Town of Stratford Proudly Installs Mi’kmaq Place Names (June 18, 2021)

June 21, 2021

For Immediate Release: June 18, 2021

During National Indigenous History Month, the Town of Stratford is proud to install six signs in our community to acknowledge and appreciate the history of our community as a Mi’kmaq summer camping location. The installations are now complete and include the following:

English PEI Place Name	Corresponding Mi’kmaq Place Name	Translations: Mi’kmaq Place Name
Fullertons Creek	Apsoqonikatejk	Small legs
Hillsborough River	Elsitkuk	The place where water flows out but you cannot see where it originates from.
Kellys Point	Mekwe’k kun’tew	The inanimate thing, rock, is red.
Rosebank Point	Metupunekiaq	Steep red bank
Seatrout Point	Menapskw	Round, globular thing removed or sticking out.
Stewart Cove	Atoqwa’su walney	Trout cove

“These signs connect us to our past”, said Steve Ogden, Mayor of the Town of Stratford. “The signs allow residents to reflect and become more aware of our community’s connection to the lands of the Mi’kmaq peoples of our past. It is a wonderful project and great addition to our community.”

The signs are now installed throughout Stratford at locations in close proximity to their past locations with help from L’nuey. Mi’kmaq place names have a historical connection to the location that describe the locations characteristics or activity uses of the land but are not translated names of the locations.

“This great initiative by the Town of Stratford is one that we are proud to support,” said Chief Darlene Bernard of Lennox Island First Nation. “It is important to display our language in our traditional territory, as many residents may not know the history and deep, long-standing connection that the Mi’kmaq have to this land. Educating people through simple initiatives such as this will strengthen understandings, knowledge, and ultimately our relationships with one another”

“The Town of Stratford has taken a great step in acknowledging our language and presence on this Island,” added Chief Junior Gould of Abegweit First Nation. “Islanders need to know about our culture, our history, and despite our oppressive colonial past, that we are still here today. Our ancestors have occupied this land for at least 12,000 years, and it is important that both we, and our culture, are visible in the Island’s landscape.”

This project was an initiative of the Town’s Heritage Sub-Committee with support from the Town’s Arts and Culture Sub-Committee and Diversity and Inclusion Sub-Committee.

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For more information please contact:

Wendy Watts, Community & Business Engagement Manager
Town of Stratford
Phone: (902) 569-1995
Email: wwatts@townofstratford.ca

Sean Doke, Communications Officer
L’nuey
Phone: (902) 330-4420
Email: sdoke@lnuey.ca

Printable version: Media Release – Town of Stratford Proudly Installs Mi’kmaq Place Names (June 18, 2021)

Fullertons Creek: IMG_5865 (resize).jpg
Kellys Point: IMG_5873 (resize).jpg
Rosebank Point: IMG_5862 (resize).jpg
Seatrout Point: IMG_5858 (resize).jpg
Stewart Cove: IMG_5871 (resize).jpg