Metallak

Who was Metallak?

Metallak was the last survivor of a band of Native Americans known as the Androscoggin, Cowasuck or, more properly, the Arosaguntacook. The band, part of the Abenaki nation, inhabited the upper Androscoggin and Magalloway rivers along the northern border of New Hampshire and Maine. They also lived in the village of St. Francis in the Canadian province of Quebec. Metallak was the youngest son of Pial, chief of the tribe.

Metallak was well known by early European settlers in the area and was on friendly terms with most of them. Blinded by accidents in his later years, Metallak died a pauper in 1853 at the reputed age of 120.

His name survives in place names such as Metallak Island in Richardson Lake, and two different Metallak Mountains, one in Maine and one in New Hampshire.

Various spellings of his name include Metalluc, Matalak, and Metalak.