The Mi’kmaq and the Acadians

The areas in which the Acadians settled — here and elsewhere in what is now Nova Scotia — were part of the traditional territory of the Mi’kmaq. For the Mi’kmaq, the Annapolis Basin and its shoreline were located in a district known as Kespukwik, one of seven Mi’kmaw districts in the Maritimes and the Gaspé region of Québec.

The Mi’kmaq assisted and welcomed the first French colonists with Pierre Dugua le Sieur de Mons, to Port Royal 1605. In the years that followed, the Mi’kmaq maintained close relations with the French and Acadian settlers in this and other areas. There are no known specific Mi’kmaw associations with the Melanson settlement, yet there were a large number of Mi’kmaq in the vicinity.

In 1708, census-takers recorded 102 Mi’kmaw men, women, and children living in the Port Royal area. The closest Mi’kmaw community today is Bear River First Nation, 30 km away.

Mi’kmaq aq Wenujk

Ta’n Wenujkik ewi’ka’tipni’k tepawe’l aq se’ke’l ta’n kiskuk tel-nenasik Nopa Sko’sia, na pkesiknt-ip L’nu’- maqmikew. Wjit Mi’kmaq, Tewopskik aq sitm etek-ipnn ta’n tel-nenasik Kespukwitk, newte’jk L’nu-maqmikew weja’tekemk l’uiknek te’s-ikl ula Maritaims-ik aq Kespeke’l, Kepek.

Mi’kmaqik apoqnmua’tisnika aq wel’ta’suala’tisnika mawi-amskwesewe’kika Wenujka staqe nike’ Pie’l Tuka’o’ Le sieur de Monso’ ela’la’tisnika Port Royalk 1605ek. Na ke’sk pemipunqekl, Mi’kmaqik siawwla’matulti’tisnika Wenujka aq Ake’tianaqa piskwi’ka’tite’wka ula tepaw aq ta’n pa etl-se’saqati’tij. Mu kejitasinukw Mi’kmaqik tko’tmnew Mela’nsn settlement katu wel-pikwelji’jisni’k Mi’kmaqik na’te’le’l.

Mawkilja’tite’wkik 1708ek ewi’ka’tisnika 102 te’sinew L’nu’k, e’pijik aq mijua’ji’jk tepaw Port Royalk. Nike’j kiskuk, L’s-itkuk mawi-wjuow utan, 30 km tel-pesu.