Mi'kmaq
The Mi'kmaq ([miːgmaɣ]; (also spelled Míkmaq, Mi'gmaq, Mi'qmac, or formerly Micmac) are a First Nations or Native American in the United States people, indigenous to northeastern New England, Canada's Atlantic Provinces, and the Gaspé Peninsula of Quebec. They are part of the Northeastern Woodlands. The word Míkmaw is an adjectival form of the plural noun for the people, Míkmaq.
 (one of the) Míkmaq State flags | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 40,000 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Canada (New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Quebec), United States (Maine) | |
| Languages | |
| English, Míkmaq, French | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity, other | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| other Algonquian peoples |
The nation has a population of about 40,000 of whom approximately one-third still speak the Algonquian language L'nuí'simk which was once written in Míkmaq hieroglyphic writing and is now written using most letters of the standard Latin alphabet.
In the Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador, October is celebrated as Mi'kmaq History Month and the entire Nation celebrates Treaty Day annually on October 1.
Mi'kmaq First Nation subdivisions
changeMi'kmaq names in the table have all been spelled according to a several orthographies. The Mi'kmaq orthographies in use are Mí'kmaq hieroglyphs, the orthography of Silas Tertius Rand, the Pacifique orthography, and the most recent Smith-Francis orthography, which has been adopted by most of the Mi'kmaq First Nation.
| Community | Province/State | Town/Reserve | Est. Pop. | Míkmaq name |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abegweit First Nation | PE | Scotchfort, Rocky Point, Morell | 396 | Epekwitk |
| Acadia | NS | Yarmouth | 996 | Malikiaq |
| Annapolis Valley | NS | Cambridge Station | 219 | Kampalijek |
| Aroostook Band of Micmac | ME | Presque Isle | 920 | Ulustuk |
| Bear River First Nation | NS | Bear River | 272 | L’setkuk |
| Buctouche First Nation | NB | Buctouche | 80 | Puktusk |
| Burnt Church First Nation | NB | Burnt Church 14 | 1,488 | Esk |
| Chapel Island First Nation | NS | Chapel Island | 576 | Potlotek |
| Eel Ground First Nation | NB | Eel Ground | 844 | Natuaqanek |
| Eel River Bar First Nation | NB | Eel River Bar | 589 | Oqpíkanjik |
| Elsipogtog First Nation | NB | Big Cove | 3000+ | Lsipuktuk |
| Eskasoni First Nation | NS | Eskasoni | 3,800+ | We'kistoqnik |
| Fort Folly First Nation | NB | Dorchester | 105 | Amlamkuk Kwesawék |
| Micmacs of Gesgapegiag | QC | Maria | 1,174 | Keskapekiaq |
| Nation Micmac de Gespeg | QC | Fontenelle | 490 | Kespék |
| Glooscap First Nation | NS | Hantsport | ? | Pesikitk |
| Indian Island First Nation | NB | Indian Island | 145 | L’nui Menikuk |
| Lennox Island First Nation | PE | Lennox Island | 700 | L’nui Mnikuk |
| Listuguj Mi'gmaq First Nation | QC | Listuguj Mi'gmaq First Nation | 3,166 | Listikujk |
| Membertou First Nation | NS | Sydney | 1,051 | Maupeltuk |
| Metepenagiag Míkmaq Nation | NB | Red Bank | 527 | Metepnákiaq |
| Miawpukek First Nation | NL | Conne River | 2,366 | Miawpukwek |
| Millbrook First Nation | NS | Truro | 1400 | Wékopekwitk |
| Pabineau First Nation | NB | Pabineau | 214 | Kékwapskuk |
| Paq’tnkek First Nation | NS | Afton | 1 | Paqtnkek |
| Pictou Landing First Nation | NS | Trenton | 547 | Puksaqtéknékatik |
| Indian Brook First Nation | NS | Indian Brook (Shubenacadie) | 2,120 | Sipekníkatik |
| Wagmatcook First Nation | NS | Wagmatcook | 623 | Waqm |
| Waycobah First Nation | NS | Whycocomagh | 900 | Wékoqmáq |
Demographics
change| Year | Population | Verification |
|---|---|---|
| 1500 | 4,500 | Estimation |
| 1600 | 3,000 | Estimation |
| 1700 | 2,000 | Estimation |
| 1750 | 3,000 | Estimation |
| 1800 | 3,100 | Estimation |
| 1900 | 4,000 | Census |
| 1940 | 5,000 | Census |
| 1960 | 6,000 | Census |
| 1972 | 9,800 | Census |
| 2000 | 20,000 | Estimation |
References
change- Rita Joe, Lesley Choyce. 2005. The Mi'kmaq Anthology, Nimbus Publishing (CN), 2005, ISBN
Documentary film
change- Our Lives in Our Hands (Mi'kmaq basketmakers and potato diggers in northern Maine, 1986) [1] Archived 2008-05-11 at the Wayback Machine
Other websites
change
- First Nations Profiles Archived 2007-10-16 at the Wayback Machine
- Micmac History
- Mi'kmaq Portraits Collection Archived 2004-11-24 at the Wayback Machine
- Mi'kmaq Dictionary Online
- The Micmac of Megumaagee
- Mi'kmaq Learning ResourceArchived 2001-04-15 at the Wayback Machine
