Page 46 - A Talk with Grand Captain Alex Denny

ISSUE : Issue 40

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1985/8/1

Council was--Membertou, once he became a Catholic, all, all of the Micmacs became Catholics within 50 years. You have to be a tremendous leader and respected indivi? dual. You know, even the kings in England, as strong as they were, Julius Caesar strong as he was--didn't get full support of what it was that they did. But this Mem? bertou, the Grand Chief of the Micmacs--he became converted along with 7 or 8 others-- and we are going to celebrate 375 years of his conversion to Catholicism, Looking in retrospect, I believe it's unfortunate and fortunate that we became Catholics. Once we became Catholic we lost a political pow-' er of the Grand Council, It became Chris? tianized. Because of Catholic doctrine of forgiving--we forgave until we no longer had any land. (Do we have a Grand Council today?) We have the name. We have the Grand Chief. I'm supposedly the Grand Captain. We have different captains from different reserves. I want to take the political aspect of the Grand Council, I want to return it. That's why I submitted a claim to Geneva on be? half of the Grand Council. (Because you thought you were a separate nation?) I know I am a separate nation. Whether other Micmacs believe. But the Mission at Chapel Island was not only a religious affair, at the earlier stages. Of course, that was the only place the priests were, that was the only place that people got married, kids were bap? tised, were given the first communion. Not only did that take place, but people brought their dead from miles around to be buried in that area. That's also religious. But also, according to my old man, differ? ent clans from different places came to tell what kind of winters they had, were they hard, how were they set up, bothered wherever they were living by different peo? ple. (Political problems.) Yeah, political problems. (How did it lose its political force?) Through so-called Government of Canada, I guess people didn't like the way of differ? ent Micmac people--their attire, didn't like the way they lived, they moved from one area to another, they didn't have ' their property fenced off. In those days fencing off property was the "in" thing. A lot of Micmac people died because of some disease. I think it was in the early 1900s we only nimibered about 1500 or 2000 from 17,000 in Nova Scotia. Government decided we just can't let these people dwindle down to nothing. We have to do something a- bout it. And that's when they started cre? ating different reserves. The reserves were to protect them and con? fine them. I think more so to protect them. The only key to trouble-free and long car life is regular and careful maintenance. For over 23 years, maintenance • solely of European cars--has been our occupation. If you don't wish to maintain your car, neither do well If you do, we'd like to helpll ~ EUROCAR SERVICE LTD. "'"IISg'Er "" 564-9721 Robin, Jones & Whitman, Inc. SUPPLIERS OF: Hardware • Clothing • Giftware Paint St Wallpaper • Building Supplies Souvenirs Inverness 258-2241 • Cheticamp 224-2022 ROBIN'S Serving Canadians Proudly for over 200 Years (46) Celebrate Canada's Heritage Canada's National Parks are having a birthday this year and you're invited. Free Heritage Log Book and Calendar of Events: Have your Heritage Log Book stamped with the symbols of the parks you visit. There are 31 symbols to collect. Pick up your Log Book & Events Calendar at tourist bureaus, national parks or w'rite to Parks Canada and request them. Parks Canada Historic Properties Upper Water Street Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 1S9 Canada

Cape Breton's Magazine