Aroostook Band of Micmacs facts for kids
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Location of the Aroostook Band of Micmac Trust Land
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| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 1,110+ | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 United States ( Maine) |
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| Languages | |
| English, Mi'kmaq | |
| Religion | |
| Roman Catholicism, traditional tribal religion |
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| Related ethnic groups | |
| Other Mi'kmaq people |
The Aroostook Band of Micmacs is a federally recognized tribe of Mi'kmaq people, based in Aroostook County, Maine. Their autonym is Ulustuk. Of the 28 bands of Mi'kmaq people, the Aroostook Band is the only one in the United States. The Aroostook Micmacs were the first non-US power to sign a treaty with the United States, the Treaty of Watertown, on July 6, 1776.
The tribe has no reservation but owns 1,350 acres (5.5 km2) of land. The United States Census Bureau listed 1,047 acres (4.236 km2) of trust land in the 2010 United States Census, located at 46°55′13″N 67°53′15″W / 46.92028°N 67.88750°W in the Town of Limestone. An official population of 197 inhabitants was counted on the trust lands. The band is headquartered in Presque Isle. The governing council consists of nine members that serve two-year terms.
They form part of a large Algonquian-speaking nation known as the Mi'kmaq. Their ancestral homeland reaches as far northeast as Newfoundland and historically includes Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, a large part of New Brunswick, and a small part of Quebec in the Chaleurs Bay area. Their name is thought to be based on the indigenous term nikmaq ("my kin friends"), referring to allies.
The band was federally recognized on November 26, 1991 after a long campaign.
