves in the province. New Brunswick is home to 15 First Nations and 32 Indian reserves, 18 of which are recognised as census subdivisions.

New Brunswick's indigenous land is covered by the Treaties of Peace and Friendship

New Brunswick is part of the land that was historically inhabited by the Mi'kmaq, Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet), Abenaki, Penobscot, and Passamaquoddy peoples. These Indigenous nations were loosely united in the 18th-century political alliance known as the Wabanaki Confederacy.

The Peace and Friendship Treaties were signed between 1725 and 1779 by Britain and various Indigenous peoples, including the Mi'kmaq, Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet), Abenaki, Penobscot, and Passamaquoddy. These treaties were designed to prevent war and facilitate trade between the two parties.

The Mi'kmaq, Wolastoqiyik, and Passamaquoddy had established strong commercial and military alliances with the French, who claimed Acadia in 1604 and set up a settlement at Port-Royal in 1605. The Wabanaki Confederacy fought alongside the French against the British in several wars during the 17th and 18th centuries.

The Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 ceded most of Acadia to Britain, but the Maine and New Brunswick borderlands were left undefined, leading to further conflict. The Treaty of Boston, or Dummer's Treaty, was signed in 1725 between the British and several Indigenous bands in the northeastern US, including the Penobscot. This treaty ended Dummer's War, a series of conflicts over the border between Acadia and New England.

In 1726, the Mi'kmaq and Wolastoqiyik in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, as well as the Abenaki and Passamaquoddy in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, signed a similar agreement, sometimes called Mascarene's Treaty. This treaty stipulated that the Indigenous peoples would cease hostilities against Britain, and in exchange, the British would not interfere with their hunting, fishing, and farming activities.

The Wolastoqiyik lived along the St. John River Valley and its tributaries in central New Brunswick, while some families may have also hunted and fished on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River above Lake Temiscouata. The Passamaquoddy lived along the St. Croix River and its tributaries, with families appearing to have lived mainly in coastal areas bordering Passamaquoddy Bay.

The Peace and Friendship Treaties did not involve the surrender of land or resources by the Indigenous signatories. Instead, they focused on re-establishing peace and commercial relations, with the British promising not to interfere with the Indigenous peoples' hunting, fishing, and planting grounds.

The Treaties of 1760 and 1761 were signed after the Conquest in 1760, which ended France's military influence in the region. The Wolastoqiyik and Passamaquoddy signed a treaty on February 22, 1760, agreeing to uphold the provisions of the 1725 Treaty of Boston and stop trading with enemies of the Crown. In exchange, Britain promised to establish a trading post at Fort Frederick, New Brunswick.

The Mi'kmaq, Wolastoqiyik, and Passamaquoddy continue to assert their rights under the Peace and Friendship Treaties, using them to defend their rights to hunting, fishing, and land use. These treaties are still in effect today and have been the subject of several court cases in Canada, including R. v. Sylliboy in 1927, Simon v. The Queen in 1985, and R. v. Marshall in 1993.

The First Nations of New Brunswick, Canada, are mostly Miꞌkmaq and Maliseet (Wolastoqiyik)

The Miꞌkmaq and Maliseet (Wolastoqiyik) are two of the three indigenous nations in New Brunswick, along with the Passamaquoddy (Peskotomuhkatiyik) in the St. Croix River watershed. All three nations are part of the Wabanaki Confederacy, which also includes the Penobscot and Abenaki nations of Maine. Wabanaki means "Land of the Dawn" and designates a large area including Maine and the Maritime provinces.

The Miꞌkmaq people have several reserves in New Brunswick, including the Metepenagiag Miꞌkmaq Nation and the Metepenagiag Urban Reserve. They also share some reserves with the Maliseet people, such as the Big Hole Tract 8 (North and South Half) and the North Shore Micmac District Council.

The Maliseet people have their own reserves as well, such as the Madawaska Maliseet First Nation and the Kingsclear Maliseet First Nation. They also have a trail named after them, the Maliseet Trail, which covers a 2-km section of an ancient portage route connecting the Saint John River with the Penobscot River in Maine.

The First Nations communities in New Brunswick are a vital part of the province's heritage, and there are many opportunities to learn about their culture and history, such as attending powwows, participating in traditional activities, and visiting cultural centres and heritage sites.

