Mi'kmaq Resources

References from Cultural Competency PD Module on Truth and Reconciliation  (April 2022)

Ibhawoh, B. (2019). Do truth and reconciliation commissions heal divided

nations?https://www.salon.com/2019/02/03/do-truth-and-reconciliation-commissions-heal-divided-nations/

Facing History and Ourselves. (2022) Truth and Reconciliation. Stolen Lives: The Indigenous

Peoples of Canada and the Indian Residential Schools / Historical Background.

https://www.facinghistory.org/stolen-lives-indigenous-peoples-canada-and-indian-residential-schools/historical-background/truth-and-reconciliation

University of Alberta. (2022). Truth and Reconciliation Commission Image.

https://guides.library.ualberta.ca/residential-schools/truth-and-reconciliation-commission

Mi'kmaq Terminology

Mi’kmaq/Mi’kmaw: Mi'kmaq are Nova Scotia's first people. The Mi'kmaq nation extended into NB, the Gaspé, PEI and in Newfoundland. 

Mi'kmaq is the plural form of the singular Mi'kmaw, and when one uses the word Mi'kmaq it always refers to more than one Mi'kmaw person or the entire nation. 

Aboriginal people: A more holistic term referring to the Canada’s original inhabitants. The Constitution recognizes three groups of Aboriginal people (Indians, Métis and Inuit). 

First Nation: Came into common usage in the 1970's to replace Indian . First Nation people are generally Status and Non-status Indians. Indian bands have also adopted the term First Nation to describe their community. For example, the Indian band Eskasoni refers to itself as Eskasoni First Nation. First Nation is also sometimes used to describe the larger collective of First Nations people. So in Nova Scotia, the indigenous population is sometimes referred to as the Mi'kmaq First Nation(s).

 Indian Reserve: Tract of land, the legal title to which is held by the Crown, set apart for the use and benefit of an Indian band.

 Off-reserve: A term used to describe people, services or objects that are not part of a reserve, but relate to First Nations.

 Métis: People of mixed First Nation and European ancestry who identify themselves as Métis, as distinct from First Nations people, Inuit or non-Aboriginal people. The Métis have a unique culture that draws on their diverse ancestral origins, such as Scottish, French, Ojibway and Cree. 

Indian: Indian peoples are one of three groups of people recognized as Aboriginal in the Constitution Act, 1982. Indians in Canada are often referred to as: Status Indians, non-Status Indians and Treaty Indians. The term "Indian" is considered outdated by many people, and there is much debate over whether to continue using this term. Status Indian: A person who is registered as an Indian under the Indian Act. The Act sets out the requirements for determining who is an Indian for the purposes of the Indian Act. 

Non-Status Indian: An Indian person who is not registered as an Indian under the Indian Act. Indian Act: Canadian federal legislation, first passed in 1876, and amended several times since. It sets out certain federal government obligations and regulates the management of Indian reserve lands, Indian moneys and other resources. Among its many provisions, the Indian Act currently requires the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development to manage certain moneys belonging to First Nations and Indian lands and to approve or disallow First Nations by-laws. 

From: https://novascotia.ca/abor/docs/other-resources/terminology_2.pdf