Shelley Sabattis was sworn in Monday as the chief of Oromocto First Nation in a traditional ceremony that hasn't been used in 150 years.

Sabattis is the community's first female chief and with her taking office, three of the six Maliseet communities in New Brunswick have female chiefs.

"I was praying in my bedroom for her to get in and my son came in and told me she was in," said Faye Keenan-Mossop, Sabattis's grandmother.

"And I was so proud and I cried."

Juanita Paul said she is confident that Sabattis will excel in her new position.

"I know that she will do the best of her ability. I know that, she's that type of person," said Paul.

Mary Davenport also said she is hopeful that the new chief will usher in change to the community.

"She's going to do better than the rest did. We needed this change, big time," Davenport said.

Sabattis, 47, is a former teacher.

"I've handled stress my entire life," she said.

"I've managed household my entire life, I raised five kids on my own, I'm game for anything.

"We have a young team of councillors, all men, that are all eager, educated and ready to go, so I'm going to put the issues right to them, and we're going to start off with a wham, I hope, a big bang."

Sabattis won a seat on council in addition to the chief's position for a two-year term. She is donating her salary as a councillor to the community's elders for their use.

About half of the First Nation's 600 members live off-reserve. The average age is 30, and one of the councillors is Sabattis's son.

Sabattis says her focus will be on higher education for the young, and tackling growing housing issues.

Maliseet elder Imelda Perley, who led the swearing-in ceremony, notes that half of New Brunswick's six Maliseet communities now have female chiefs.

"I think that's going to be the big shift in leadership, is that we have more women who are spiritually connected," she said.