There are 15 First Nations and 32 Indian reserves in New Brunswick

New Brunswick, Canada, is home to 15 First Nations and 32 Indian reserves. The First Nations people of New Brunswick number over 16,000, with approximately 10,000 living on reserves and 7,400 living off reserves. The First Nations people of New Brunswick are mostly Miꞌkmaq and Maliseet (Wolastoqiyik).

The original inhabitants of the area that is now New Brunswick included the Maliseet, the Mi'kmaq, and the Passamaquoddy. Federally recognised First Nations in New Brunswick today include the Big Cove First Nation (Micmac), the Bouctouche First Nation (Micmac), the Fort Folly First Nation (Micmac), the Red Bank First Nation (Micmac), and the Woodstock First Nation (Maliseet).

The 32 Indian reserves of New Brunswick include the Eel River Bar First Nation, the Esgenoôpetitj Indian Reserve No. 14, and the Buctouche Micmac Band Extension. Of these 32, 18 are recognised as census subdivisions by Statistics Canada.

The Passamaquoddy maintain a land claim at Saint Andrews, New Brunswick, and historically occurred in the province, but they have no reserves in the province and no official status in Canada.

The Passamaquoddy maintain a land claim at Saint Andrews but have no official status in Canada

The Passamaquoddy people are a Native American/First Nations group with a traditional homeland that straddles the Canadian province of New Brunswick and the US state of Maine. They are one of the constituent nations of the Wabanaki Confederacy and occupy coastal regions along the Bay of Fundy, Passamaquoddy Bay, and the Gulf of Maine, as well as along the St. Croix River and its tributaries.

The Passamaquoddy people have a long history of being forced off their lands by settlers of European descent. Despite the Royal Proclamation of 1763, which protected Indigenous lands from colonial encroachment, the Passamaquoddy were repeatedly displaced from their territories. The creation of the new colony of New Brunswick, which was previously part of Nova Scotia, led to further settlement on Passamaquoddy lands. The colonial government prioritised the needs of United Empire Loyalists over those of the Indigenous people, resulting in the loss of Passamaquoddy council and cemetery sites to settlement.

The Passamaquoddy in Canada have an organised government and are led by Chief Hugh Akagi, but they do not have official First Nations status. They maintain active land claims in Canada, particularly in the present-day town of St. Andrews, New Brunswick, which they claim as Qonasqamkuk, their ancestral capital and burial ground. This claim has been supported by the Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nation Chiefs Secretariat.

The dispute over 4.6 acres of land in St. Andrews, which the Passamaquoddy consider sacred ground, has caused tension between the Passamaquoddy and the town's non-Native residents. The town's mayor, John Craig, has referred to the land as an "eyesore" and intends to sell it for development, while the Passamaquoddy wish to preserve it in its natural state. The Passamaquoddy's claim to this land has not been recognised by the federal government, and the town of St. Andrews and the province maintain that there is no Passamaquoddy band in Canada. However, the Passamaquoddy continue to seek the return of their ancestral territory and assert that they have never ceded their traditional lands.

The New Brunswick Arts Board acknowledges that it works on the traditional unceded territory of the indigenous peoples

The New Brunswick Arts Board is a funding agency that facilitates and promotes art creation and provides funding programs for professional artists in the province. As a provincial entity, the New Brunswick Arts Board acknowledges that it operates on the traditional unceded territory of the indigenous Wolastoqiyik, Mi’kmaq, and Peskotomuhkati peoples.

The territory is covered by the "Treaties of Peace and Friendship", which were first signed between these nations and the British Crown in 1726. Notably, these treaties did not involve the surrender of lands and resources but instead recognised the Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqiyik title and established the rules for an ongoing relationship between the nations.

The New Brunswick Arts Board expresses respect to the elders, past and present, and descendants of this land. They also honour the knowledge keepers and seek their guidance in their efforts to foster closer relationships with the Indigenous people of New Brunswick.

New Brunswick is home to 15 First Nations and over 30 Indian reserves, with a population of more than 16,000 indigenous people, primarily consisting of the Miꞌkmaq and Maliseet (Wolastoqiyik) nations. The Passamaquoddy people also maintain a land claim at Saint Andrews, New Brunswick, and historically had a presence in the province, despite lacking official status in Canada and having no reserves within its borders.

By acknowledging the traditional unceded territory of the indigenous peoples, the New Brunswick Arts Board recognises the enduring sovereignty and connection of these nations to the land and strives to build respectful relationships with the Indigenous communities in the province.

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