Cape Breton's Magazine

the Grand Council wigwam, then the people used to have a meal together, a feast. This was customary of Micmac people whenev? er they got together. They would have a big feast with lots of singing and dancing. The rituals made by visiting Chiefs and Captains are called neskkawak'n, in which the visiting Captains or Chiefs thanks his hosts by performing a song and dance and thanking and shaking hands of all the men sitting around in the circle. There was a big circle by the Grand Council wigwam which in Micmac was called kittoy'miktasek. The men sitting around in the circle are called soldiers. When the Chief/Captain performs the song and dance of thankful? ness he says, "I greet you all my brothers with a kiss." I have seen the Grand Council deteriorat? ing for a long time and it seems that the people don't care. I have tried to keep it going. At every meeting I would mention it. There was one big meeting that was held in Sydney. I asked the assembly whether they wanted to keep it going or if they wanted to dissolve it. It seemed that people didn't have the interest and didn't care. I am still dragging it. It seems like I am alone in Cape Breton Island. If it wasn't for me the Grand Council wouldn't exist to? day. People don't know what it is and no? body has explained it to them. The last hereditary Chief John Denny was the one responsible for bringing the Grand Council up to date and maintaining it. In 1910 it was still going strong in all of Micmac country. (How has Chapel Island Mission changed o- ver the years?) What has changed is the Grand Council is gone. What is keeping the Grand Council is the St. Ann's organiza? tion, that is all. That is what is holding it together. I've seen it this year: St. Ann brought a lot of people to the island this year. Some people were spending more time on the island. Some of them have spent two Sundays in Chapel Island and a lot of people were present for the proces? sion and all through the mission. (Are you saying that the Grand Council played two roles--the political and relig- ious--and that the political aspect of it is gone?) Yes. I have worked for the Grand Council a long time. I used to write for my father and read his letters. He was a Captain for 25 years. My father used to get letters from the Grand Chief John Denny. These let? ters were sent out before feast days like Christmas, Easter, etc. When Advent started four weeks before Christmas people 7, Blue Heron Gift Shop VbOOKS, GLASSWARE, FIGURINES, WOODENWARE, CRYSTAL fw Gifts for All Occasions BADDEX3C, N. S. 295-3424 Jacques-Cartier Motel M. Mme. Roger Poirier, P.O. Box 555, Sydney, N. S. Motel: (902)539-4375 Residence: (902)562-2414 FRANCAIS 2 Kilometres de I'Aeroport" ENGLISH (32) Education bi Nova Scotia The Department of Education is continually involved in improving the quality of the educational services provided to all Nova Scotians, including native people, francophones, newcomers to Nova Scotia and immigrants who have come to Canada. Wc believe that by encoura'ng multicultural learning experiences in Nova Scotia we will also develop multinational perspectives that will deepen our international understanding. Le minist'e de I'Education continue a faire son possible pour am'lbrer la quality des services 6ducationrvels h tous les N6o-'ossais, y-inclus les autochtones, les Acadiens, les nouveaux-arriv's dans notre Province et les immigrants au Canada. Nous croyons que c'est en encourageant I'Education mdticulturelle en Nouvellc-Ecosse que nous d'velopperons aussi une perspective multinationale qui fera croftre nos ententes Internationales. Tha Roinn an Fhoghlum daonnan a s' arm a bhi a leasachadh stait nan Seirbhisean Foghlumach do mhuinntir Albainn Nucjflh; nam mcasg Innseanr?ich, Franngaich, feadhainn a tha air ixr thighinn a dh'Aibainn Nuadh agus daoine o dhuthchannan eile a tha air an dachaidhcan a dheanamh ann an Canada. Tha Sinn a' creidsinn gun Clraichear seallaidhean iomadh-naiseantaich le bhi a brosnachadh foghlum iomadh- culturach, agus gun doimhnich seo 'ur tuigse eadar-naiseanta. Education departmentaq me'pemi kwinultwalsijik kisi naji kluTka'tunew kina'matnewey w)itm?? Nova Scotiaewaq ma'w Inult, wenujk, natel pejita'te'wk aqq qameTtewaq naji wikultijik Canada. Ketlamamek kia apoqnmatmek kina'naan wen pilu'tlqamiksutiT Nova Scotia, naji wK nsiatultitesnu qamcTtewaq. Nova Scotia NovaScotia Department off EdncatioB