"As Governor Paul LePage (R) swore in the newest member of Maine's 125th Legislature in the Cabinet room at the State House Wednesday morning, a number of tribal representatives looked on. David Slagger - Maine's first ever Maliseet legislator - is dressed in a hand-beaded tribal vest - especially made for this week's event. It's adorned with bear claws and sea shells. On the back is a hand-stitched tribal symbol, depicting porcupine quills.
"This is such an exciting day. It's a day that's long overdue, really," said Brenda Commander, chief of the Houlton band of Maliseets. "I mean we've waited all these years to have a voice here in the State House and the legislature, and now today we finally have our representative and it's historic for us."
The Houlton Band of Maliseets was formally recognized as a tribe by the US government in 1980 and in 2010 it was authorized to send a representative to the Legislature. The tribe part of the larger Maliseet Nation of New Brunswick Canada."
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