Maliseets build Elder Center

By Karen Donato
Staff Writer
    “Finally, a place of our own,” said Rose Tomah. “I helped pick out the design.” “ We wanted a large space to gather in and a good size kitchen,” she added.
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Karen Donato
MALISEET CEREMONY — Rose Tomah, left, enjoys a moment with the Maliseet Spiritual Director, Imelda Perley at the Blessing Ceremony of the new elder home on the Foxcroft Road in Houlton. Maliseet elders now have a place to call their own, where they can have meals together, conduct meetings, work on their crafts and socialize together.
    For years the elders of the Maliseet tribe have been bounced around from facility to facility with no place to call their own. Sometimes they would meet at the tribal rec center, but had to be finished their meeting or activity by a certain time because the children needed the space after school. It just seemed that no matter where they met they were always on a time frame and also had to pack up all their materials and transport them from place to place.
    That is in the past now. On Friday, Dec. 5 the Maliseet spiritual leader, Imelda Perley conducted the tribal blessing on a brand new elder home on the Foxcroft Road. She conducted a tribal ceremony blessing the center from the heart, and specifically blessed the area where the two parts of the house are joined. This center will be used to teach lessons from the past and for future generations.
    The building has a large living room and kitchen, with three other rooms to be used for an office, a library and a craft center. Now the elders can meet for meals, have meetings, enjoy a social time and work on their crafts on their own time. They have a place to store the materials for the crafts and will no longer need to transport them from place to place.
    The purchase of the building was funded by the Tribal Council and placed on property already owned.    Tribal Chief Brenda Commander is very appreciative of Perley’s involvement with the center. She told of the many roadblocks that had to be overcome to reach this opening day.
    “We are happy that the elders now have a home away from home,” she said.
    Betty Joseph is excited about the new building and looks forward to coming there to work on cross-stitch and embroidery pieces.
    “The elders will also meet here to go on day trips into the community or to other events in other communities,” said Pam Griffith, elder coordinator.
    The elders plan to have a vegetable garden and plant some flower gardens around the building in the spring. The youth group will assist them with this project.