As a way of getting to know our neighbors and fulfill our baptismal call to “strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being” as well as living out our Climate Covenant, Good Shepherd invited Houlton Band of Malissets Ambassador, Osihkiyol (Zeke) Crofton-Macdonald to speak to the Houlton community. Zeke gave a prepared talk that included some of his personal experiences growing up and his research as a historian. He explained that the Maliseets in Houlton are part of the Wolastoqey Nation, which continues to live on unceded territory on both sides of the Maine/New Brunswick border. The history of the Wolastoqey and settler communities is long and complicated, but Zeke was able to sort that out for us. The audience, made up of Good Shepherd folks, people from other area churches and other interested community members, listened with full attention and asked a wide range of questions, which Zeke answered with expertise, frankness, and patience. Audience members contributed generously to the Maliseet Indians Food Pantry. We see this as a step in building a relationship between the two communities.
