Chief Clarissa Sabattis of the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians is one of six individuals honored by the Wabanaki Alliance at the 2026 Nihkaniyane event on October 1 in Freeport.
Chief Sabattis is just the fifth chief in the tribe’s 45-year history as a federally-recognized tribe. She was re-elected in May 2025 to a third four-year term as tribal chief, a position she has held since 2017. She credits her father, Clair Sabbattis, who was the tribe’s third chief from 1985-1997, with instilling core values she has done her best to cultivate over the years.
“I have always had so much respect for my father, especially during times when there were hard decisions to be made,” she said in 2017. “He had always taught me to be proactive, treat others with respect, and stand up for my beliefs. What he has passed on to me through seeing his tireless devotion to our tribe as a leader was pride in my people, and our culture, and determination to ensure our existence for generations to come.”
Those traits came through in a memorable moment during her speech at the “State of Tribes’ Address” on March 17, 2023. Telling lawmakers it is time to modernize the 1980 Maine Indian Claims Settlement Acts, Sabattis said she looked “forward to forging a new path forward that is not only better for our tribe but also better for this great state that we all call home.” Then, with a big smile, she raised her fist and said, “We are strong. We are resilient. And most importantly, we are still here.”
As tribal chief, Sabattis has overseen a number of significant accomplishments for the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians since 2017, including:
- Creating a Healing to Wellness Court, a restorative justice effort to reduce a repeat of criminal behavior and to engage the local community.
- Securing $1.6 million in federal funds for river restoration within the Saint John River watershed.
- Collaborating with Houlton on a joint $15 million project to repair and widen the tribe’s main arterial road into the city, which also acts as a border crossing with Canada.
- Expanding affordable housing opportunities for tribal members.
A registered nurse with many years of experience working as a public health consultant for Wabanaki communities, Sabattis strongly advocated for LD 1767, “An Act to Ensure Tribal Representation in the Public Health Infrastructure.” The bill was signed into law by Gov. Janet Mills in February 2022 and includes measures to better understand the overall picture of the health of Wabanaki people in Maine.
As one of the co-hosts of the “Aunties On Air … and Some Uncles Too” — now in its third season — Chief Clarissa Sabattis has been uplifting Wabanaki culture and values with monthly programs featuring conversations with artists such as world-renowned basket maker Jeremy Frey, Passamaquoddy language-keeper Dwayne Tomah and the Indigenous food extraordinaire, Chef Joe Robbins of the Penobscot Nation, among many others.
“For far too long, Indigenous people have been targeted, silenced, and made nearly invisible by the societies that surround us,” the co-hosts observe on their home-page hosted by the Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness website. “The values that maintained balance of our shared land and communities are old, valuable, and deeply needed in our world today. During our time together we will explore many topics through storytelling, laughter and sometimes tears.”
Sabattis and her co-host can sum up the overarching theme of the podcast’s 54 episodes in one sentence: “Our traditions are living, breathing, and contemporary.”
Return to the Nihkaniyane: Let’s Go Forward Together post to read more about the other 2026 honorees.
