Paqtnkek Mi’kmaw Nation (pronounced buck-n-keg)[1] is a Mi'kmaq Band in northeastern Nova Scotia. Its populated reserve is Paqtnkek-Niktuek 23. As of December 2019 the total registered population was 598.[2] It is a member of the Confederacy of Mainland Mi'kmaq. The name Paqtnkek means “by the bay”[3] or "Above the water (but at a distance from the ocean)".[4] The area has long been important to Mi'kmaq for the fishing of eel and other species.[5]
Bayside Travel Centre
editThe lands of the First Nation were divided in 1960 with the building of the Trans-Canada Highway, making access to some parts difficult. In 2017 an agreement was reached with federal and provincial governments to build a new interchange,[6] which opened in 2019.[7] The band's business arm, Bayside Development Corporation Limited was incorporated in 2018 and its shares are held in trust for the benefit of Paqtnkek.[8] It operates Bayside Travel Centre at exit 36-B on Nova Scotia Highway 104 which includes fuel service, convenience store, restaurants, a Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation agency store, entertainment centre and a visitor information centre with cultural displays.[9] It opened in October 2019.[10]
Reserves
editPaq'tnkek First Nation has three reserves:
| Reserve | Area[11] | Location | Population | Date established[12] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin Manor 22 (48% share) | 212.5 hectares (525 acres) | 32 km. southeast of Amherst | 0 | March 3, 1865 |
| Pomquet and Afton 23 / Paqtnkek-Niktuek 23 | 204.8 hectares (506 acres) | 24 km. east of Antigonish | 353[13] | March 3, 1820 |
| Summerside / Welnek 38 | 43.4 hectares (107 acres) | 18 km. east of Antigonish | 0 | August 28, 1990 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Leeder, Jessica (February 26, 2018). "Divided by a highway, a Mi'kmaq nation paves its road to revival in Nova Scotia". Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
- ^ "Paqtnkek Mi'kmaw Nation". Crown–Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. Government of Canada. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
- ^ "Coastal Nova Scotia - Paq'tnkek First Nations Traditional Powwow". www.coastalnovascotia.ca. Coastal Nova Scotia. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
- ^ "Mi'kmaw Place Names Digital Atlas". Retrieved 5 January 2020.
- ^ Davis, Anthony A.; Wagner, John; Prosper, Kerry; Paulette, Mary Jane (2004). "The Paq'tnkek Mi'kmaq and Ka't (American Eel): A Case Study of Cultural relations, Meanings and Prospects". The Canadian Journal of Native Studies. 24 (2). Retrieved 5 January 2020.
- ^ Smith, Emma (5 June 2017). "First Nation cut off from half its land for 50 years hopes to get access again". CBC News. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
- ^ "Highway interchange gives Paqtnkek Mi'kmaw Nation access to cut-off land". CBC News. January 15, 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
- ^ "Bayside Corporate". Retrieved 1 January 2020.
- ^ "Bayside Travel Centre". Bayside Corporate. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
- ^ Lowthers, Drake (28 August 2019). "Bayside Travel Centre gets boost from federal government". Port Hawkesbury Reporter. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
- ^ "Paqtnkek Mi'kmaw Nation". Crown–Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. Government of Canada. 2019-09-26. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
- ^ "Mi'kmaw Bands in Nova Scotia". Cape Breton University. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
- ^ "Pomquet And Afton 23, Indian reserve [Census subdivision]". Census Profile, 2016 Census. Statistics Canada. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
External links
edit- Paq'tnkek First Nation website
- Bayside Development Corporation, the business arm of Paqtnkek Mi’kmaw Nation
Further reading
edit- The Epic Fight Over the Enigmatic Eel
- Ethnogenesis or Cultural Interference? Catholic Missionaries and the Micmac - Christian Kauder's work for the band in the 1850s and 60s.
- Customary Food, Feasting and Legal Identities at Paq’tnkek First Nation - A Bachelor's thesis