Curious about Mi'kmaq culture?: Elsipogtog Mi'kmaq Cultural Centre says 'Welcome!'

The Elsipogtog Mi'kmaq Cultural Centre is gearing up for what it hopes will be its busiest tourist season yet.

With an increased awareness of the process of reconciliation and with travel outside the province unappealing if not impossible because of COVID, the people running the centre say they're seeing a growing interest from New Brunswickers.

To anyone interested in learning more about Mi'kmaq culture, centre interpreter Michelle Levi says: Welcome.

"I'm excited for people to understand how we adapt to our nature and our ways of life, and spirituality," said Levi.

"And I'm so proud that they are willing to learn and starting to appreciate us more." 

The Elsipogtog Mi'kmaq Cultural Centre, offers a two and a half hour basket-making course, or a Heritage Path tour that includes a smudging ceremony, teachings on traditional medicines found in the area, and what Levi describes as an introduction to Mi'kmaq culture. 

She first became involved with the centre six years ago when she took a basket making course, aimed at teaching people in Elispogtog, N.B. some traditional skills. Levi took to weaving, and stayed on with the centre. She's now an interpreter and an artist.

The Elsipogtog Mi'kmaq Cultural Centre started offering tours in 2018, with people coming from across Europe, the United States and Canada to participate. 

Since the summer of 2020, COVID restrictions meant international visitors aren't coming, but Levi said it's nice to see people from who live close by coming through the doors.

She said they bring with them stories of their own, passed down through generations, of Mi'kmaq people helping settlers in the area.

Levi is happy to hear about the shared history.

"We're trading that little information we have in common with each other."

Anna-Marie Weir, tourism relations and communications liaison for Elispogtog First Nation, said there's been a wave of interest since news broke of the discovery of the bodies of 215 children in unmarked graves at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School by the Tk'emlups te Secwépemc First Nation in Kamloops, B.C.in May.

"When they come to the centre, the first thing that we tell the public is, 'This is the place, if you want to ask a question don't be afraid',".​- Gary Augustine, Elsipogtog Elder

"In light of all the children that have been found, a lot of people have been reaching out through Facebook and all the different social media platforms, wondering how it is that they can help," said Weir.

"And what I would like to say to everybody is come to the community, set foot in the community and come and speak with people who live in the community."

Tours based on knowledge of Mi'Kmaq Elders

Gary Augustine is one of the elders who helped develop the tour, and shared his cultural knowledge with the other interpreters, all of whom are members of Elsipogtog First Nation. 

"When they come to the centre, the first thing that we tell the public is, 'This is the place, if you want to ask a question don't be afraid'," said Augustine.

The centre, which is located at the entrance to Elsipogtog, on Big Cove Rd., received funding from the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada last year to do upgrades. 

The newly renovated artisan gift shop showcases baskets and other works made by artists in the community. 

Outside, a 900-metre Heritage Path circles through the woods and on it are the new wigwam, longhouse and sweat lodge, all designed and built by Augustine.

He's in the process of harvesting enough birch bark to cover the wigwam and longhouse, but on his latest trip to his go-to birch stand, he found the bark wasn't ready to be taken yet.

Gary's brother, Peter Augustine, tested a tree but said, "it's still on there kind of hard."

"You're supposed to hear it when you're cutting, you're supposed to hear it releasing it."

Despite the long trek into the woods for the harvest, Gary Augustine doesn't mind leaving with only a few pieces.

"We're going to wait until the end of this month and check it out again but I'll be coming up every week to check it out," he said.

Trinity Augustine just finished her first year of university and will be working at the centre over the summer. She has grown up learning about Mi'kmaq traditions from her grandfather, Gary.

"I actually went on my first tour there a couple of weeks ago, and even I was surprised at how much I learned," she said.