Truth, Reconciliation, and the Land: A Day at Uni’knitujk — Issue 4

Part of connecting and recognizing truth and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples of Canada is to experience the land, the elements and the four directions, all of which embrace creation. This land that we share with the Mi’kmaq people of Nova Scotia holds so many beautiful spots, and so on Wednesday, Grade 11 students and some lucky chaperones hiked Duncan’s Cove under beautiful skies and warm sun.

The original Mi’kmaq name for Duncan’s Cove, N.S., is Uni’knitujk, which translates to “Little Portage.” The name Uni’knitujk suggests a historical Mi’kmaq use of the area for portaging, and the cove is part of Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq people, who have inhabited this land for millennia.

The name “Duncan’s Cove” was given by Europeans after Admiral Adam Duncan defeated the Dutch in the Battle of Camperdown. Duncan’s Cove was first settled by Europeans as a small fishing community.

For students, whether from here at home or from other international countries, the granite rock, the bay laurel growing on the path, and the crashing waves are quintessentially Nova Scotian and remind us of the beauty of our natural habitat. The friendship and freedom felt hiking together was palpable.

Karen Jones