Na tliaj, kapmnt wjit Nopa Sko'sia tel-nmitoq ketlogo Mi'kmaq ku'knmnew koqqwaja'taqn pma'tunew l'nui-mtmo'taqn:
Na tliaj, Pra'vnfs wjit Nopa Sko'sia aq Mi'kmaq teli nmitu'tij kitk nuta'new wiki'tinew wantaqo'tiktuk aq wla'matutiktuk ta'n teli-wsua'tasikip Kisaknutmaqn tluen weja'tekemk ne'sn aq ne'sn;
Na tliaj, Pra'fns wjit Nopa Sko'sia teli nmitoql msit Kisaknutmaqnn ta'n wtuisunmual nas-wi'kmi'tipnn Eleke'wit aq Mi'kmaq me'klu'ltn;
Na tliaj, Pra'fns wjit Nopa Sko'sia aq Mi'kmaq tel-nmitu'tij kitk wantaqo'timuow aq wla'matutimuow wjian ta'n teli kjijitu'kw wetapeksulti'kw ta'n koqoey teli-kpmite'tmu'kw aq ta'n teli pilu'qamiksulti'kw;
Na tliaj, Kapmnt wjit Nopa Sko'sia aq Mi'kmaq pewatmi'tij ktmoqjenasin wskwijinu'k msit ula Nopa Sko'sia naji wli-nenatultinew;
Na nike', kinu, John Savage, Pri'miir wjit Nopa Sko'sia, aq Ben Sylliboy, Kji-Saqmawwjit Mi'kmaq, telapukueykw ula tepknuset Wikewiku's tl-nenuksin Tepknuset wjit Mi'kmaq Wetapeksutiwow.
Ula ke'sk simu'tioq weji-pusu'lewiktatiek wjit wantaqo'ti aq wla'matuti aq ntuisunminal nas-wi'kmekl ula wi'katikn tett Kjipuktuk, ne'wt te'sukunit Wikewiku's, 1993.
John Savage, Premier of Nova Scotia
Ben Sylliboy, Kji-Saqmaw wjit Mi'kmaq
Whereas the Government of Nova Scotia recognizes that the Mi'kmaq have the inherent right to self-government within Canada;
Whereas the Province of Nova Scotia and the Mi'kmaw Nation recognize their mutual need to live in peace and friendship in accordance with the spirit of their treaty and nation-to-nation relationship;
Whereas the Government of Nova Scotia recognizes all Treaties which were signed in good faith between the Crown and the Mi'kmaq;
Whereas the Province of Nova Scotia and the Mi'kmaw Nation recognize that their mutual peace and friendship requires the public awareness of the history, values and the diversity of cultures;
Whereas the Government of Nova Scotia and the Mi'kmaw Nation wish to promote public awareness for all citizens of Nova Scotia;
Now Therefore, we, John Savage, Premier of Nova Scotia, and Ben Sylliboy, Grand Chief of Mi'kmaq, do hereby proclaim the month of October as Mi'kmaq History Month.
In Witness Whereof we have hereunto set our hands in peace and friendship and caused our seals to be affixed at Halifax on this first day of October, 1993.
John Savage, Premier of Nova Scotia
Ben Sylliboy, Grand Chief of Mi'kmaq
Ula newtipunqek tepkisa'tasik wjit mimajuinu'k ula wskitqamu'k ta'n iapjiw wetapeksultijik wmitkiwaq
Aqq teli-pkije'k Jenrl Asem'pli wjit Unaitid Ne'sns kistepkisa'toq 1993 newtipunqekeyin wjit mimajuinu'k ta'n iapjiw wmitkiwaq wetapeksultijik aqq tluisitew "Indigenous People - A New Partnership".
Aqq teli-pkije'k kapmnt wjit Nopa Sko'sia aqq ma'w Mi'kmaq nemitu'titl ta'n koqoe'l maw kitnmeyakwi'titl mimajuinu'k wmitkiwaq aqq ta'n teli-klu'lkl aqq istue'kl wtl'qamiksutiwal we'kayiw ta'n tel-pma'tu'ti'titl telo'ltl'tij aqq ta'n tel-nuta'q mimajuinu'k pejiwsultite'wk kinu'tmuksinew ansma ta'n wenik mimajuinu'k ta'n teli-kjijiujik iapjiw wtapeksultinew wmitkiwaq.
Na nike'kinu, Don W. Cameron, Pri'miir wjit Nopa Sko'sia aqq Ben Sylliboy, Kji-Saqmaw wjit Mi'kmaq wesua'tuek ta'n Unaited Ne'sns tel-tepkisa'toq u't newtipunqek; aqq wjit Nopa Sko'sia wijey telwl'te'tmek 1993 newtipunqekeyin wjit mimajuinu'k ta'n iapjiw wetapeksultijik wmitkiwal aqq ajipjulkijjik Nopa Sko'siaewaq tla'taqatinew ta'n tel-nuta'q -- menaqa kina'masultinew aqq kjijitunew ta'n teli-milpntijik mimajuinu'k wmitkiwaq ula wskitqamu'k telki'k.
Ula nike'ke'sk eimu'ti'kw aqq nemitu'kw ta'n tela'sik koqoey, toqwa'tuekl npitnnal kekinua'tekeyek weji-tqwa'tuekl wjit wantaqo'ti aqq wla'matuti aqq tel-puatmek knu'kwaqnminal nmitasin aqq nenasin u't nike' Kjipuktuk, ne'wt te'sukunit Wikewiku's, 1992.
Na Ninen teli-nsitmek nkamulamuninaq.
