Mi'kmaq

History

Mi’kmaq (Mi’kmaw, Micmac or L’nu, “the people” in Mi’kmaq) are Indigenous peoples who are among the original inhabitants in the Atlantic Provinces of Canada. Alternative names for the Mi’kmaq appear in some historical sources and include Gaspesians, Souriquois, Acadians and Tarrantines. Contemporary Mi’kmaq communities are located predominantly in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, but with a significant presence in Québec, Newfoundland, Maine and the Boston area. As of 2015, there were slightly fewer than 60,000 registered members of Mi’kmaq nations in Canada. In the 2011 National Household Survey, 8,935 people reported knowledge of the Mi’kmaq language. (https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/micmac-mikmaq)

Below you will find links that will look at history, traditional territories, and traditional life.

Canadian Encyclopedia

Nova Scotia Archives

Language

Oral tradition is very important to the Mi'kmaq culture to tell of the past and stories of the people. Not only do the Mi'kmaq use words and language to tell their stories, but they use images, signs and sounds. Below are links to familiarize you with the sounds and language of the Mi'kmaq people.

Mi'kmaq Vocabulary -List of Mi'kmaq words compared with English and French

Mi'kmaq Pronounciation guide - How to pronounce words in Mi'kmaq

First Voices - has audio files to hear and learn vocabulary and phrases in Mi-kmaq

Mi'kmaq Online Talking Dictionary - Each word is presented using the Listuguj orthography and is recorded three times by different speakers to hear tonal differences of the same word.

Mi'kmaq alphabet and pronunciation - This website shows the Francis-Smith orthography. It became the official orthography of the Míkmaq Nation in 1980. It is used in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick.

Honor Song of the Mi'kmaq - shows the Mi'kmaq as well as the English translation. You can listen to the language in this video. (also listed under culture)

Emma Stevens -singing Blackbird in Mi'kmaq - an Eskasoni teen sings in Mi'kmaq to bring her language to the world. "Those lyrics kind of make me feel more hopeful, more inspired to, like, learn my language more than I already know, and to show non-Mi'kmaq people the beauty of the song in our language," Emma Stevens, 16, of Eskasoni, N.S"

Aboriginal Language Initiative - Familiar songs and children's poems in Mi'kmaq

Community Resources

Mi'kmaw Native Friendship Centre - The mission of the Mi'kmaw Native Friendship Centre is to provide structured, social-based programming for Urban Aboriginal People while serving as a focal point for the urban aboriginal community to gather for a variety of community functions and events.

Mi'kmaq Language Program with the Native Council of Nova Scotia- This organization is located in Truro, Nova Scotia. It has a library of materials and resources that you can access.

Millbrook Cultrual Centre - Conducts tours at the centre in Millbrook and can help arrange guest speakers or presentations for schools. Also has a gift shop with a variety of locally made wares.

Bear River First Nation - Located in Bear River, Nova Scotia. Has a cultural centre that you can visit.

Nova Scotia Museum - Lists links to resources on the webpage as well the museum has a Mi'kmaq portrait gallery and Mi'kmaq Petroglyphs.

Mi’kmaq Resource Centre - Located at Cape Breton University. Has a collection of materials on Mi’kmaw and Indigenous history, language, and culture.