The Mi'kmaq people:

1. In the summer of 1534, as Jacques Cartier and his associates were in search for a passage to the Indies, after having discovered Miramichi Bay, they were surrounded by a large number of canoes, containing several hundreds people, who caused them so much annoyance, and foreboded danger, that the noble Frenchman was compelled to fire amongst them so as to disperse them. Theses were the Micmac Indians, a hardy coast tribe of red men, who found a livelihood in the summer as fisher-folks, and in the winter repaired to the interior, were they hunted the animals which roamed the forest during those early years in eastern Canada.

Jacques Cartier met these people again upon the mainland after this encounter with them in their canoes, and appropriated their chief by the gift of a red hat; a precious thing always in the eyes of a Canadian man.

These Micmac sometimes spelled «Mikmaks» are supposed by some students of Micmac history to be related to the lost tribe of the Beothuks, who formerly dwelt in the Newfoundland and of whom very little is known. The strongest evidence from the difference of the language points to a hatred of each other, ending in the destruction of the Beothuks. From an examination of their mythology, Leland concludes that the Micmacs and Norsemen came in contact with each other in the prehistoric times of Canada, for in the old Norse legends there is to be found much in common with the Micmac.

Not far distant from their home were to be seen the Eskimo of Labrador, and this coast tribe of red men, in their hunting expeditions, met the hardy children of the cold, who have left the impress of their association with them, in the stories which still linger in the memories the aged men, and in their traditions there abides the record of a visit of some Eskimos to the land of the Micmac.

These people belong to the great Algonquin family, comprising one of the largest divisions of the red men on the continent. The Micmac,Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Abnaki and Malicete Indians call themselves the Wabanaki, which means the «People who lives in the East» or near the rising sun.

In the map of the eighteenth century the Micmac are located in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island while in the early records of the missionaries they were found along the coast from the Nova Scotia to Gaspe, and within the interior of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland.

In the Micmac traditions we learn that before there were any white men in the country a young woman, belonging to the tribe, had a singular dream of a small island floating toward the land with tall trees upon it and human beings, and a young man dressed in rabbit-skin garments.

The wise men of the tribe were unable to interpret the young woman's dream, but the next day the people saw an island float toward the land and become stationary, having trees upon it with bears in the branches. They sized their bows and arrows and rushed towards the shore, when they found a ship, and instead of bears on trees, men were climbing the rigging of the vessel.

A canoe was lowered into the water, and several men sprang into it, having with them a man dressed in white garments, who was paddled to the shore, and went among the people speaking a strange language, but evincing by the manner his desire to be on friendly terms.

This was a priest who had come to teach them a new religion and though the people listened to the truths he taught, the wise men opposed him, for the dream had been given to a woman and not to a wise man.

Since the advert of the sailors with their strange ways, the white people have mingled with the Wabanaki until the present day, sometimes on friendly terms and sometimes in war.Within the Dominion there are about four thousand Micmacs. In 1890 there were in the provinces as follows: Quebec, six hundred and twenty; Nova Scotia, two thousand and seventy-six; New Brunswick, eight hundred and thirty-nine; Prince Edward Island, three hundred and fourteen, and a few in Newfoundland.

Dressed in the garments of primitive people, and armed with bows and arrows, they contrived to maintain themselves by the products of the sea and forest, wandering from place to place, and locating for a short period when successful in their hunt. The old-time native costume, usually worn by Indians, was kept up among the Micmac until within the past two or three decades, but at the present day, only a few old women are to be found wearing the old-fashioned head and shoulder gear.

As the tribe is scattered over the eastern provinces there exist difficulties in their attempts to become self-supporting, and variety as to their work. They are engaged chiefly in farming and fishing. In some places, especially on the west coast of Newfoundland, their services are sought as guides whereas on the Lennox Island Reserve they manage to eke out a precarious living by means of the prolific oyster beds, and the manufacturing of Indian goods which they sell in the towns within easy travelling distance from their home..........

........During the struggle in Acadia the Micmac were instigated by the French priest Le Loutre to fight against the English, and so determined were they to assist the French that the English were compelled to retire. They fought with great valour against their Mohawks foes, which came down upon them in great numbers.

Strange tales are told of the hated Iroquois and the Micmac in the days of war. In the quiet harbour of the picturesque village of Bic, and not far distant from Cacouna lies l'Islet au Massacre, washed by the waters of the St-Lawrence.

The centuries have come and gone since a band of tree hundred Micmacs men, women and children, fleeing in their canoes from the blood-thirsty Iroquois, sought amid the darkness and the storm, rest for their weary limbs within the dark recesses of the cave upon the barren Islet beside the village of Bic......

