About the Project
For thousands of years, Gespe’gewa’gi ~ the Seventh District of Mi’gma’gi ~ has been the homeland of the Mi’gmaq. This Web site- Gespe’gewa’gi Mi’gmaq: Speaking About Our Land, Nm’tginen, recognizes and honours the history, contributions, and culture of the Gespe’gewa’gi, Mi’gmaq.
This Web site features the original and unique collections of contemporary and historical Mi’gmaq materials, which are held by the Mi’gmawei Mawiomi Secretariat (MMS). The MMS is a governing body which includes; Listuguj, Gesgapegiag and Gespeg. These collections are anchored within the stories and worldview of the Mi’gmaq Nation mainly within Listuguj, Gesgapegiag and Gespeg.
This Web site addresses the need to understand, with greater depth and scope, the perspectives of the Mi’gmaq Nation regarding their traditional territory, culture and history. The Nm’tginen (lands), which compose Gespe’gewa’gi includes: the Gaspé Peninsula, parts of Québec, New Brunswick (north of the St. John River watershed), parts of Maine and the Islands in Bay of Chaleur, as well as their surrounding coastal and marine areas.
This web site reflects the interests of Mi’gmaq communities, and that it is meaningful for students and teachers to utilize within the schools for educational purposes about the Mi’gmaq people and their occupancy towards the land.
The Mi’gmawei Mawiomi Secretariat (MMS) have created this engaging Web site using their collection of audios, videos, photographs, and stories about the Mi’gmaq and their use of land and water. It presents a captivating story using the four seasons/cycles of life as organizing themes. This web site also has interactive maps of Mi’gmaq territory. The continual movement of the four seasons has long regulated Mi'gmaq ways of life on land and water, and the site demonstrates these connections through stories and teachings from Elders.
MMS owns the Mi'gmaq cultural collections that have been digitized and placed online. This site includes learning materials with 3 modules for each of the four seasons, for a total of 12 modules.
This web site was funded by Heritage Canada (Canadian Culture Online).