The name Maliseet or Malecite comes from the Mikmaq word malisit, "broken talkers," or mahnesheets, "slow tongues."  An Algonquian family, the Maliseet were part of the loosely knit Abnaki confederation in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Maine. Linguistically they were closely related to the Passamaquoddy. Champlain met them in 1604 and wrote: "When we were seated they began to smoke, as was their custom, before making any discourse. They made us presents of game and venison. All that day and the following night they continued to sing, dance, and feast until day reappeared. The were clothed in beaver skins."
By 1904 the Maliseet were reduced to about 800 people in New Brunswick and Quebec provinces, Canada.