Archive for category: Messages

October is Mi’gmaq History Month, and it is a month for our community to reflect on our culture, rights, and ancestors. We are grateful for all those who have kept, and are keeping our Mi’gmaq language, stories, history, culture and practices alive. They have kept the foundation strong for us to continue to build on. Earlier this month, we observed Treaty Day – a day to remind us to exercise our collective rights as Mi’gmaq, and our responsibilities as stewards of Mi’gmagi for thousands of years, whether it’s on the land or in the water – we are proud of our values and beliefs as Mi’gmaq people.

In August we had the opportunity to reunite with friends and family at our 30^th Annual Traditional Mawiomi.  People from coast to coast joined us to pray and celebrate, as we reopened for our first public gatherings since March 2020.  This year we saw approximately 6,000 people in attendance, making this Mawiomi one of the largest in our recent history.  On behalf of myself, Council, and our staff, I would like to acknowledge and thank the Pow Wow Committee for their hard work and dedication and for making our Mawiomi such a big success.  To all our community members and residents, I hope you had a memorable Summer surrounded by your loved ones.

Four weeks following the election, Chief Darcy Gray had been going nonstop. The morning he was elected, he packed his office at Sugarloaf Senior High School, and unpacked at the LMG that afternoon.

“I’ve been on the go since,” Chief Gray said. “Even holidays aren’t holidays.”

With so much to get up to speed on, there was very little information to release. But one thing was already definite.

“The clear message from council has been that we need to engage our community more,” Chief Gray said. “We do need to speak with our community members.”

A community meeting had already been set for September.  “It’s just a way of engaging and sharing information with the community,” Chief Gray said.  There are plans for continuous, regularly scheduled meetings like this.

Following the celebrations of the BACS graduating class, the upcoming Bachelor of Education offered by McGill University, is on the forefront of many people’s minds. It starts in September.

Another university program in the community — especially in education — with a conscious effort to promote and encourage Mi’gmaq perspective is huge.

“From a community development standpoint — this is so exciting,” Chief Gray said. “You get to that point of … we as a community are starting to steer and direct our own education, right. We’re going to be able to teach our kids what’s important to us.”