Connect with Indigenous Culture in Nova Scotia

Pjila’si (welcome)!
For more than 13,000 years the Mi’kmaq have called this beautiful land home and enriching us with legends, art, music, spirituality, history, and language. Connect with Indigenous people, stories, and special places across Mi’kma’ki.

Membertou Heritage Park

Celebrate the life, culture, and history of the Mi’kmaq people in Membertou First Nation on Unama’ki (Cape Breton Island). Explore the Heritage Park, a large cultural centre sharing interpretation and stories through exhibits and programs. Dine at Kiju’s Restaurant for traditional and locally inspired recipes. Plan to tour the medicine gardens and, with advanced booking, take part in drum and basketmaking, beading, or wooden flower crafting, led by a local expert.

Mi’kmaq Medicine Walk

Immerse yourself in the sights and smells of the forest on a guided tour of Membertou’s medicine trail. As you explore a beautiful wooded trail, learn about traditional medicines used by the Mi’kmaq, and hear legends and stories shared by a local expert. Make and take home your own dreamcatcher to remember your visit.

Eskasoni Cultural Journeys

Hear stories of the vibrant Mi’kmaw culture in Eskasoni First Nation on Cape Breton Island. Explore a 2.4km trail on Goat Island in the Bras d’Or Lake, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and take part in a smudging ceremony, join in traditional dance, and learn local stories and legends. All tours must be booked in advance.

Museum of Natural History

A permanent exhibit at the Museum of Natural History highlights the origins of the Mi’kmaq, their artistry, and way of life. Many stunning artifacts are on display, including samples of woven baskets, quillwork and beadwork, as well as tools and materials used in daily life such as birch bark, wood, and stone.

Connect with Mi’kmaw Culture in Kejimkujik National Park and Historic Site

Visit Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site and discover Mi’kmaw culture, traditions, and language within the woodlands, lakes, rivers, bogs, and barrens of Kejimkujik. It is a story 4,000 years in the making with equal parts history and legend, and it’s here for you to hear, see and feel. Contact Parks Canada to include any of the following experiences in your visit to Keji:

Birch Bark canoe-building

Learn the ancient art of birch bark canoe building with master Mi’kmaw craftsman, Todd Labrador. Relax on the misty shore of Kejimkujik Lake sipping a cup of tea with Todd as shares his story and passion. Then, step inside the workshop for a hands-on experience helping Todd in the construction of his latest masterpiece. Advanced registration is required.

Port-Royal National Historic Site

Discover Mi’kmaw culture at Port-Royal National Historic Site, one of the earliest European settlements in North America. Visit a wigwam, try your hand at drumming, or play the traditional game of waltes. The Mi’kmaw people have lived in this region for thousands of years. They welcomed the French colonists in 1605, forming an enduring friendship and alliance.

Mi’kmaw Interpretive Centre at Fortress of Louisbourg

During the Fortress of Louisbourg’s French occupation, the Mi’kmaq played a vital role helping the community through knowledge sharing and supporting the military during two sieges. The Mi’kmaw Interpretive Centre at the Fortress of Louisbourg connects you with Mi’kmaw history through interpreters, images, artifacts, songs, traditional drumming, and storytelling.