Food

The Mi'kmaq spent most of the year along the sea coast, taking advantage of the wealth of food available there throughout all but about six weeks of the year. Fish of all kinds, including salmon and sturgeon, plus porpoises, whales, walrus, seals, lobster, squid, shellfish, eels and seabirds with their eggs made up the bulk of their diet. They also ate moose, caribou, beaver and porcupine, as well as smaller animals, like squirrels. Berries, roots and edible plants were gathered during the summer. Meat and fish were dried and smoked to preserve them.

Pastimes

The Mi'kmaq entertained each other with story-telling. Stories often lasted several days, and included singing, dancing and feasting. Everyone smoked: their tobacco was made from red willow bark, bearberry leaves and a native tobacco plant. The dice game Waltes was a favourite game, and is still played today. There were contests of running, wrestling and shooting, plus various ball games.

Language

The Mi'kmaq language, one of the Algonkian family of languages, is rich and descriptive. Their name for the month of May is Tqoljewiku's, "frog-croaking moon." February is Apiknajit, the "snow-blinder." Some place names–Shubenacadie, Whycocomagh, Malagash, Pugwash, Merigomish, Musquodoboit–come from Mi'kmaq. The language is still spoken today by a number of the people.