This rugged, sea-swept peninsula has been home to the Mi’kmaq (Mee-gmah) people for over 11,000 years. Their culture, language, stories, music, and art emerges from their profound connection to this natural environment.
The Mi’kmaw legends of mythic hero Kluscap give meaning to the extraordinary geography of this place. It was a meeting between Glooscap and a mighty whale that created the awesome tides of the Bay of Fundy, for instance. Visit the 18th century Mi’kmaq petroglyphs in Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site and embrace the spirit of this founding culture and its heritage as you tour Nova Scotia.
Click here to learn more about the fascinating history of the Mi’kmaq.
Explore the rich living culture, stories, and creativity of the Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia through Mi’kmawitasik: Mi’kmaw Made™, an interconnected group of Mi’kmaw artisans, crafters, guides, hosts, and performers. For visitors seeking adventure, learning, and a deeper connection to the land and its Indigenous people, look for this mark of authenticity on your travels.
Every experience and product shared through Mi’kmawitasik™ comes directly from certified Mi’kmaw members proudly sharing generations of knowledge, creativity, and pride to help preserve their language, arts, and traditions for future generations.
Experience Mi'kmaw Traditions and Culture in Nova Scotia
Mi’kmaq Tides Adventure
Experience Indigenous culture, thrilling tidal bore rafting, and a feast of fresh jakej (lobster) at the Tidal Bore Rafting Resort in Urbania, near Shubenacadie.
Connect with Mi’kmaw artists, storytellers, fishers, and knowledge holders on this immersive journey.
Get hands-on with a porcupine quill workshop and savour a traditional Mi’kmaw lunch.
Experience authentic Mi’kmaw culture by visiting Goat Island and sharing a traditional feast, hearing stories and music, or learning through participation in the traditional fishing practices of the Mi’kmaq.
A Mi’kmaq cultural interpreter will guide you along a 2.4km cultural trail where you will visit several villages, each one offering a unique experience that allows you to learn and partake in this way of life.
Learn about the rich history of the Mi’kmaw people by exploring ancient artifacts, taking part in an interactive presentation, and learning a few Mi’kmaw words.
Participate in a hands-on workshop where you will craft a talking stick or make a drum.
Chat with Mi’kmaw interpreters to hear their stories, perspectives and knowledge and browse the gift shop for Indigenous art, crafts, books, and jewellery.
Ta’n me’j Tel-keknuo’ltiek: How Unique We Still Are
Located at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, this exhibit reflects how Mi’kmaw people remain connected to the lands and waters of Mi’kma’ki / Nova Scotia.
The exhibit offers a platform for Mi’kmaw people to express their continued experiences with an understanding of the lands and the waters of Mi’kma’ki while offering visitors, especially the non-Indigenous public, opportunities for fundamental treaty education, and to learn about the truths that must precede reconciliation.
The Membertou Heritage Park celebrates the life, culture, and history of the Mi’kmaq people who continue to live and thrive in the Membertou area
The five-acre Heritage Park features a large indoor exhibit and program area that provides a truly immersive journey into the ancient culture
Outdoors the experience continues with powwows, traditional medicine gardens, demonstration areas, storytelling, and performances in the amphitheatre
Journey into the Night Sky
Experience the night skies the same way the Mi’kmaq experienced them thousands of years ago, in spectacular, natural darkness at the UNESCO Southwest Nova Biosphere Reserve.
Discover the Dark Sky Preserve in the heart of Kejimkujik National Park’s protected forest – a rare place that is unaffected by light pollution.
You’ll learn about astronomical science and the Mi’kmaq cultural perspectives of the star-filled night sky. Parks Canada Interpreters and Royal Astronomical Society of Canada Astronomers lead the programs.
Museum of Natural History
Step into Pjila’si, an interactive gallery that brings Mi’kmaw culture to life through hands-on exhibits, storytelling, and language.
Created in collaboration with a Mi’kmaw Advisory Group, the space reflects authentic voices, community-chosen items, and cultural teachings.
Discover the power of Mi’kmaw language with single-word concepts woven throughout—listen, learn, and try speaking them yourself!
Take a step back in time and imagine giant mastodons and ancient communities among the ice-age landscape right where the Mi’kmawey Debert Trail now winds through wildflowers and forests.
Follow interpretive panels featuring beautiful artwork that tell the fascinating story of the Mi’kmaw people who lived here thousands of years ago.
Enjoy a 4.4 km loop perfect for hiking or snowshoeing, just 15 minutes from Truro—open year-round with parking and seasonal facilities from May to October.
The Acadian Skies & Mi’kmaq Lands, located with the Yarmouth & Acadian Shores region in southwestern Nova Scotia is the first destination in North …
Other Cultures in Nova Scotia
Acadian Culture
The spirit of l’Acadie runs deep in Nova Scotia. Vivid reminders of the intrepid French settlers, who first arrived in Nova Scotia in the seventeenth century, can be found throughout the province.
People of African descent have made Nova Scotia their home for more then 400 years. Their history includes the stories of many diverse groups – Loyalists, Maroons, Caribbeans, Refugees and others – sewn together through a common African ancestry.
By at least the early 1770s immigrants from the Highlands and Islands of Scotland came by the tens of thousands and made Nova Scotia their home. These settlers called themselves Gàidheil (Gaels), i.e. ones whose language and cultural expression is Gaelic.
