ELDER PROFILES: Elmastogoeg (Benoit’s Cove) Indian Band

Valmour Compagnon, 2003

Taking our living from the land was a way of life for my family. Hunting, fishing, gathering berries and wood was a means of survival. Many of the remedies used for the treatment of aliments and injuries came from the land. Some of the traditions of our ancestors still remain today. Times were hard and we all worked hard and didn’t have much. But what we did have was a great respect for the land and for each other. There was a great sense of family and community and all were willing to lend a hand to a neighbor, a friend or a family member in need. I would like to see the Mi’kmaq people in Newfoundland receive the recognition that has been denied them for so many years.

From the exhibition, “The Mi’kmaw People of Newfoundland: A Celebration.”