Read the full story here

The Mi’kmaq “Mate'wes'weskitjinu'ûk"

The true name of the Maliseet is “Wolastoqiyik” which comes from the name of the river which crossed their ancestral territory. The newcomers (French) which had the bad habit to rename everything, preferred to name them “Malécites”. Actually the name “Wolastoqiyik” was given to them by the Mi' kmaq and means “people who does not speak well”. The “Plets'-mûn” (French), or “Wa-pe'-it ski; - tap” (white men), also called them “Passamaquoddy”, referring to the place where several Maliseet lived, i.e. the valley of Passamaquoddy bay. They also called them “Etchemins”. The Mi’kmaq also gave them another name, that of “Kus'weskijinu'uk.” meaning “People of the muskrats” On their side, the Maliseet called the Mi’kmaq “Mate'wes'weskitjinu'ûk". meaning “People of the Porcupines”.

Way back, the Maliseets were seminomad, living in the interior land during the winter and on the territories close to water during the summer. Until the XVIe century, the Maliseets lived in New Brunswick, along the St John river. Their territory extended to the north from this river and included in the south part of current Maine. They never gave up sovereignty on these territories. Maliseets belonged to the “ Waban-Ak Confederationi” which included the Nipmuks, Sokokis, Assagunticooks, Wawanocks, Kenebeks, Ponobscots, Mi' kmaq and Wolastoqiyik.

In contact with Europeans, the Maliseets contracted diseases for which they did not have any natural defense. “Converted” by the missionaries, some believed that while agreeing to be baptized and while wearing clothing to prove that they had been baptized, thus they were going to protect their descendents from these diseases. But they had not realized that they were going to become even sicker while approaching Europeans. Several died.

The Maliseets were faithful allies to the French just like the Mi' kmaq, Waban-Aki, etc, in the wars of colonization; they were considered a principal element in French defense. The French and the English placed the autochtones at the front believing that they were going to perish first. They were wrong, the natives being friendly and members of the Waban-Aki confederation greeted one another quite simply while passing and went to fight those which they were to fight.

Whereas in Europe, Asia and Africa one cut the head of the murderers or enemies by using the guillotine or by using an unspecified sharp weapon, it was the same in the Americas. It was a habit to cut the head of the enemy. In certain Nations the warriors could also tear off the heart of the enemy since it was regarded as life itself, the spirit of the person, the honor. At the time of the wars between the French and the English in North America certain natives nations allied themself with a group and some others with their opponents. It is for “practical” reasons that the French and the English have required of the warriors to bring back, as an evidence, only the hair (scalps) of the enemies whom they killed… the scalps had been just invented by Europeans.

The French brought relatively few of their women to North America during the first years, thus it inter marriage between the French, Maliseets and the Mi' kmaq had become common thing. Most of the Maliseets and the Mi' kmaq today whose surnames are French are their descendants.

In the past several natives lost their right of membership following their involuntary and unjust “emancipation”. Certain women simply lost it by marrying non-natives. It was also the “visible” way since this woman could not legally live any more on “her own reserve”. Several descendants of these people were so well assimilated that it was sometimes possible to hear “my mother was an Indian...” or “my grandmother was an Indian...». These people tan easily under the sun, obvious physical characteristics, etc... The fact of having a French or anglo name often contributes to sow doubts. If the mother or the father is indigenous it is always possible to get recognize ones own statuts by communicating with the reserve of origin or the Ministry of Indian Affairs of Canada. If it is about the grandmother, it happens that the indigenous origin was hidden for a long time. Certain organizations in Canada, like “the Indigenous Alliance of Quebec”, undertake help to restore things. “The Indigenous Alliance of Quebec” is the only organization off reserve being recognized officially in Quebec by the federal and provincial governments.

Over the past years, many rules were laid down by the federal government to determine admissibility with the inscription. Important modifications were made to the “Law on the Indians” or “Act of the Savages” in 1985 when the Parliament adopted the bill C-31. These changes were aimed at eliminating certain discriminatory provisions of the law. Moreover, they made it possible the First nations to decide membership of their own numbers.

Normally, a person is acceptable if:
-she was acceptable before the law was amended in 1985;
-she lost her Indian status subsequent to a marriage with an non-Indian;
-she lost her Indian status because his/her father was not an Indian;
-she lost her Indian status because his/her parents presented a request to give up the inscription and the membership at a First nation by means of a process called “emancipation”;
-or his/her two parents are acceptable with the inscription, whatever the reason.
-or she can be acceptable with the inscription if only one of her parent is acceptable (under certain conditions).

It is important to be recognized. Whole Nations are likely to disappear before 2060 if more and more natives give up their legitimate right.

Sa’n Béliveau
http://www.astrosante.com/Mikmaq.htm