Wabanaki Heritage and Culture
Indigenous peoples have inhabited the region for thousands of years: the Mi’gmaq in northern and eastern New Brunswick, the Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) along the Wolastoq (Saint John) River Valley, and the Peskotomuhkatiyik (Passamaquoddy) in the St. Croix River watershed. The three nations are part of the Wabanaki Confederacy, which also includes the Penobscot and Abenaki nations of Maine. Wabanaki, meaning "Land of the Dawn”, designates a large area including Maine and the Maritime provinces.
The 16 First Nations communities in New Brunswick carry forward deep connections to the land and waters, sharing their living cultures through art, language, and traditions. For a unique look at each First Nation, attend one of many powwows. Everyone’s welcome to join in those celebrations of songs, dances, and ceremonies, and enjoy authentic food, artwork and crafts.
Experiences at Kouchibouguac National Park, Metepenagiag Heritage Park, Elsipogtog First Nation, Red Bank Lodge and with SP First Nations Outdoor Tours or Wabanaki Tree Spirit offer the opportunity to sample traditional food, participate in a craft workshop or smudging ceremony, listen to aboriginal stories and folklore, or even sleep in a teepee.
Walk in the footsteps of ancient travellers on the Nepisiguit Mi'gmaq Trail, a 150 km (93 mi.) portage route between Mount Carleton and the Daly Point Nature Reserve in Bathurst. South of Woodstock, the Maliseet Trail covers a very short (2 km/1.2 mi.) section of an ancient portage route that used to connect the Wolastoq River with the Penobscot River in Maine. A beautiful waterfall rewards the hiker at the end of the trail.
There are more Indigenous names used for rivers, towns, and other landmarks in New Brunswick than in any of the other Atlantic provinces. For example, Madawaska comes from a Wolastoqey word meaning “land of the porcupines”, Escuminac was a look-out place in the Mi’gmaw language, and Shippagan comes from the Mi’gmaw word Sepaguncheech, meaning “duck road”. These names are more than words on a map—they’re echoes of the land’s first stories.
