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Indigenous-owned · Saskatoon, Treaty 6 · Shipping across Canada
An introduction to Saint John: its history, the Nations whose lands it sits on, and Indigenous community life today, with sources.
Saint John stands where the Saint John River, the Wolastoq, meets the Bay of Fundy. Wolastoqiyik knew the site as Menahkwesk, and they lived seasonally along the river long before Loyalists arrived after the American Revolution. Welamukotuk (Oromocto First Nation) and the Peskotomuhkati Nation at Skutik are among the Indigenous communities of the wider region. The Wolastoqiyik were the main people of the river, with Mi’kmaq to the east and Peskotomuhkati to the west. He gave the river, known as Wolastoq, the saint’s name. Between 1725 and 1779, Britain signed Peace and Friendship Treaties with the Wolastoqiyik, Mi’kmaq, Passamaquoddy and other Nations. These treaties protected hunting, fishing and land-use rights. They did not require any surrender of land.
Saint John is on the ancestral and unceded territory of the Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet), covered by the Peace and Friendship Treaties.
Nearby: Rothesay · Quispamsis · Grand Bay-Westfield · Welamukotuk (Oromocto First Nation) · Peskotomuhkati Nation at Skutik
Six Wolastoqey communities in New Brunswick carry the river's history forward. The Canadian Encyclopedia's list of Wolastoqey communities includes Madawaska, Kingsclear, Oromocto, Saint Mary's, Tobique and Woodstock. The name Wolastoqiyik means people of the beautiful river. It has replaced the older name Maliseet, a Mi'kmaq term. In October 2020, the six communities filed an Aboriginal title claim covering roughly half of New Brunswick. They argue their ancestors never gave up the Saint John River lands under the Peace and Friendship Treaties. By 2023, combined First Nations title claims covered the whole province. In 2026, Canada named the 1726 Peace and Friendship Treaty a National Historic Event. The Wolastoqey Nation in New Brunswick acts as the technical advisory body for the six communities. It advises on fisheries, forestry, Crown lands and environmental review, and works on putting UNDRIP into practice. Census figures show why language work matters. In 2016 about 350 people in Canada named Wolastoqey as their mother tongue, down from 825 in 2001. In Saint John itself, the regional tourism agency acknowledges Wolastoqiyik, Mi'kmaq and Peskotomuhkati territory and the treaties signed in the 1700s. The New Brunswick Museum on Douglas Avenue describes its site as unceded Wabanaki land.
More on the region: Indigenous New Brunswick · all of Canada.
XUSI is an Indigenous-owned business from Saskatoon, started in 2020 by two brothers from northern Saskatchewan. Along with our clothing, we bring Indigenous youth workshops and custom screen printing to Saint John and across New Brunswick.
Strong Roots Strong Future is our interactive workshop for Indigenous youth, led by the two brothers who founded XUSI. We travel to schools, First Nations and Indigenous communities, youth organizations and funding programs in Saint John and across New Brunswick. Youth ages 10 and up work through identity and culture, financial literacy, fitness, entrepreneurship and business skills, career readiness and hands-on screen printing.
Custom t-shirts, hoodies and crewnecks for Saint John schools, sports teams, businesses, events and First Nations and Indigenous organizations. Send us an idea, get free design help and a full quote before anything is printed. We print in Saskatoon and ship to Saint John. 10-garment minimum, up to 4 colours per design.
Heavyweight cotton tees, hoodies, crewnecks and A-frame hats with Cree words and the stories behind them. Fitness is part of how XUSI started, so our pieces are built for the gym and the street, and we ship them to Saint John.
The shipping cost is calculated at checkout, and orders of $90 or more ship free within Canada. Orders leave Saskatoon within 1–3 business days.
Yes, returns can be requested within 30 days.
Yes. Our custom screen printing starts at 10 garments, with up to 4 colours per design, and every order is quoted before printing. Design help is included. If your design uses Wolastoqey words, we suggest checking the wording with a fluent speaker first. We print in Saskatoon and ship east.
Last reviewed . Facts on this page come from the sources listed below.
Orders to Saint John leave Saskatoon within three business days, printed on Gildan, ALSTYLE, Independent and Bella+Canvas blanks, in the same shop that prints XUSI’s own designs.
The brand is owned by two brothers from northern Saskatchewan, and every word on the clothing is Cree, with the meaning written by them. Browse all XUSI, or read the Meanings page.
