Ni’n aq No’kmaq – Me and My Relations
Ni’n aq No’kmaq means “Me and My Relations” in the Mi’kmaw language. This process is about determining who can exercise Aboriginal and Treaty rights in Epekwitk (PEI) and ensuring we take care of the lands, waters, and resources that have sustained us for generations.
This work is about our family roots and connections, who is Epekwitnewaq Mi’kmaq, and our collective identity as a Nation. We cannot exercise and protect our rights if we don’t have our own community-led process of defining who is Mi’kmaq in Epekwitk.
Ni’n aq No’kmaq will be the process by which the Epekwitnewaq Mi’kmaq (and not the federal and provincial governments) determine who the rightful heirs of the Peace and Friendship Treaties are in PEI, and who can exercise Treaty rights like harvesting, hunting, and fishing.
L’nuey, on behalf of the Mi’kmaq leadership in Epekwitk, wants to ensure that:
- Rights are being exercised by the Epekwitnewaq Mi’kmaq.
- Resources are being protected and used properly – with rights comes responsibilities.
- Future generations are able to enjoy and benefit from these resources.
As Epekwitnewaq Mi’kmaq, Ni’n aq No’kmaq is our process. Every step of the way, we are engaging with Mi’kmaq across PEI – both on and off-reserve, coming back to you at each stage to ask if we heard you correctly, and only then are we proceeding.