Don W. Cameron, Pri'miir wjit Nopa Sko'sia
Ben Sylliboy, Kji-Saqmaw wjit Mi'kmaq
Grand Chief, Bishop Lahey, Clergy, Grand Council Members, Chiefs, Veterans, Elders, Ladies and Gentlemen...Thank you for this opportunity to speak during this very special occasion. It is an honour to commemorate with you the 20th anniversary of our Treaty Day celebrations.
I was asked to speak about how "Treaty Day" first began, and, perhaps more importantly, about why "Treaty Day" is so important today.
As I was growing up, I never heard about Treaty Day - let alone that the Mi'kmaw people had treaties. It was not something taught in schools or something that was ever discussed over the dinner table. But there were people working for the Union of Nova Scotia Indians in the 1970's who often mentioned that the Mi'kmaq had rights.
It wasn't until a major court decision in 1985 that the word "treaty" became a common word in Nova Scotia. The Union had successfully defended a Mi'kmaw hunter from Indian Brook named James Matthew Simon. Mr. Simon was charged with possessing a shotgun and shells out of season contrary to provincial law at the time. Although the lower courts ruled against Mr. Simon, the Supreme Court of Canada found that a treaty signed in 1752 between the British and the Mi'kmaq was still valid and in force. Mr. Simon was acquitted because Article 4 of that treaty promised that the Mi'kmaq had "free liberty to hunting and fishing as usual".
When we talk about our treaties, we often think about hunting and fishing. But hunting and fishing rights are only one part of the Treaty of 1752. The treaty has a number of other articles. For instance, Article 6 mentions that on "the first day of October yearly" the Mi'kmaq would receive presents and renew their friendship with the British.
Shortly after the Simon case was announced, the Mi'kmaw leadership at the time joined forces to make the treaty a reality. The Grand Council was led by Grand Chief Donald Marshall Sr. and Grand Captain Alex Denny; the Union was led by President Alex Christmas and Vice-Presidents Reg Maloney and Roderick Googoo, while the leadership from the Native Council of Nova Scotia was provided by Viola Robinson and Vice-President Dwight Dorey. These leaders agreed to form a joint committee called "The Treaty Working Group" on which I had the great pleasure of serving as Chair.
During the summer of 1986, this group held a series of very intense and long meetings about how the Treaty of 1752 should be upheld. These leaders were supported by a number of their officials including Sakej Henderson and Russell Barsh of the Grand Council, Roger Hunka and Bruce Clarke of the Native Council, and Joe B. Marshall, Bruce Wildsmith, Kevin Christmas, and myself with the Union.
We finally agreed on a three part strategy:
1. That we should put immediate pressure on the federal and provincial governments, as the Crown, to recognize the Simon decision.
2. That we should assert our jurisdiction over the treaty right to hunt by drafting our own hunting guidelines.
3. That we should demonstrate our willingness to keep our part of the treaty by coming to Halifax on October 1st.
In a very short period of time, letters were sent to the federal and provincial governments, hunting guidelines called Netukulimkewe'l Guidelines were drafted, and arrangements were made to celebrate our first Treaty Day in Halifax. But where? No government agency was willing to recognize or accept the treaty. They had spent years fighting us in the courts and they were not interested in talking to the Mi'kmaq at the time about the treaty - let alone a Treaty Day celebration.
I remember calling Gordon King at the Micmac Friendship Centre asking him if he was willing to host a Mi'kmaw feast for Treaty Day. I don't think he knew what he was getting himself into, but that first Treaty Day in 1986 turned out to be an overwhelming success. We had a great feast at the Friendship Centre even though it was very noisy and crowded. Grand Council members, the Chiefs of Nova Scotia, and members of the Native Council signed the Netukulimkewe'l Guidelines and Grand Chief Donald Marshall Sr. signed the "Mi'kmaq Treaty Day Proclamation" establishing every October 1st as Treaty Day.
The rest, as they say, is history. The following year we approached Roy Gould to take on the role as our Treaty Day coordinator. Roy persuaded the city of Halifax and St. Mary's Bascilica to take part in Treaty Day. Mi'kmaw veterans were asked to lead a Treaty Day parade and, in the years following, the Lieutenant Governor and the province of Nova Scotia also joined the celebrations. We quickly outgrew the Friendship Centre as more and more Mi'kmaq came to Halifax on October 1st. We soon moved to the Lord Nelson and later to other hotels. A cultural showcase was also added.
But why keep the Treaty Day? Why is it so important to celebrate this special day? Did you ever stop and think about what our Mi'kmaw ancestors promised to do as their part of the treaty? We are often quick to point out that the Crown promised to recognize our hunting and fishing rights. But a treaty is a two-way agreement. Each party makes promises. What did our ancestors promise?
Our ancestors made several promises in the treaties but one was their promise to come to Halifax on October 1st to receive presents and renew our friendship. Our treaties are often called Treaties of Peace and Friendship. The Treaty of 1752 was signed after a period of war between the British and the Mi'kmaq. Many lives were lost on both sides. Our ancestors agreed to live in peace and friendship with the new settlers. If there were disputes - and there were disputes - it was agreed that they would use the courts to resolve them, not more fighting or hostilities.
For me, the most important Mi'kmaw promise made by our ancestors was to live in peace and friendship with our non-Aboriginal brothers and sisters. Treaty Day is meant to recognize and to celebrate our mutual friendship and peace. It is a bold challenge to us today, as it was no doubt to our ancestors back in the 1700's. But our people had promised to keep our part of the treaty, as Article 6 says, by cherishing a good harmony with our non-Aboriginal neighbours.
In closing, thank you again for this opportunity to speak today. I hope that you and your family will enjoy today's Treaty Day celebrations.
