Jake Middle Musquodoboit, Nova Scotia

Fair address: Nova Scotia Provincial Heritage Fair

Project: Mi'kmaw Culture

My project is on Mi'kmaw culture. I posed some frequently asked questions which were answered by a very knowledgeable man who is a Mi'kmaw artist and storyteller.

What was the most interesting thing you learned about your topic?

I learned that Kluskap, although important in Mi'kmaw culture, is not the most important, but that there are a "big three" - the Creator (Kisu'lk), the God (Niskam) and the storyteller and teacher (Kluskap)

What important lessons have you learned that you want to share with other Canadians?

I learned that Mi'kmaw people died from European diseases. Mi'kmaw placenames are still around today and used as English names. I also learned that Mi'kmaw language is verb-based whereas, English is noun-based.

How would you compare your life today to the lives of those studied in your project?

My life is different than Mi'kmaw ancestors because of the technologies we have today, but a lot in the natural world is the same as it was when they lived. Mi'kmaq today use the same technologies as me but they also use the knowledge that their ancestors passed down to them.