Bear River First Nation
Encyclopedia
Bear River First Nation is a Míkmaq First Nation located in both Annapolis County
and Digby County
, Nova Scotia
. It is also known as Muin Sipi. The Mi'kmaq population is approximately 100 on-Reserve, and approximately 200 off-Reserve.
The Bear River First Nation is composed of three parts as shown, of which the largest is regularly occupied:
Bear River First Nation lies adjacent to the village of Bear River, Nova Scotia
. It has a church, Saint Anne's, completed in 1836, and a school which serves Grades P to 8. The Mi'kmaq language
is taught to children attending the school. A health centre was established in 1998.
and others who settled at Port-Royal
in 1605. The sakmow
, or chief, was Henri Membertou
who befriended the French. The area around Port-Royal was the traditional summering site of Membertou's people.
The community were known as canoe builders who used their craft for fishing and hunting porpoise
, in the Annapolis Basin
and Bay of Fundy
. Oil rendered from the porpoise was sold as a machine lubricant into the early part of the twentieth century.
Annapolis County, Nova Scotia
Annapolis County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia located in the western part of the province on the Bay of Fundy. The county seat is Annapolis Royal.-History:...
and Digby County
Digby County, Nova Scotia
Digby County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.Taking its name from the Township of Digby , which had been named in honour of Rear Admiral Robert Digby who dispatched HMS Atlanta to convey loyalists from New York City in the spring of 1783 to Conway, which became known as Digby,...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
. It is also known as Muin Sipi. The Mi'kmaq population is approximately 100 on-Reserve, and approximately 200 off-Reserve.
The Bear River First Nation is composed of three parts as shown, of which the largest is regularly occupied:
| Community | Area | Location | Date established |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bear River 6 Bear River 6, Nova Scotia Bear River 6 is a Mi'kmaq reserve located in Annapolis County and Digby County, Nova Scotia.It is administratively part of the Bear River First Nation.... |
633.8 hectares (1,566.2 acre) | 17.6 km. southeast of Digby | March 3, 1820 |
| Bear River 6A Bear River 6A, Nova Scotia Bear River 6A is a Mi'kmaq reserve located in Annapolis County, Nova Scotia.It is administratively part of the Bear River First Nation.... |
31.2 hectares (77.1 acre) | 9.6 km. southeast of Annapolis Royal | March 3, 1938 |
| Bear River 6B Bear River 6B, Nova Scotia Bear River 6B is a Mi'kmaq reserve located in Annapolis County, Nova Scotia.It is administratively part of the Bear River First Nation.... |
24.3 ha | 6.4 km. southeast of Annapolis Royal | October 1, 1962 |
Bear River First Nation lies adjacent to the village of Bear River, Nova Scotia
Bear River, Nova Scotia
Bear River is a small village situated at the head of the tidewaters of the Bear River. The river itself is the border between the Annapolis and Digby counties of Nova Scotia and thus, splits the village so that half the village is in one county and the other half in the other.The village is...
. It has a church, Saint Anne's, completed in 1836, and a school which serves Grades P to 8. The Mi'kmaq language
Mi'kmaq language
The Mi'kmaq language is an Eastern Algonquian language spoken by nearly 9,100 Mi'kmaq in Canada and the United States out of a total ethnic Mi'kmaq population of roughly 20,000. The word Mi'kmaq is a plural word meaning 'my friends' ; the adjectival form is Míkmaw...
is taught to children attending the school. A health centre was established in 1998.
History
Archaeological evidence suggests the community has existed in the area for 2,000 to 4,000 years. It lies in the ancient District of Kespukwitk, a part of the Mi'kmaq nation. The people of Bear River would have been the group that welcomed Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons, Samuel de ChamplainSamuel de Champlain
Samuel de Champlain , "The Father of New France", was a French navigator, cartographer, draughtsman, soldier, explorer, geographer, ethnologist, diplomat, and chronicler. He founded New France and Quebec City on July 3, 1608....
and others who settled at Port-Royal
Habitation at Port-Royal
The Habitation at Port-Royal was the first successful French settlement of New France in North America, and is presently known as Port-Royal National Historic Site, a National Historic Site located on the northern side of the Annapolis Basin, Nova Scotia, Canada...
in 1605. The sakmow
Sachem
A sachem[p] or sagamore is a paramount chief among the Algonquians or other northeast American tribes. The two words are anglicizations of cognate terms from different Eastern Algonquian languages...
, or chief, was Henri Membertou
Henri Membertou
Henri Membertou was the sakmow of the Mi'kmaq First Nations tribe situated near Port Royal, site of the first French settlement in Acadia, present-day Nova Scotia, Canada. Originally sakmow of the Kespukwitk district, he was appointed as Grand Chief by the sakmowk of the other six districts.His...
who befriended the French. The area around Port-Royal was the traditional summering site of Membertou's people.
The community were known as canoe builders who used their craft for fishing and hunting porpoise
Porpoise
Porpoises are small cetaceans of the family Phocoenidae; they are related to whales and dolphins. They are distinct from dolphins, although the word "porpoise" has been used to refer to any small dolphin, especially by sailors and fishermen...
, in the Annapolis Basin
Annapolis Basin
The Annapolis Basin is a sub-basin of the Bay of Fundy, located on the southwestern shores of the bay, along the northwestern shore of Nova Scotia and at the western end of the Annapolis Valley....
and Bay of Fundy
Bay of Fundy
The Bay of Fundy is a bay on the Atlantic coast of North America, on the northeast end of the Gulf of Maine between the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, with a small portion touching the U.S. state of Maine...
. Oil rendered from the porpoise was sold as a machine lubricant into the early part of the twentieth century.
Tourism
Each summer the Bear River First Nation Heritage & Cultural Centre offers authentic cultural immersion in the life and traditions of the Mi’kmaq, featuring hands-on craft-making workshops. Local resident and former Chief of the Bear River First Nation, Frank Meuse Jr. also offers retreats in the backcountry.External links
- "Learning About Native Heritage At The Bear River"
- Santeles First Nation cultural Awareness Local profiles