A three-day series of ASN workshops was hosted by the Mi’kmaq communities of Eskasoni and Wagmatcook in Unama’ki/Cape Breton Island, Canada in June 2007.
The first day was held at the Eskasoni Fish and Wildlife Commission (EFWC) and featured presentations and PAR activities. Some footage can be viewed via the following links, provided a QuickTime plugin is installed. Pauses are due to background translation to English/Chinese.
Opening Prayer by Albert Marshall, Eskasoni Elder
Bill Hipwell, ASN Project Director
Bill introduces the ASN and reflects on its roots.
Charlie Dennis, Chief of Eskasoni
Charlie welcomes the ASN project and its participants.
Andrew Denny, Grand Captain, Mi’kmaq Grand Council (Mi’kmaw only)
Andrew speaks to issues and structures of governance for the Mi’kmaq nation.
Shelley Denny, Fisheries Manager at EFWC
Shelley explains how EFWC seeks to understand and protect traditional Mi’kmaq fisheries, guided by both universal and local knowledge.
Lindsay Marshall, Associate Dean, Mi’kmaq College Institute, CBU
Lindsay emphasises the connection the Mi’kmaq have to other ASN participants and encourages continued exchange of experiences and knowledges.
Leonard Denny, Eskasoni community
Leonard reviews the nature and benefits of Eskasoni’s participation in commercial fisheries in
Isaw and Qoro, representatives of the Taroko nation, Taiwan
Isaw presents gifts to the Mi’kmaq hosts and acknowledges the position of the Mi’kmaq nation. He recalls colonial impact and cultural traditions of the Taroko nation and sings a traditional song with his wife Qoro.
The second day of seminars was hosted by the Wagmatcook community and featured the following presentations:
Patrick Johnson, welcoming ASN participants to Wagmatcook
Smudging ceremony to start the workshops in Wagmatcook community.
Vickie Price, Wagmatcook community
Vickie presents a profile of the Wagmatcook community with recent initiatives for local economic, social and educational development.
Isaw Tadaw, representative of the Taroko nation, Taiwan
Isaw illustrates contemporary state-aboriginal relations and identity issues for Taiwanese aboriginal peoples.
Utiku Potaka, Representative of the Māori Ngati Hauiti iwi, Aotearoa/New Zealand
Utiku reviews the provisions for aboriginal development in Aotearoa and how Ngati Hauiti have restored their collective capacities for economic, political and ecological development.
Barbara Sylliboy, Membertou community
Barbara describes how a novel Mi’kmaq impacted school curriculum serves to revitalize traditional language and social values in education.
Kevin Burton, joining the workshop via video conference
Kevin shows how remote Canadian First Nation communities have harnessed the potential of video conferencing to facilitate education initiatives.
The following slideshow captures moments of the presentations, PAR activities and locations of the ASN workshop series hosted by the Mi’kmaq in Unama’ki.
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