Mi'kmaq impact

The Mi'kmaq were hunters and gatherers. Everything they ate, wore or used came from the land or the sea. They were a nomadic society, moving around their traditional area, allowing plant and animal populations time to recover and regenerate. Their numbers were never large enough to make a negative impact on the environment, so their way of life was entirely sustainable.

The Mi'kmaq had a complex system of spiritual beliefs. They believed in an all-powerful creator of all life that governed the Mi'kmaq and the land. All living things had souls and therefore all living things were respected and honoured. Special prayers and ceremonies were performed for different occasions.

Since Kejimkujik National Park's recent designation as a historic site, there has been a growing interest in the traditional environmental knowledge of the Mi'kmaq people. One research project has started to identify the traditional medicinal plants of the area.

A second project focuses on the black ash tree, which the Mi'kmaq used for making baskets. The black ash is extremely rare in Nova Scotia. Seven of these trees have been identified in the park. Kejimkujik staff are studying the black ash to find out its habitat requirements and the species that exist in its presence.

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