The Mi'kmaq (Micmac)

http://www.heritage.nf.ca/aboriginal/mikmaq.html
Historians and archaeologists differ as to when the Mi'kmaq first came to Newfou
ndland. Newfoundland Mi'kmaq oral tradition holds that the Mi'kmaq were living i
n Newfoundland prior to European contact. There is some historical evidence that
the Mi'kmaq were living in Newfoundland by the 16th century, and by the 17th ce
ntury there are increasing references to the Mi'kmaq in the historical record.
Micmac Occupation Map
Map showing traditional hunting and trapping territory of the Newfoundland Mi'km
aq as perceived by Frank Speck.
From Frank Speck, Beothuk and Micmac, Indian Notes and Monographs series, vol. 2
2 (New York: Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation, 1922). End Map. Ill
ustration by Tina Riche.
During the 16th and 17th centuries the Mi'kmaq had created what one historian ca
lls a "Domain of Islands" in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Mi'kmaq traders who had a
dopted the small European sailing boat, the shallop (or chaloupe), had construct
ed a network of exchange which ranged from the Strait of Belle Isle between Newf
oundland and Labrador to the coasts of Massachusetts. These Mi'kmaq acted as mid
dlemen in the exchange of European goods for furs.
During the colonial period, the Mi'kmaq were allied with the French. As a result
, when the French were defeated by the British in 1763, the Mi'kmaq in Newfoundl
and were regarded with suspicion by British authorities.
By this time, the Newfoundland Mi'kmaq had developed a distinctive way of life h
unting caribou, trapping furs, and exchanging them for necessities such as guns,
kettles, knives.
In the 19th century, the Newfoundland Mi'kmaq often acted as guides; for example
, the explorer William Cormack, was guided by Mi'kmaq in his attempt to locate t
he Beothuk in the interior of Newfoundland in 1822 and in 1829. Throughout the 1
9th century, the 150 or so Mi'kmaq people in Newfoundland made their living as g
uides, trappers, mail carriers, and as sellers of basketry.
A deserted wigwam, ca. 1890.
Humber River, western coast of Newfoundland. The influx of European hunters and
trappers during the 19th century greatly altered the traditional way of life for
many Mi'kmaq.
Courtesy of the Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador (PANL VA 13-19)
.
Larger Version (19 kb) Wigwam
Life became much more difficult for the Newfoundland Mi'kmaq with the completion
of the trans-island railway in 1898. The railway brought a flood of caribou hun
ters to the interior of the island, and by 1930 the caribou had been hunted almo
st to extinction. The world-wide decline in fur prices coupled with the Depressi
on of the 1930s spelled the beginning of the end of the old way of life. By 1945
there were no full-time trappers left in Conne River (Miawpukek), the largest M
i'kmaq community, and seasonal logging for low wages represented one of the few
sources of cash for the community. Hunting, fishing, and gathering berries remai
ned a necessary part of most families' lives.
Despite their early conversion to Catholicism, many Mi'kmaq retained their tradi
tional beliefs. Although use of the Mi'kmaq language declined drastically in the
20th century, in recent years the Conne River community has worked valiantly to
revive it.
In 1972 the people of Conne River formed an elected band council, and in 1973 th
e Federation of Newfoundland Indians was formed to work toward Federal recogniti
on of Newfoundland's Mi'kmaq. In 1984 the Federal Government recognized the Conn
e River Mi'kmaq as status Indians under the Indian Act, and in 1987 Conne River
was recognized as a status Indian Reserve.
Although the Conne River Mi'kmaq have yet to have their land claims accepted by
the federal or provincial government, the community has become a model of aborig
inal enterprise, including, among others, a flourishing aquaculture programme, h
unting and fishing lodges, and a logging operation. In an effort to promote and
sustain Mi'kmaq culture, the Miawpukek Band Council sponsors a variety of cultur
al events and programmes, many of which can be seen on the Miawpukek Web Site.
© 1997, Ralph T. Pastore
Archaeology Unit & History Department
Memorial University of Newfoundland