New Mi'kmaq wigwam at P.E.I. National Park shows 'living heritage' on Greenwich trail

A traditional Mi'kmaq wigwam is now on display at P.E.I. National Park in Greenwich — to help Islanders and visitors alike learn more about the Indigenous history of the area.

Jesse Francis, manager of strategic initiatives for the Mi'kmaq Confederacy of P.E.I. and Parks Canada, said the site is rich in Mi'kmaq history — and one way to showcase that is to show visitors the way Indigenous people first lived on the Island.

"There are really important archeological sites here that show us the ancestors of the Mi'kmaq have been living here for thousands of years," said Francis.

"But it's also a living heritage, so developing a wigwam here to bring that history and that content alive is really appropriate."

It's a joint initiative of the Mi'kmaq Confederacy of P.E.I., which oversaw the work, and Parks Canada, which funded it.

The new wigwam is visible as soon as you step onto the trail at Greenwich. The idea is to invite visitors to learn about the history of this area as soon as they arrive.  

"It's wonderful because it brings to the fore an element of the history that maybe visitors in the past might not have been aware of," said Francis. 

"For the Mi'kmaq community it's really important to have those connections celebrated. And I think for everyone it really brings alive a really important element of the Mi'kmaq history in Parks Canada sites that can really add a great deal to their understanding and appreciation of what they're seeing."

The wigwam was built by Mi'kmaq Elder Junior Peter Paul and Michael Sark, who spent time this summer harvesting locally everything required for the construction, including birch bark and spruce root.

"I feel good about it, because this is the very first thing that you see when you come into this trail," said Peter Paul.

"For me, It's great to be able to build something that my people used to do many years ago, you know, and to bring that teaching back, the culture back, to teach the people that here on the Island."

'Something that's built that actually can be seen'

The site is set up like a traditional Mi'kmaq camp, complete with a canoe constructed a few years ago as part of another joint initiative of the Mi'kmaq Confederacy of P.E.I. and Parks Canada, at Skmaqn–Port-la-Joye–Fort Amherst National Historic Site.

A wigwam was constructed there, too, as part of the initiative. The goal is to make learning about the Indigenous History of Parks Canada site on P.E.I. more accessible, and immersive. 

"It's something that's been missing," said Peter Paul.

"It hasn't been forgotten about, but people haven't seen it yet. So it's good to have something that's built that actually can be seen now instead of telling stories about it."

Now that the project is complete, Junior Peter Paul will remain on site for September and October, to share history about the area and talk to visitors about the construction of the wigwam. Officials with Parks Canada say the hope to host events at the site, and school groups as well. They plan to add some information boards at the site, too, so visitors will be able to learn about the history anytime.

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