Native People

The History of the Mi'kmaw People The real story of the First Nations people in North America is a fantastic tale, and one of the longest sagas in the history of this continent. It begins 30,000 to 40,000 years ago with the existence of what archaeologists believe must have been a land bridge between the closest points of modern-day Alaska and Siberia. The bridge is thought to have endured off and on for about 10,000 years until a sudden change in temperature melted the surrounding ice to form what we now know as the Bering Strait. No one knows for certain when the first hunters crossed the land bridge into North America. But it is most likely they followed trails left behind by animal herds searching for food and water. From there, they followed the northern foothills of the Alaskan ranges before turning south and east toward the Atlantic Provinces. The Paleo-Indians The first faint trail of the people known as the Paleo-lndians dates back 12,500 to 20,000 years in North America to Folsom, New Mexico where a college student discovered stone tools. One of the oldest accepted prehistoric sites in Nova Scotia was discovered in Debert and dates back 10,600 years. The site was found during the 1940's while the grounds were being used by the Department of National Defense as a training ground during the Second World War. It wasn't excavated until the mid-1960's when Canadian archaeologist George MacDonald determined the age of the camp by carbon dating artifacts found there. Seven other prehistoric sites have been identified in the Maritimes: at Dartmouth, Yarmouth and Amherst Shore in Nova Scotia; Quaco Head, Kingsclear and Hogan-Mullin in New Brunswick and at Souris in Prince Edward Island. Scientists disagree on who the inhabitants of these early sites were, but some Mi'kmaqs believe their ancestors had to have been here at least that early in order to develop the complex system of social rules already in place when the first whites arrived. Pre-contact Mi'kmaq Life Before Europeans arrived, the entire Maritime region east of the St. John River and west to the St. Lawrence was known as Megumaage. The Mi'kmaqs who lived there had rules in place to regulate everything from sports to politics. The educational system was the link to survival, through the development of specialized hunting skills, the making of traditional equipment, and the creation of traditional clothing made from the skins of animals. The social system included the concept of sharing the practices and respect of ceremonies and the various songs, chants and dances accompanying wedding, funeral and other traditional ceremonies that the Mi'kmaq people practiced; along with the involvement in competitive traditional sports like canoeing, waltes (a traditional dice game) and archery. The economic system was co-operative in everything from the quest and distribution of food and trading goods to the consumption of wealth. The political system was democratic and people-oriented. The Mi'kmaq system consisted of seven autonomous districts. Each of the districts was made up of several small villages; each village had a chief, who was chosen for his ability and knowledge of the territory. Each district chose a chief for his ability to lead men and inspire confidence, his territorial knowledge, his understanding of the seasonal habits of animals and his skill as a good spokesman. There were also regular council meetings held in the Great Lakes region, now known as Ontario. Council discussions were recorded on Wampum Belts kept by each tribe to record its history. Tribe members would attach rows of colored shells to the belts as a way of recording what went on at the meetings. The Mi'kmaq wampum belt was last seen at Chapel Island in the 1940's, and is shown in a photograph on display at the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History. Where it went after the picture was taken remains a mystery. The Mi'kmaq way of Life The english word "wigwam" comes from the Mi'kmaq "wiknom" a dwelling. Wigwams were usually put up by the women and could be built in a day. The basic structure was five spruce poles, lashed together at the top with split spruce root and spread out at the bottom. Birchbark sheets were laid over the poles like shingles. Clothing was made from the skins of mammals, birds and fish. In the 17th century, and probably earlier, men's garments included a loose robe of fur or skin worn blanket like over the shoulders, open in front and falling to the knees. Leggings of moose, caribou or seal hide were tied at the hip to a leather girdle. Moccasins of moose or seal skin, a tobacco pouch, and various accessories completed the clothing Women wore similar robes and dresses wrapped around the body like a bath towel that fell below the knee and belted at the waist The wide-bottomed Mi'kmaq canoe was raised at both ends with the sides curving upwards in the middle. Snowshoes and toboggans, both First Nation inventions, were used in winter conditions. Salmon, sturgeon, porpoises, whales, walrus, seals, lobster, squid, shellfish ski, eels and seabirds and their eggs made up the bulk of the Mi'kmaq diet. They also ate moose, caribou, beaver, porcupine and squirrel. Berries, roots and edible plants were gathered in the summer. The Mi'kmaq entertained each other with storytelling. Stories often lasted several days and included singing, dancing and feasting. Everyone smoked. Their tobacco was made from red willow bark bearberry leaves and a native tobacco plant. Waltes was a favorite dice game, and is still played today. There were contests of running, wrestling and shooting plus various ball games. The Mi'kmaq language, one of the Algonquian family of languages, is rich and descriptive. The name for the month of May is Tqoljewikus's, "frog-croaking moon". February is Apiknajit, the "snow blinder". Some modern place names, like Shubenacadie and Musquodoboit, came from Mi'kmaq. The language is still spoken today.