The Malécites , also called Étchemins , are a tribe Amerindian of North America. It named itself Wulust' agooga' wiks , which means “the people of the Beautiful River” (the Rivière Midsummer's Day).

They live its affluent and valleys Midsummer's Day, horse on the border separating the New Brunswick and the Quebec with the Canada, and the Maine with the the United States. Their habits and their language belonging to the family algonquienne are close to those of their neighbors Micmacs, Passamaquoddy and Penobscot.

Today, approximately 3.000 Malécites live in New Brunswick, within the tribes Madawaska, Tobique, Woodstock, Kingsclear, St Mary and Oromocto. They are 600 in Houlton (Maine) and 200 within the First Nation Malécite de Viger (in Quebec).

History

Malécites belonged to the confederation Wabanaki or Waban' aki (people of the rising sun), gathering Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, the Abénaquis of Maine and the Intrigues. This coalition had been formed between these people to counter the aggression of Iroquois. They shared part of their territory with these tribes.

Malécites had a mainly agricultural economy. They lived of Chasse and fishing and cultivated also the Maïs.

In 1694, in contact with Europeans, their population was decimated by the Peste.

At the time of the wars of colonization, Malécites were combined to the French of which they were a major defensive element.

In 1728, they ratified the peace treaty with the Britanniques concluded with Boston and of this fact recognized British sovereignty on the Nova Scotia like the other Indians of New England. But their resentment towards the British will perdura until the capitulation of Quebec, in 1763.

The Treated of Jay or Traité of London signed in November 1794 granted to Malécites the right to travel freely between the United States and Canada. Currently, there are two villages malécites in Quebec, the band of Viger with Cacouna and the band of Withworth.

Population