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Barbski Nicolas and her house of knowledge

There aren't many people like Barbski.

Playwright and painter: A Neqotkuk First Nation woman whose home embodies her personality

CBC News ·
An older woman with greying hair holds up a paper.
Barbski has been interested in writing plays since she was in the seventh grade. Today, she writes them to help teach children about Indigenous history and soon her play, Treat-ye, will be an e-book. (Ann Paul/CBC)

This is part of a series called Ann's Eye, featuring the work of Ann Paul, a Wolastoqey content creator. You can see more Ann's Eye pieces by clicking here.

Barbara Nicolas, who goes by Barbski, has bottles of knowledge sitting on her shelves.

There aren't many women like her, Ann Paul said, adding that Barbski is kind of like Ann's own mother, Maggie Paul, a knowledge keeper and advocate for Indigenous rights. Still, the Neqotkuk woman, in northwestern New Brunswick, has her "own flair."

"She's a gem," Paul said. "She's got medicines and bottles and all this knowledge sitting on shelves, waiting to be opened."

WATCH | Listen to Barbski read some of her play TREAT-YE:

Barbara 'Barbski' Nicholas transforms her Indigenous knowledge into plays for children

1 year ago
Duration 1:59
Ann's Eye: Tobique First Nation's Barbski Nicholas always wrote plays. The theatre came later.

Barbski writes plays to pass on Indigenous history to children, and she fills her house with medicine and her own artwork. Scroll through the photos and watch the video to get a glimpse of Barbski's life.

A woman wearing black plants and a grey sweater stands inside a house. A red flag hangs from the ceiling.
Barbski's house is full of tributes to her life and personality. Still living off the land as much as possible, she fills bottles with natural medicine. In this photo, the Mohawk warrior flag hangs from the ceiling. (Ann Paul/CBC)
A woman stands facing a yellow painting.
This piece is called Dandelion Fund. Barbski was inspired to paint it after sweetgrass, which had been growing near her house for years, was bulldozed to make room for a road. (Ann Paul/CBC)
A woman wearing black pants and a grey sweater stands outside. In the yard, there are patches of snow, a chopping block and piles of firewood.
Barbski, who declined to reveal her age, still heats her home by chopping her own firewood for the stove. (Ann Paul/CBC)
A woman stands next to a ladder in front of a yellow wall.
Barbski is working on a mural for her home. The painting, which will be made out of pennies and stone, will be based on a vision Barbski had during a fast. (Ann Paul/CBC)

Ann's Eye

Photographer Ann Paul brings an Indigenous lens to stories from First Nations communities across New Brunswick. Click here or on the image below to see more of her work. 

 

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