'It's just like home for anybody': Lennox Island welcomes visitors to St. Anne Sunday celebration
CBC
Lennox Island First Nation was filled with people celebrating Mi'kmaw culture on Sunday,
The day marks St. Anne Sunday, which dates back hundreds of years to when Catholicism was introduced by the French.
The first Mi'kmaw grand chief was baptized in 1610. Since then, there's been a blending of religion and Indigenous spirituality.
Lennox Island Chief Darlene Bernard said she was happy to see people taking an interest in Mi'kmaw culture and language. She said the church needs to play a role in re-establishing that language and culture.
"Our language is important," she said. "Our language is a descriptive language, a very beautifully descriptive language. So, if our ancestors were describing something, we can take confidence in knowing that they're looking at it, you know, they're seeing it, they're doing it.
"When the colonizers came, they labelled things, right, so that's why we're struggling with our language now because we're being taught an English version of Mi'kmaw."
St. Anne Sunday is a fundraiser for the local church, but has also become a place to proudly showcase Mi'kmaw culture in the form of a parade and other events.
Many of those in attendance were from off the reserve.
Emma Levi, who serves as Miss Lennox Island, said she loves seeing people visit the community and share in the celebrations.
"We're very kind-hearted people here," Levi said. "You come here and it's just like home for anybody."
They also get to enjoy a lobster dinner put on by members of the community.
"The luncheon, we've been doing this for hundreds of years, right, so we've got it down to a science," Bernard said.
"We're happy that people are coming and want to share in our feasts."
The day continued with music and other entertainment with fireworks scheduled for later in the evening.
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