Fire damages cabins on sacred Mi'kmaw island in Cape Breton

A fire has damaged several cabins on an island in Cape Breton that is considered a sacred place for the Mi'kmaq. 

No one was injured in the blaze on Mniku, or Chapel Island, a two-square-kilometre island in the southeastern corner of the Bras d'Or Lake, near Potlotek First Nation. The island was designated a National Historic Site in June 2006 to reflect its use by the Mi'kmaq for centuries as a place for spiritual gatherings and governance.

Potlotek Chief Wilbert Marshall said it's a busy time on the island as it prepares to host Sante' Mawio'mi, or the annual Chapel Island Mission, a five-day event that begins Thursday and includes a feast day for St. Anne, the patron saint of the Mi'kmaq. People who visit the island often stay in small cabins that have been handed down through generations. 

"It's pretty scary because they've had people on the island, also they're already there, getting ready for the St. Anne Mawio'mi," Marshall said Monday.

 "We've got [the fire] all contained. I'm glad the guys responded right away. It could have been worse. It's just horrifying, really."

Marshall said the fire damaged three to five cabins.

Fire crews were called to the island around noontime Monday. Firefighting equipment was brought over by the Potlotek department and water bombers from another First Nations community were placed on standby. 

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