PJILA’SI! Welcome

Welcome to Nova Scotia, or in the Mi’kmaw language, Mi’kma’ki. You are visiting the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq, who have lived in this place since long before colonization. We hope that while you are here you will honour the treaties of peace and friendship as you explore this place.

Nova Scotia, like much of North America, has a complicated history of European settlement, which had innumerable and ongoing impacts on Indigenous populations. This is the place where Canada’s first Scottish settlers made a new home for themselves, many of them leaving difficult lives on the other side of the Atlantic, only to find new hardships when they arrived. It’s well documented that the majority of these first settlers survived, thrived, and moved to other parts of what eventually became known as Canada because of the shared knowledge and wisdom of the First Nations.

This summer, in the town of Pictou on the North Shore of Nova Scotia, visitors from all over the world will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the landing of the Ship Hector. It left Loch Broom, Scotland in 1773 with nearly 200 souls on board. Not all survived the crossing. Those who did reshaped our province.

While thousands are expected to share in the celebrations in Pictou this summer and take part in the official ceremonies on the weekend of Sept. 16, they will connect to their own origin stories and try to retrace the steps of their ancestors.

But more important is the opportunity to learn about how hundreds of years of colonialism has had generational impact on Indigenous people. As a Scottish descendent, it’s my responsibility to learn about a history adjacent to my own.

It begins in a time when settlers took their first steps on this soil (the French were here earlier, in 1632), the implementation of the reserve system that confined most Native people to unproductive tracts of land, and the residential school system that didn’t end in Nova Scotia until 1967, and finally to the work of reconciliation as we unravel the previous centuries of discrimination.

Reconciliation has become an important aspect of tourism in Nova Scotia and across this great country. I’m excited about the important role that authentic Indigenous tourism plays in the journey to reconciliation. The people who know this land best create the most incredible experiences.

At the heart of this book on page 42, you’ll find a special section from the Nova Scotia Indigenous Tourism Enterprise Network. It’s unveiling seven strategies in Indigenous tourism reclamation work that will transform the visitor experience in this province. While there are already many amazing events and experiences in First Nations communities this summer, it’s exciting and inspiring to watch how these personal encounters will evolve as they go deeper into Native history, teachings, and storytelling.

The abbreviation for the tourism network is NSITEN, the Mi’kmaw word for “understand” — the foundation of future relationships.

We have six tourism regions in Nova Scotia. In this guide, we share just a few of the highlights in each area. We invite you to explore on your own and discover the endless delights of our food, music, landscape, waterways, and hideaways. As you do, please remember that even as a guest, we all play a role as keepers of this land for next generations.

Travel is the best education. I hope what you learn is that you are visiting one of the most special places on earth. Wela’lin — thank you.

Enjoy!

Crystal Murray